Michael Huemer

Philosophy Department • University of Colorado

Boulder, Colorado 80309-0232

Education

B.A. Philosophy University of California, Berkeley 1992
Ph.D. Philosophy Rutgers University, New Brunswick 1998

Academic Positions

University of Colorado, Boulder Assistant Professor of Philosophy 1998-2005
Associate Professor of Philosophy 2005-2011
Professor of Philosophy 2011-       
Tulane University, Murphy Institute Visiting Research Professor 2018-2019

Areas of Specialization

Epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics

Courses Taught

Introduction to Philosophy
Symbolic Logic
Ethics
Philosophy and Society
Philosophy & Science Fiction
Major Social Theories
Knowledge, Mind, & Reality
Social & Political Philosophy 		Economics, Game Theory, & Rational Choice
History of Science (ancient & medieval)
Epistemology
Metaethics (seminar)
Metaphysics
Philosophy of Science
Seminar on Paradoxes
Seminar on Infinity

Research

Books

  1. Progressive Myths. Independently Published, 2024.
    Spanish translation: Mitos Progres, tr. by Nieves Cumbreras. Ediciones Deusto, 2025.
  2. (Co-authored with Bryan Frances) Can We Know Anything?: A Debate. Routledge, 2023.
  3. (Co-authored with Daniel Layman) Is Political Authority an Illusion? A Debate. Routledge, 2022.
  4. Understanding Knowledge. Independently Published, 2022.
  5. Knowledge, Reality, and Value. Independently Published, 2021.
    Ukrainian translation: Знання. Реальність. Цінність, tr. by M. E. Bystrytsky. Dukh i Litera, 2024.
  6. Justice Before the Law. Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.
  7. Dialogues on Ethical Vegetarianism. Routledge, 2019. Second ed.: 2025.
    French translation: Dialogue entre un carnivore et un végétarien, tr. Paul Laborde. Editions Albin Michel, 2020.
    French language excerpt reprinted by L’Amorce, 2/15/2021, http://lamorce.co/.
    Polish translation: Porozmawiajmy o jedzeniu zwierząt: Etyka wegetarianizmu, tr. Włodzimierz Gogłoza. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2020.
  8. Paradox Lost. Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
  9. Approaching Infinity. Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.
  10. The Problem of Political Authority. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
    Italian translation: Il problema dell’autorità politica, tr. Christina Ruffini (Liberilibri, 2015).
    Polish translation: Problem władzy politycznej, tr. Jan Lewinski and Piotr Swiercz (Instytut Misesa, 2019).
    Spanish translation: El problema de la autoridad política, tr. Javier Serrano (Deustro, 2019).
    Ukrainian translation: (K.I.S. Ltd. Publishing House, forthcoming).
  11. Ethical Intuitionism. Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.
  12. (Edited volume) Epistemology: Contemporary Readings. Routledge, 2002.
  13. Skepticism and the Veil of Perception. Rowman & Littlefield, 2001.

    Chapter 1 excerpted in Reason and Responsibility, 16th ed. (Cengage, 2016), pp. 195-200.

