George Sher is a
moral philosopher
Ethics is the philosophical study of moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches include normative ethics, applied ethics ...
and
political philosopher
Political philosophy studies the theoretical and conceptual foundations of politics. It examines the nature, scope, and legitimacy of political institutions, such as states. This field investigates different forms of government, ranging from de ...
who has taught at
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres.
Rice University comp ...
since 1991.
Education and career
Sher earned his bachelor's degree at
Brandeis University
Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...
and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in 1972. He taught at the
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...
before moving to Rice.
Philosophical work
His work has largely focused on
liberalism
Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...
,
perfectionism, and issues in
moral psychology
Moral psychology is the study of human thought and behavior in ethical contexts. Historically, the term "moral psychology" was used relatively narrowly to refer to the study of moral development. This field of study is interdisciplinary between th ...
.
["But I Could Be Wrong,]
''Ethical Theory: An Anthology''
He is married to essayist and novelist Emily Fox Gordon.
Bibliography
* ''Desert'', Princeton University Press, 1987; paperback, 1989.
* ''Beyond Neutrality: Perfectionism and Politics'', Cambridge University Press, 1997. Chinese edition (Hebei People's Publishing House) forthcoming.
* ''Approximate Justice: Studies in Non-Ideal Theory'', Rowman and Littlefield, 1997.
* ''In Praise of Blame'', Oxford University Press, 2006.
* ''Who Knew? Responsibility Without Awareness'', Oxford University Press, 2009.
* ''Equality for Inegalitarians'', Cambridge University Press, 2014.
* ''Me, You, Us'', Oxford University Press, 2017.
See also
*
American philosophy
American philosophy is the activity, corpus, and tradition of philosophers affiliated with the United States. The ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' notes that while it lacks a "core of defining features, American Philosophy can neverthe ...
*
List of American philosophers
American philosophy is the activity, corpus, and tradition of philosophers affiliated with the United States. The ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' notes that while it lacks a "core of defining features, American Philosophy can neverthe ...
References
External links
George Sher - Rice University Philosophy
Living people
Rice University faculty
Brandeis University alumni
Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
Moral psychologists
20th-century American philosophers
21st-century American philosophers
Year of birth missing (living people)
{{US-philosopher-stub