I am a philosopher with wide interests.

Research Interests

• CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title - 2008

Approach to Teaching

My teaching philosophy is quite simple: (i) to stress comprehension before argumentation, especially in lower-level courses, (ii) to develop independent and original thinking in my students, not sycophants, and (iii) to promote clear and empirical thinking in answering the “What is x?” questions, and hence a wide concept of philosophy, one that emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary studies.

Three of my favorite courses for teaching (there are others) are Modes of Reasoning (the many skills you will develop in this course are of inestimable value, for your career and more), Meaning of Life (I know what it is!), and Human Nature (who we are, what we are, and the identity of our real family).

Current Courses

I am a philosopher with wide interests.

Publications (Books):
(2021). A Night at the Organ. https://filmfreeway.com/ANightattheOrgan (HD 9.15 GB) / https://youtu.be/Y1qkr5DqSZ0 (4k Ultra HD 16.2 GB)
(2017). Edgar Allan Poe, Eureka, and Scientific Imagination. State University of New York Press.
(2013). The Myth of Universal Human Rights: Its Origin, History, and Explanation, Along With a More Humane Way. Paradigm Publishers. Reprinted by Routledge (2016).
(2008). Evolution and the Big Questions: Sex, Race, Religion, and Other Matters. Blackwell. Recipient of a Choice Outstanding Academic Title award for 2008. Translated into Spanish (Biblioteca Buridán 2009), Portuguese (Edições Loyola 2011), and Arabic (National Center for Translation 2014).
(2007). Darwin and the Nature of Species. State University of New York Press.
(2003). The Species Problem: Biological Species, Ontology, and the Metaphysics of Biology. Lexington Books.

Publications (Book Chapters):
(2013). “Darwin’s Species Concept Revisited.” In Igor Pavlinov, ed. (2013). The Species Problem: Ongoing Issues. Rijeka: InTech, 251–280.
(2010). “Quantum Indeterminism, Mutation, Natural Selection, and the Meaning of Life.” In Chérif F. Matta, ed. (2010). Quantum Biochemistry: Electronic Structure and Biological Activity. Volume 2. Wiley-VCH, 837–872.

Publications (Refereed Articles):
(2023). "Neoteny and the Meaning of Life." Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology. Advance Online Open Access Publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/teo0000252
(2021). "Whodunit? Poe and Dr. Strangelove." Bright Lights Film Journal Feb. 18. https://brightlightsfilm.com/whodunit-poe-and-dr-strangelove/#.YC6rrWhKjDc
(2007). “Popper, Laws, and the Exclusion of Biology from Genuine Science.” Act Biotheoretica 55, 357–375.
(2005). “Pre-Darwinian Taxonomy and Essentialism—A Reply to Mary Winsor.” Biology & Philosophy 20, 79–96.
(2002). “Species, Languages, and the Horizontal/Vertical Distinction.” Biology & Philosophy 17, 171–198.
(2001). “Quantum Indeterminism and Evolutionary Biology.” Philosophy of Science 68, 164–184.
(2000). “Robert Haynes, In Memoriam: 1931–1998.” Biology & Philosophy 15, 633–639.
(1999). “Darwin’s Species Category Realism.” History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences 21, 137–186.
(1998). “Buffon, Darwin, and the Non-Individuality of Species—A Reply to Jean Gayon.” Biology & Philosophy 13, 443–470.
(1997). “The Nature and Relation of the Three Proofs of God’s Existence in Descartes’ Meditations.” Auslegung 22, 1–37.
(1997). “A New Theory on Philo’s Reversal.” International Studies in Philosophy 29, 73–94.
(1996). “Popper, Falsifiability, and Evolutionary Biology.” Biology & Philosophy 11, 161–191.
(1996). “Was Darwin Really a Species Nominalist?” Journal of the History of Biology 29, 127–144.

