Coleen M. Watson
Binghamton University – LT-1205 – cwatson4@binghamton.edu – philosophywithwatson.com –
November 2022
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Social/Political Philosophy, Normative Epistemology, Ethics, Applied Philosophy and Ethics
AREAS OF COMPETENCY
Social/Political Philosophy, Moral Theory and Ethics, Applied Philosophy and Ethics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Education, Ancient Philosophy, Early Modern Philosophy
EDUCATION
Binghamton University Doctoral Program in Social, Political, Ethical and Legal Philosophy – 2017-Present
Committee: Anthony Reeves (Chair), Melissa Zinkin, Mattias Iser — Dissertation to be defended June 2023
Abstract:
A deep reading of classic and contemporary political philosophy will show that citizenship in liberal democracies requires a demanding level of epistemic engagement from their citizens: voters, for example, must be informed and know their rights. I call this type of epistemic duties I have identified civic epistemic obligations or CEOs. However, highlighting the epistemic obligations of citizenship reveals a problem for philosophical theory and citizens’ lived experience of participation. Contrary to an idealized vision of political decision-making often assumed in the philosophical literature, reasoning about political choices does not happen through some process of detached critical reflection. Among the challenges to the epistemic duties of liberal democratic citizenship I explore are the psychological and cognitive limitations empirical research has revealed over the past five decades and crises in polarization, misinformation, and a general decline in strong civic institutions. Given the data, the obligation to participate epistemically cannot be merely an expectation imposed on individuals. Instead, epistemic participation requires strong institutions supporting individual cognitive development and informed debate throughout our civic and social connections.
Texas State University, M.A. in Applied Philosophy and Ethics – Awarded May 2014
St. Edward’s University, B.A. in Philosophy – Awarded December 2009
PUBLICATIONS
“Justifying Humanitarian Interference for Epistemic Threats,” in Engaging Populism: Democracy and the Intellectual Virtues, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022), pgs. 295-319
PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY
“The Wisdom of the People: A Podcast on the Philosophy that Founds Democracy” — since 2022
https://wisdompeoplepodcast.com/. Available on Spotify, Google Play, and Amazon Music
Critical Thinking Lab Ask-A-Philosopher Booth– since 2022
Exhibitions in collaboration with City of Binghamton Blues on the Bridge, and Broome County Arts Council First Friday Art Walks
Texas State University Dialogue Series — 2014-2017
Presentations given therein
- “The Burden of Student Loans and the Diminishing Value of a University Education” -2015
- “Golden Rule Reasoning” – 2014
- “The American Democracy Project” -Series – 2014
- “Bring Back the Draft? The Case for Conscripted Public Service” -2016
- “Not Just the Issues: Why Politics is More than Just Policy” -2016
- “A Dialogue on Science and Free Will” (panel discussion) Series – 2014
- “Making Sense of Free Will” – 2014
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND AWARDS
Humanities New York Public Humanities Grant – Awarded July 2022
Binghamton University Philosophy Department Dissertation Assistantship – Awarded Spring 2021
Binghamton University Graduate Student Excellence Award in Service/Outreach – 2021
Best Graduate Student Essay Prize, “The Beauty of the Game: Sport and Establishing Artistic Interaction” – 2014. Prize Awarded at Rocky Mountain Division for the American Society for Aesthetics Annual Meeting
International Business Ethics Case Competition – 2014
1st place Full Presentation Competition: Graduate Meggitt Division
1st place 10-Minute Presentation: Graduate St. Jude Division
Girl Scout Gold Award – 2004
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Binghamton University
Director of Philosophy Department Critical Thinking Lab – 2021-Present
Graduate Writing Consultant – 2022-Present
Tutor for University Tutorial Services – 2021-2022
Facilitator and planning committee member for campus deliberative dialogues – 2021
Philosophy Graduate Student Organization
- Served as Secretary – 2017-2018