Epistemology Articles

  1. “Comments on ‘Chatbot Epistemology,’” Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective 14 (2025): 7–10, https://wp.me/p1Bfg0-9ZI.
  2. “No Need for Explanation,” Asian Journal of Philosophy 3 (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s44204-024-00187-2.
  3. “Evidence Is Seemings,” and “Four Challenges for Phenomenal Conservatism,” pp. 127-34 and 142-5 in Contemporary Debates in Epistemology, 3rd ed. (Wiley, 2024).
  4. “How to Be Irrational,” pp. 94-108 in Seemings: New Arguments, New Angles, ed. Scott Stapleford, Kevin McCain, and Matthias Steup (Routledge, 2024).
  5. “We Can Know” and “Response to Lammenranta,” pp. 26-38 and 56-60 in Problems in Epistemology and Metaphysics, ed. Steven Cowan (Bloomsbury, 2020).
  6. “Finite Minds,” pp. 171-87 in Themes from Klein: Knowledge, Scepticism, and Justification, ed. Cherie Braden, Branden Fitelson, and Rodrigo Borges (Springer, 2019).
  7. “A Probabilistic Critique of Evidentialism,” pp. 199-222 in Believing in Accordance with the Evidence: New Essays on Evidentialism, ed. Kevin McCain (Springer, 2018).
  8. “The Virtues of Direct Realism,” pp. 95-112 in Direct versus Indirect Realism: A Neurophilosophical Debate on Consciousness, ed. John Smythies and Robert French (London: Elsevier, 2018). Replies to other authors (same volume): pp. 194-200, 259-67.
  9. “There Is No Pure Empirical Reasoning,” Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 95 (2017): 592-613.
  10. “Inferential Appearances,” pp. 144-60 in Intellectual Assurance: Essays on Traditional Epistemic Internalism, ed. Brett Coppenger and Michael Bergmann (Oxford University Press, 2016).
  11. “Serious Theories and Skeptical Theories: Why You Are Probably Not a Brain in a Vat,” Philosophical Studies 173 (2016): 1031-52.
  12. “The Failure of Analysis and the Nature of Concepts,” pp. 51-76 in The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophical Methods, ed. Chris Daly (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015).
  13. “Alternative Self-Defeat Arguments: A Reply to Mizrahi,” Logos and Episteme 5 (2014): 223-9.
  14. “Phenomenal Conservatism,” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://www.iep.utm.edu/phen-con/, 2013.
    German translation: “Phänomenaler Konservatismus,” tr. Inga Schütte and Martin Grajner, pp. 187-97 in Handbuch Erkenntnistheorie, ed. Martin Grajner and Guido Melchior (Springer-Verlag, 2019).
  15. “Phenomenal Conservatism Uber Alles,” in Seemings and Justification: New Essays on Dogmatism and Phenomenal Conservatism (Oxford University Press, 2013), pp. 328-50.
  16. “Epistemological Asymmetries between Belief and Experience,” Philosophical Studies 162 (2013): 741-8.
  17. “Does Probability Theory Refute Coherentism?”, Journal of Philosophy 108 (2011): 35-54.
  18. “Phenomenal Conservatism and Self-Defeat: A Reply to DePoe,” Philosophical Studies 156 (2011): 1-13.
  19. “Epistemological Egoism and Agent-Centered Norms,” in Evidentialism and its Discontents, ed. Trent Dougherty (Oxford University Press, 2011), pp. 17-33.
  20. “The Puzzle of Metacoherence,” Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 82 (2011): 1-21.
  21. “Foundations and Coherence” in A Companion to Epistemology, 2nd ed. (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), pp. 22-33.
  22. “Explanationist Aid for the Theory of Inductive Logic,” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 60 (2009): 1-31.
  23. “When Is Parsimony a Virtue?” Philosophical Quarterly 59 (2009): 216-36.
  24. “Epistemic Possibility,” Synthese 156 (2007): 119-42.
  25. “Compassionate Phenomenal Conservatism,” Philosophy & Phenomenological Research 74 (2007): 30-55.
  26. “Weak Bayesian Coherentism,” Synthese 157 (2007): 337-46.
  27. “Moore’s Paradox and the Norm of Belief” in Themes from G. E. Moore, ed. Susana Nuccetelli and Gary Seay (Oxford University Press, 2007), pp. 142-157.
  28. “Phenomenal Conservatism and the Internalist Intuition,” American Philosophical Quarterly 43 (2006): 147-58.
  29. “Is Critical Thinking Epistemically Responsible?”, Metaphilosophy 36 (2005): 522-31.
  30. “Logical Properties of Warrant,” Philosophical Studies 122 (2005): 171-82.
  31. “Sense Data,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, summer 2004.
  32. “Arbitrary Foundations?” Philosophical Forum 34 (2003): 141-52.
  33. “Fumerton’s Principle of Inferential Justification,” Journal of Philosophical Research 27 (2002): 329-40.
  34. “The Problem of Defeasible Justification,” Erkenntnis 54 (2001): 375-97.
  35. “Direct Realism and the Brain-in-a-Vat Argument,” Philosophy & Phenomenological Research 61 (2000): 397-413.
    Reprinted in Epistemology: Contemporary Readings.
  36. “The Problem of Memory Knowledge,” Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 80 (1999): 346-57.
    Reprinted in Epistemology: Contemporary Readings.
    Reprinted in Epistemology: An Anthology, 2nd ed. (Blackwell, 2008).
  37. “Probability and Coherence Justification,” Southern Journal of Philosophy 35 (1997): 463-72.