Publications (Book Reviews):
(2012). “And the Meek Shall Inherit the Earth (Somewhat): On Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature.” The Evolutionary Review 3 (1), 23–29.
(2012). “The Descent of Man into Dehumanization: On David Livingstone Smith’s Less Than Human.” The Evolutionary Review 3 (1), 39–46.
(2010). “Book Review of Michael Ruse’s Evolution and Religion: A Dialogue.” Reports of the National Center for Science Education 30, 62–63.
(2004). “Book Review of Rebecca Bryant’s Discovery and Decision: Exploring the Metaphysics and Epistemology of Scientific Classification.” Philosophical Psychology 17, 135–139.
(2000). “Book Review of Stephen G. Alter’s Darwinism and the Linguistic Image: Language, Race, and Natural Theology in the Nineteenth Century.” Annals of Science 57, 319–321.

Magazine Articles:
(2011). “The Philosophical Significance of Psychopaths: Postmodernism, Morality, and God.” Free Inquiry 31 (5), 46–49. http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=fi&page=31-5-stamos

YouTube Videos:
A Night at the Organ
https://filmfreeway.com/ANightattheOrgan
https://youtu.be/Y1qkr5DqSZ0
Pipe Organ Compositions
https://youtu.be/BdqyqTKbnX8
The Myth of Universal Human Rights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6YRlLa976A
Evolution and Evidence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2T7pdkSf_U
Do Human Rights Exist?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovwCnB-G_3w
Evolution and the Meaning of Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAoPFzBpG3U

Degrees

Professional Leadership

I am a "What is x?" philosopher. Part of what that means, to me, is that I neither lead, follow, nor get out of the way. (It's also a Free Thinker thing.) Accordingly, my two academic mottos are:
(1) It is not wisdom to ignore evidence. (The point here is that philosphy is supposed to be the love/philos of wisdom/sophia, so anyone who says to you "That's science, not philosophy, we only do philosophy here" is either wrongheaded or wicked, possibly both.)
(2) Politics does not determined good scholarship. (Left, Right, PC, it doesn't matter. If you value truth, evidence, and knowledge--and by definition you cannot if you're a postmodernist--then you must be prepared to defy thought police, groupthink, the flow, society, parents/relatives, zeitgeists, poltergeists, etc.) Put another way, an ideologue is not and cannot be a just reasoner. (Now, what is a just reasoner?)

I greatly appreciate politeness and kindness, especially when the latter is extended to our non-human family members. (Given the Darwinian revolution, we are ALL family.) My greatest icon (for a number of reasons) is Albert Schweitzer, with whom I share the desire to give back to the world and increase the amount of good in it (as he defined the word "good"), to be a positive rather than a negative.

Community Contributions

In addition to rescuing well over a dozen cats and other acts of kindness and compassion:

(2010). On December 6 gave a talk to the Grade 12 writing class at the Israel & Goldstein Koschitzky Torah Center Chaim Boys’ School on the topic of writing and getting published. Given at the request of my former student Sharon Weltman, who now teaches at that school.

(2009). From January 9 to March 27 weekly lecture series on Evolution and the Big Questions given for Living and Learning in Retirement (175 registered for the course, average age 77, best audience ever).

(2006). On November 30 gave a talk to the Grade 12 writing class at Ulpanat Orot Girls’ School on the topic of writing and getting published. Given at the request of my former student Sharon Weltman, who is affiliated with that school.

(2006). On October 26 gave a talk to the Grade 12 writing class at Yeshivat Or Chaim Boys’ School on the topic of writing and getting published. Given at the request of my former student Sharon Weltman, who now teaches at that school.

Research Interests

Awards

• CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title - 2008

Approach to Teaching

My teaching philosophy is quite simple: (i) to stress comprehension before argumentation, especially in lower-level courses, (ii) to develop independent and original thinking in my students, not sycophants, and (iii) to promote clear and empirical thinking in answering the “What is x?” questions, and hence a wide concept of philosophy, one that emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary studies.

Three of my favorite courses for teaching (there are others) are Modes of Reasoning (the many skills you will develop in this course are of inestimable value, for your career and more), Meaning of Life (I know what it is!), and Human Nature (who we are, what we are, and the identity of our real family).

Current Courses