- Served as President – 2018-2021
- Served as Alternate Senator – 2021-Present
Philosophy Graduate Conference Organizing Committee – 2018-Present
- Served as Co-Chair – 2019-2020
Texas State University
Ethics Bowl Faculty Advisor/Coach – 2015-2017
International Business Ethics Case Competition Faculty Advisor/Coach – 2015-2017
Philosophy Department Travel Committee Member – 2015-2017
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
Certified in foundational knowledge of digital humanities scholarship, Binghamton University Digital Humanities Research Institute – 2021
Successful Completion of Teaching Online Certification Program
Binghamton University Center for Learning and Teaching — 2020
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMNT
Elections Poll Worker for Broome County Board of Elections – 2020-Present
Volunteer at The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier Children’s Museum – 2018-Present
Volunteer Fire Fighter with North Hayes County Fire and Rescue – 2014-2016
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
“Mindful Civic Participation”
Finalist in Binghamton University’s 3-Minute Thesis Competition – 2022
“The Citizen as Knower: Epistemic obligations in liberal democracies”
Georgia Philosophical Society’s 2021 Online Conference on Philosophical Perspectives on Rights, Obligations, and Freedom
“Liberal Democracies and Epistemic Obligations”
Invited presentation to Binghamton University class Phil 457: Knowledge and Polarization – Fall 2021
“The Citizen as Knower: Epistemic obligations in liberal democracies”
International Association for Dialogue Analysis – 2021
“The Epistemic Functions of Deliberation and Party Politics”
4th Annual Meeting of the Philosophy Politics and Economics Society – 2020
“The Normative Grounds of State Sovereignty and Epistemic Authority”
South Dakota State University Ethics Lab, Populism and the Recovery of Intellectual Virtues Workshop – 2019
“When Moral Aims Conflict”
71st Annual Northwest Philosophy Conference – 2019
“The Normative Grounds of State Sovereignty and Epistemic Authority”
New York State Political Science Association Annual Conference – 2019
“The Normative Grounds of State Sovereignty and Epistemic Authority”
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Conference – 2019
“The Burden of Student Loans and the Diminishing Value of a University Education”
Conference on the Ethics of Debt at Iowa State University – 2015
“The Beauty of the Game: Sport and Establishing Artistic Interaction”
Rocky Mountain Division for the American Society for Aesthetics Annual Meeting – 2014
“Is the Blood on you Shirt? Exploitation in Garment Manufacturing”
International Business Ethics Case Competition – 2014
“Darwinian Economics: An Evaluation of Two Methods”
Texas State University Annual Philosophy Student Symposium – 2014
“The Athlete’s Guide to Compatibility: Free Will and the Sporting Life”
Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Annual Conference – 2014
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Binghamton University
Independent Teaching
Phil 308C – Liberal Democratic Theories and its Critics – Summer 2023
Phil 491- Practicum in College Teaching – Fall 2022
Phil 491- Practicum in College Teaching – Fall 2021
Phil 149 – Environmental Ethics and Policy – Summer 2021
Phil 149 – Environmental Ethics and Policy – Summer 2020
Phil 142 – Introduction to Political Philosophy – Fall 2019
Phil 148 – Medical Ethics – Summer 2019
Teaching Assistant
Phil 148 – Medical Ethics – Fall 2022
Phil 202 – Descartes, Hume, and Kant – Spring 2022
Phil 101 – Introduction to Philosophy – Fall 2020
Phil 149 – Environmental Ethics and Policy – Spring 2020
Phil 148- Medical Ethics – Spring 2019
Phil 201 -Plato and Aristotle – Fall 2018
Phil 147 – Markets, Ethics, and Law – Spring 2018
Phil 146 – Law, and Justice – Fall 2017
Texas State University
Independent Teaching
Lecturer – Phil 1305 – Philosophy and Critical Thinking – 2016-2017
Lecturer – Phil 1320 – Ethics and Society – 2014-2017
Teaching Assistant
Phil 1320 Ethics and Society – 2013-2014
LANGUAGES
English – native language
Spanish – read with basic competence
MEMBERSHIPS
Binghamton University Graduate Student Organization – 2017-Present
Binghamton University Graduate Student Employee’s Union – 2017-Present
Texas State University Phi Sigma Tau Honor Society – 2012-2014
Philosophy With Watson 