Metaphysics & Mind

  1. “I, for One, Welcome Our Robot Overlords,” AI and Society, forthcoming.
  2. “What Is It Like to Be a Bot?,” Journal of Consciousness Studies, forthcoming.
  3. “Dualism and the Problem of Other Minds,” Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Mind, vol. 5, forthcoming.
  4. “Disembodied Souls Are People Too,” pp. 138-153 in Extreme Philosophy, ed. Stephen Hetherington (Routledge, 2024).
  5. “Existence Is Evidence of Immortality,” Nous 55 (2021): 128-51, DOI: 10.1111/nous.12295.
  6. “Virtue and Vice Among the Infinite,” pp. 87-104 in Ad Infinitum: New Essays on Epistemological Infinitism, ed. John Turri and Peter Klein (Oxford University Press, 2014).
  7. “Free Will and Determinism in the World of Minority Report” in Science Fiction and Philosophy, ed. Susan Schneider (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), pp. 103-112.
  8. “Elusive Freedom? A Reply to Helen Beebee,” Philosophical Review 113 (2004): 411-416.
  9. “Causation as Simultaneous and Continuous,” Philosophical Quarterly 53 (2003): 556-65. Co-authored with Ben Kovitz.
  10. “Van Inwagen’s Consequence Argument,” Philosophical Review 109 (2000): 524-43.

Ethics & Meta-Ethics

  1. “Duty and Permission for Utilitarians,” Dimensions of Normative Strength, ed. Joshua Gert and Chris Tucker. Oxford UP, forthcoming.
  2. “On Liberty and Cruelty: A Reply to Walter Block,” Studia Humana 11 (2022): 32-42.
  3. “Reply to Walter Block on Ethical Vegetarianism,” Studia Humana 10 (2021): 41-50.
  4. “Groundless Morals,” pp. 149-65 in A Debate on God and Morality, William Lane Craig and Erik J. Wielenberg (authors), Adam Lloyd Johnson (ed.) (Routledge, 2021).
  5. “Debunking Skepticism,” in Higher-Order Evidence and Moral Epistemology, ed. Michael Klenk (Routledge, 2020).
  6. “A Defense of Jury Nullification,” pp. 39-50 in The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Public Policy, ed. David Boonin (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018).
  7. “Dialogues on Ethical Vegetarianism,” Between the Species 22 (2018): 20-135.
    Portuguese translation by Israel Vilas Bôas, Crítica, March 5, 2018, https://criticanarede.com/animais.html.
  8. “The Duty to Disregard the Law,” Criminal Law and Philosophy 12 (2018): 1-18.
  9. “Devil’s Advocates: On the Ethics of Unjust Legal Advocacy,” in Ethics in Politics: The Rights and Obligations of Individual Political Agents, ed. Emily Crookston, David Killoren, and Jonathan Trerise (Routledge, 2017), pp. 285-304.
  10. “A Liberal Realist Answer to Debunking Skeptics: The Empirical Case for Realism,” Philosophical Studies 173 (2016): 1983-2010.
  11. “An Ontological Proof of Moral Realism,” Social Philosophy & Policy 30 (2013): 259-79.
  12. “Transitivity, Comparative Value, and the Methods of Ethics,” Ethics 123 (2013): 318-45.
  13. “Against Equality and Priority,” Utilitas 24 (2012): 483-501.
  14. “Lexical Priority and the Problem of Risk,” Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 91 (2010): 332-51.
  15. “A Paradox for Weak Deontology,” Utilitas 21 (2009): 464-77.
  16. “Values and Morals: Outline of a Skeptical Realism,” Philosophical Issues 19 (2009): 113-30.
  17. “Singer’s Unstable Metaethics” in Peter Singer Under Fire, ed. Jeffrey Schaler (Open Court, 2009), pp. 359-79.
  18. “Precis of Ethical Intuitionism” and “Apology of a Modest Intuitionist” (contributions to book symposium), Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 78 (2009): 192-6, 222-36.
  19. “Revisionary Intuitionism,” Social Philosophy & Policy 25 (2008): 368-92.
  20. “In Defence of Repugnance,” Mind 117 (2008): 899-933.
  21. “Non-Egalitarianism,” Philosophical Studies 114 (2003): 147-71.
  22. “Naturalism and the Problem of Moral Knowledge,” Southern Journal of Philosophy 38 (2000): 575-97.

Social & Political

  1. “A Case for Immigration” and “A Modest LOBoT Defense” (contributions to debate with Dan Demetriou) in Problems in Applied Ethics: An Introduction to Contemporary Debates, ed. Steven Cowan (Bloomsbury, forthcoming).
  2. “The Ethics of Immigration,” pp. 11-23 in The Routledge Handbook of the Ethics of Immigration, ed. Sahar Akhtar (Routledge, 2025).
  3. “Intuitive Libertarianism,” pp. 193-8 in Libertarian Autobiographies: Moving Toward Freedom in Today’s World , ed. Jo Ann Cavallo and Walter Block (Palgrave Macmillan 2023).
  4. “When to Suppress Speech,” Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy 20 (2022): 825-43.
  5. “Reflections of an Apostate,” pp. 155-70 in Dissident Philosophers: Voices Against the Political Current of the Academy, ed. T. Allan Hillman & Tully Borland (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021).
  6. “The Right Anarchy: Capitalist or Socialist?,” pp. 342-59 in The Routledge Handbook of Anarchy and Anarchist Thought (Routledge, 2021).
  7. “Gun Rights as Deontic Constraints,” Social Theory and Practice 45 (2020): 601-12.
  8. “Tax Breaks for the Rich,” pp. 241-9 in Ethics, Left and Right: The Moral Issues that Divide Us, ed. Bob Fischer (Oxford University Press, 2019).
  9. “In Defense of Illegal Immigration,” in Open Borders: In Defense of Free Movement, ed. Reece Jones (University of Georgia Press, 2019), pp. 34-50.
  10. “An Introduction to the Problem of Authority,” Procesos de Mercado: Revista Europea de Economia Politica 16 (2019): 13-29.
  11. “Can Constitutions Limit Government?” in The Oxford Handbook of Freedom, ed. David Schmidtz and Carmen Pavel (Oxford University Press, 2018), pp. 350-66.
  12. “Is Wealth Redistribution a Rights Violation?” in The Routledge Handbook of Libertarianism, ed. Jason Brennan, David Schmidtz, and Bas van der Vossen (Routledge, 2017), pp. 259-71.
  13. “Unconscionable Punishment,” in Rethinking Punishment in the Era of Mass Incarceration, ed. Chris Surprenant (Routledge, 2018), pp. 34-48.
  14. “Confessions of a Utopophobe,” Social Philosophy and Policy 33 (2016): 214-34.
  15. “Ethical Intuitionism,” in Arguments for Liberty, ed. Aaron Ross Powell and Grant Babcock (Cato, 2016), pp. 259-99.
  16. “Gun Rights and Noncompliance: Two Problems of Prohibition,” The Critique, 7/14/2016, http://www.thecritique.com/articles/gun-rights-noncompliance/
  17. “Why People Are Irrational About Politics,” in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, ed. Jonathan Anomaly, Geoffrey Brennan, Michael Munger, and Geoffrey Sayre-McCord (Oxford University Press, 2015), pp. 456-67.
  18. “The True Cost of Government Bailouts,” Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy 11 (2013): 335-48.
  19. “In Praise of Passivity,” Studia Humana 1 (2012): 12-28.
    Translated into German and reprinted in Wider die Anmaßung der Politik, tr. & ed. Thomas Leske (CreateSpace Publishing Platform, 2015), pp. 11-44.
  20. “Is There a Right to Immigrate?”, Social Theory and Practice 36 (2010): 429-61.
    Reprinted in Arguing About Political Philosophy, ed. Matt Zwolinski (Routledge, 2014).
    Reprinted in Exploring Moral Problems, ed. Steven Cahn & Andrew Forcehimes (Oxford, 2018).
    German translation printed in Wider die Anmaßung der Politik, tr. & ed. Thomas Leske (CreateSpace Publishing Platform, 2015), pp. 103-47.
    Spanish translation printed in Revista Argentina de Teoría Jurídica 18 (October 2017), tr. Federico Rovillard Simoneschi, Ignacio Tertzakian, and Santiago Menna.
  21. “The State” in Central Issues of Philosophy, ed. John Shand (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), pp. 257-74.
  22. “The Drug Laws Don’t Work,” The Philosophers’ Magazine, no. 41 (2008): 71-5.
  23. “America’s Unjust Drug War” in The New Prohibition, ed. Bill Masters (Accurate Press, 2004), pp. 133-44.
    Reprinted in The Right Thing to Do, 4th ed. & later, ed. James and Stuart Rachels (McGraw Hill, 2007).
    Reprinted in The Ethical Life, ed. Russ Shafer-Landau (Oxford UP, 2009).
    Reprinted in Social and Personal Ethics, 8th edition, ed. William Shaw (Wadsworth, 2013).
    Translated into Portuguese and reprinted at http://www.libertarianismo.org/index.php/artigos/injusta-guerra-drogas/ (2015).
    Reprinted in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, ed. Jonathan Anomaly, et al. (Oxford UP, 2015).
    Translated into German and reprinted in Wider die Anmaßung der Politik, tr. & ed. Thomas Leske (CreateSpace Publishing Platform, 2015), pp. 85-102.
    Reprinted in Disputed Moral Issues, 5th ed., ed. Mark Timmons (Oxford UP, 2019).
  24. “Is There a Right to Own a Gun?” Social Theory and Practice 29 (2003): 297-324.
    Reprinted in Social and Personal Ethics, 5th edition & later, ed. William Shaw (Wadsworth, 2005).
    Excerpted in Gun Control: Opposing Viewpoints, ed. Tamara Roleff (Thomson Gale, 2007).
    Reprinted in The Ethical Life, ed. Russ Shafer-Landau (Oxford UP, 2018).
    Translated into Polish and reprinted by the Instytut Misesa, http://mises.pl/blog/2011/03/06/huemer-czy-mamy-prawo-posiadac-bron/.
    Translated into German and reprinted in Wider die Anmaßung der Politik, tr. & ed. Thomas Leske (CreateSpace Publishing Platform, 2015), pp. 45-83.
  25. “Rawls’s Problem of Stability,” Social Theory and Practice 22 (1996): 375-95.

Book Reviews

  1. Living Together: Inventing Moral Science by David Schmidtz, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 2023.
  2. When All Else Fails by Jason Brennan, The Philosophers’ Magazine, issue 85 (2019): 114-16.
  3. Intellectual Virtues by Robert Roberts and Jay Wood, Philosophical Books 49 (2008): 388-90.
  4. Against Coherence by Erik Olsson, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 5/10/2006.
  5. The Oxford Handbook of Free Will, ed. Robert Kane, Philosophical Review 113 (2004): 279-83.
  6. The Value of Knowledge and the Pursuit of Understanding by Jonathan Kvanvig, Mind 113 (2004): 763-6.
  7. A Defense of the Given by Evan Fales, Philosophical Review 108 (1999): 128-30.

Academic Talks & Commentaries

  1. “Distrusting Science,” Orange Beach Epistemology Workshop, Orange Beach, AL, 5/21/2025.
  2. “I, for one, Welcome our Robot Overlords,” Mindfest, Florida Atlantic University, 3/13/2025.
  3. “Unjust Advocacy,” Amsterdam Centre on the Legal Professions and Access to Justice (virtual talk), 3/28/2024.
  4. “Why Aren't You a Boltzmann Brain?,” panel, Central APA, New Orleans, 2/23/2024.
  5. “Possible and Impossible Infinities,” Boise State University, 11/12/2022.
  6. “Existence Is Evidence of Immortality,” Keynote Address, Illinois Philosophical Association, 11/4/2022.
  7. Comment on “Consequentialism and Counterfactuals” by Stephen Kershnar, RoME conference, Boulder, 8/2022
  8. “The Case Against a New Deal,” University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 5/13/2022.
  9. “Justice Before Role Obligations,” University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Law School, 3/24/2022.
  10. “Existence Is Evidence of Immortality,” MIT, 3/4/2022.
  11. “Justice Before Role Obligations,” Centre for Ethics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, University of St. Andrews (remote talk), 2/10/2022.
  12. “When to Suppress Speech,” Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics, 11/19/2021.
  13. “Possible and Impossible Infinities,” Philosophy of Mathematics Special Interest Group, Mathematical Association of America, Denver, 1/17/2020.
  14. “Practical Deference in Private and Political Contexts,” Keynote, AGENT Conference, University of Texas, Austin, 11/1/2019.
  15. “Existence Is Evidence of Immortality,” NYU colloquium, 4/26/2019.
  16. “A Liberal Realist Answer to Debunking Skeptics,” guest lecture, Mind & Language Seminar, NYU, 4/23/2019.
  17. “Peer Disagreement,” panel discussion, Pacific APA, 4/17/2019.
  18. “Existence Is Evidence of Immortality,” keynote address, Tulane U Grad Student Conference, 4/5/2019.
  19. “Moral Progress for Liberal Realists,” PPE Society Meeting, New Orleans, 3/30/2019.
  20. “The Virtues of Direct Realism,” Central APA, Society for Realist-Antirealist Discussion, Denver, 2/21/2019.
  21. Comment on “Rethinking Political Consent” by Jake Monaghan, Central APA, Denver, 2/20/2019.
  22. “Practical Deference in Private and Political Contexts,” Murphy Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, 11/30/2018.
  23. Comment on “Revisiting Anti-Luck Epistemology” by Patrick Bondy, Southwest Philosophical Association, Denver, 11/10/2018.
  24. Panel discussion, “Political Authority and Civil Disobedience,” Mont Pelerin Society General Meeting, Canary Islands, 10/4/2018.
  25. Comment on “Evolutionary Debunking and the Liberalization of Values” by Justin Horn, Rocky Mountain Ethics Conference, 8/9/2018.
  26. “Debunking and Political Progress,” Workshop on Current Issues in Ethics and Economics, University of Colorado, Boulder, 4/28/2018.
  27. Comment on “Immigration and the Informant Principle” by Jessica Flanigan, Workshop on Current Issues in Ethics and Economics, University of Colorado, Boulder, 4/29/2018.
  28. “Debunking and Political Progress,” Keynote address, Workshop on Evolution and Moral Epistemology, Utrecht University, 4/20/2018.
  29. “Debunking and Political Progress,” Keynote address, Workshop on Knowing What to Do, Ohio State University, 4/14/2018.
  30. Comment on “The Pollution Model of Gun Control” by Pierce Randall, Rocky Mountain Ethics Conference, 8/10/2017.
  31. “There Is No Pure Empirical Reasoning,” keynote address, University of Iowa Graduate Philosophy Conference, 4/7/2017.
  32. “Devil’s Advocates: On the Ethics of Unjust Advocacy,” Kline Workshop in Political Philosophy, University of Missouri, 4/1/2017.
  33. “Ethical Limits of State Coercion,” keynote address, Conference on Coercion in the Helping Professions, Florida State University, 11/9/2016.
  34. “Devil’s Advocates: On the Ethics of Unjust Legal Advocacy,” College of William & Mary, 10/21/2016.
  35. “Devil’s Advocates: On the Ethics of Unjust Legal Advocacy,” George Mason University, Public Choice Seminar, 10/17/2016.
  36. “The Problem of Political Authority,” Keynote address, Institute for Humane Studies Summer Graduate Research Colloquium, 7/9/2016.
  37. “Against Ideals: Confessions of a Utopophobic,” Social Philosophy & Policy Conference, Tucson, 12/6/2015.
  38. “Devil’s Advocates: On the Ethics of Unjust Legal Advocacy,” Political Philosophy Workshop, Brown University, 10/15/2015.
  39. “Anarcho-Capitalism: A System of Well-Ordered Anarchy,” Austin Peay State University, 4/17/2015.
  40. Comment on “Dogmatism without Mooreanism” by Jonathan Fuqua, Central APA, St. Louis, 2/21/2015.
  41. “Devil’s Advocates: On the Ethics of Unjust Legal Advocacy,” Rhoden Lecture, Oberlin College, 11/21/2014.
  42. “The Illusion of Authority,” Fort Lewis College, 9/29/2014.
  43. “Inferential Appearances,” Orange Beach Epistemology Workshop, 5/19/2014.
  44. “A Liberal Realist Answer to Debunking Skepticism,” keynote address, Wisconsin Philosophical Association, 4/5/2014.
  45. “The Failure of Analysis,” University of Wisconsin, Madison, 4/4/2014.
  46. “The Problem of Political Authority,” (book discussion), University of Milwaukee, 4/3/2014.
  47. “An Ontological Proof of Moral Realism,” University of Miami, 3/31/2014.
  48. “Can Constitutions Protect Freedom?,” Center for Values & Social Policy, Boulder, 2/25/2014.
  49. “Virtue and Vice Among the Infinite,” University of California, Irvine, 2/14/2014.
  50. “The Authority of Democracy,” University of Maryland, 2/5/2014.
  51. “Author Meets Critics: Michael Huemer, The Problem of Political Authority,” Molinari Society group meeting, Eastern APA, 12/29/2013.
  52. “Virtue and Vice Among the Infinite,” Workshop on Infinite Regress, Vanderbilt University, 10/19/2013.
  53. “An Ontological Proof of Moral Realism,” St. Louis Annual Conference on Reasons and Rationality, 5/20/2013.
  54. “The Illusion of Authority,” keynote address, Western Canadian Undergraduate Conference of Philosophy, University of Victoria, 3/23/2013.
  55. “A Probabilistic Proof of Moral Realism,” Social Philosophy & Policy conference, Tucson, 1/11/2013.
  56. “The True Cost of Government Bailouts,” Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics symposium, Georgetown University, 11/30/2012.
  57. “The Duty to Disregard the Law,” Freedom Center Brown Bag Series, University of Arizona, 11/5/2012.
  58. Arizona Current Research Workshop: The Problem of Political Authority (commenters: Gary Chartier, Peter de Marneffe), University of Arizona, 11/3/2012.
  59. “The Failure of Analysis,” University of Arizona, 11/2/2012.
  60. “The Failure of Analysis and the Nature of Concepts,” University of Rochester Graduate Philosophy Conference (keynote address), 10/19/2012.
  61. “The Failure of Analysis and the Nature of Concepts,” University of California, San Diego Graduate Philosophy Conference, 5/26/2012.
  62. “The Duty to Disregard the Law,” University of California, San Diego, 5/25/2012.
  63. “Against Democratic Authority,” University of North Carolina, Greensboro, 11/18/2011.
  64. “Authority and Hypothetical Consent,” Bowling Green State University, 1/14/2011.
  65. “Epistemological Egoism and Agent-Centered Norms,” Midwest Epistemology Conference, Purdue University, 10/8/2010.
  66. Comment on “Non-Cognitivism and Normative Uncertainty” by Andrew Sepielli, Rocky Mountain Ethics Conference, University of Colorado, 8/6/2010.
  67. “The Puzzle of Metacoherence,” Rutgers University Epistemology Conference, 5/9/09.
  68. “The Puzzle of Metacoherence,” University of Nevada, Reno, 4/6/09.
  69. “Against Priority,” University of Arizona, 2/27/09.
  70. “The Puzzle of Metacoherence,” Shapiro Conference: The Epistemology of Perceptual Judgment, Brown University, 2/14/09.
  71. Panelist, session on Science Fiction & Philosophy, Pacific APA, Pasadena, 3/21/08.
  72. Comment on “Is Intuition a Form of Perception?” by John Bengson, Pacific APA, Pasadena, 3/21/08.
  73. “Absolute Deontology and the Problem of Risk,” Society for Exact Philosophy, University of British Columbia, 5/18/07.
  74. “Revisionary Intuitionism,” Eastern Division APA, Washington, 12/30/06.
  75. “Revisionary Intuitionism,” Social Philosophy & Policy Center conference, Bowling Green, 11/17/06.
  76. “Weak Bayesian Coherentism,” Society for Exact Philosophy, UC San Diego, 5/19/06.
  77. “The Vanity of Philosophical Parsimony,” University of Arizona, 3/31/06.
  78. Comment on “A Defense of Phenomenal Conservatism” by Andrew Cullison, Pacific Division APA, Portland, 3/24/06.
  79. “A Paradox for Moderate Deontology,” Northwest Conference on Philosophy, Seattle University, 10/21/05.
  80. Comment on “Ethical Options and Train Wrecks” by Darin Dockstader, Northwest Conference on Philosophy, Seattle University, 10/22/05.
  81. Comment on “The Long Road to Skepticism” by Baron Reed, Eastern Division APA, 12/28/04.
  82. Comment on “Foundational Epistemology” by Earl Conee, Pacific Division APA, 3/28/04.
  83. “Why Should We Believe Moral Claims?”, George Mason University, 9/8/03.
  84. “Non-Egalitarianism,” University of Colorado, Boulder, 9/9/02.
  85. “Why Believe Moral Claims?”, University of Colorado, Center for Humanities and the Arts, Work in Progress session, 8/15/03.
  86. “Non-Egalitarianism,” Bellingham Summer Philosophy Conference, 8/5/02.
  87. Comment on “Is Moore’s Argument an Example of Transmission Failure?” by James Pryor, Pacific Division APA, 3/29/02.
  88. “Why Political Beliefs Are Irrational,” University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 3/18/02.
  89. “Why Political Beliefs Are Irrational,” Georgia State University, 3/15/02.
  90. Comment on “Incompleteness and Epistemic Justification” by Mark Wunderlich, Eastern Division APA, 12/30/00.
  91. Leader for workshop, “Can Morality Come from God?”, 2nd annual symposium of the Boulder International Humanist Institute, September 1999; and 3rd annual symposium, August 2000.
  92. Comment on “Trustworthiness in Explanation” by Sheralee Brindell, Mountain Plains Philosophy Conference, October 1999.
  93. Comment on “Skepticism about the External World and Coherence among Beliefs” by Ram Neta, Rutgers University Graduate Student Conference, Spring 1997.

Public Lectures & Interviews

  1. “Chatbot Epistemology,” panel discussion, Florida Atlantic University, 1/15/2025.
  2. “Progressive Myths,” Benson Center for the Study of Western Civiliation, Boulder, CO, 11/13/2024.
  3. “Does Free Will Exist, or Even Matter?” (with Robert Sapolsky), online debate, 4/9/2023.
  4. “The Basic Case for Anarchy,” Santarchy conference, Austin, 12/2/2022.
  5. “Existence Is Evidence of Immortality,” Boise State University, 11/11/2022.
  6. Public debate with Robert Spitzer: “A Nation in Crisis: Are Guns the Problem?,” Ohio State University, 9/23/2022.
  7. “Philosophical Debate on Gun Control” (with David DeGrazia), University of Delaware, 10/29/2021.
  8. “A Proof of Immortality,” THINK! series, University of Colorado, 10/29/2019.
  9. “The Right to Move versus the Right to Exclude,” 2019 Open Borders Conference, New School, New York, 10/19/2019.
  10. “Problems with UBI,” panel on universal basic income, Utah Valley University, 10/23/2018.
  11. Debate: “Does America Need Stricter Gun Control Laws?,” University of San Diego, 10/16/2018.
  12. “Tax Breaks for the Rich,” Intercollegiate Studies Institute talk, CU-Boulder, 4/25/2018.
  13. Panel discussion: “Classical Liberal, Libertarian, and Conservative Perspectives on Immigration,” Freedom & Flourishing Project, University of Michigan, 11/2/2017.
  14. Panel discussion of Disarming Beauty by Fr. Julian Carron, Denver Press Club, 10/10/2017.
  15. “Why We Are Irrational About Politics,” Think! Lecture Series, University of Colorado, Boulder, 9/21/2017.
  16. “The Right to Move versus the Right to Exclude: A Principled Defense of Open Borders,” Symposium on Science, Reason, & Modern Democracy, Michigan State University, 9/18/2017.
  17. “The Right to Own a Gun,” Janus Forum debate on Gun Control Policy, University of Vermont, 9/14/2017.
  18. “The Ethics of Prohibition,” sponsored by the Center for the Study of Liberty, New Orleans, 6/6/2017.
  19. “Why People Are Irrational About Politics,” Cato Institute Policy Perspectives, Chicago, 11/29/2016.
  20. “Political Authority,” Institute for Humane Studies Seminar, Bryn Mawr, 7/19/2016.
  21. “The Social Contract Theory,” Institute for Humane Studies Seminar, Bryn Mawr, 7/18/2016.
  22. “A Liberal Realist’s Answer to Debunking Skeptics: The Empirical Case for Realism,” Community College of Aurora, 11/13/2015.
  23. “Anarchy vs. Limited Government,” debate with Richard Epstein, NYC Junto, New York, 10/1/2015.
  24. “Can Constitutions Limit Government?”, Liberty on the Rocks, Denver, 7/13/2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd5aJUVZzgw.
  25. “Anarchy vs. Limited Government,” FreedomFest conference, Las Vegas, 7/10/2015.
  26. “The Problem of Political Authority,” keynote address, Challenge of Liberty Conference, University of Colorado, Boulder, 6/10/2015.
  27. “The Problem of Political Authority,” Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, 6/1/2015.
  28. “Is There a Right to Immigrate?” Institute for Humane Studies, Exploring Liberty seminar, Denver, 4/4/2015.
  29. “Anarcho-Capitalism: A System of Well-Ordered Anarchy,” Students for Liberty, University of Florida, Skype lecture, 2/26/2015.
  30. “Should Lawyers Defend the Guilty?”, online lecture, 1/5/2015, Liberty.me.
  31. “Is There a Right to Immigrate?”, Students for Liberty Regional Conference, University of Denver, 11/8/2014.
  32. “The Morality of Immigration,” Students for Liberty Regional Conference, Arizona State University, 10/25/2014.
  33. “The Illusion of Authority,” University of Western Florida, 2/6/2014.
  34. “The Duty to Disregard the Law,” University of Maryland, 2/4/2014.
  35. “The Problem of Political Authority” (interview), New Books in Philosophy, 1/1/2014, newbooksinphilosophy.com.
  36. “The Worst Thing in the World,” Architecture for Humanity, Denver, 10/8/2013.
  37. “The Evolution of Values,” TEDx Denver, 6/15/2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrZ2DJzbYYo.
  38. “The Illusion of Authority,” Think! lecture series, University of Colorado, Boulder, 12/11/2012.
  39. “The Illusion of Authority,” PPE lecture, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 11/29/2012.
  40. “The Duty to Disregard the Law,” Students for Liberty webinar, 11/13/2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_EoNJ-pEiU.
  41. “Is There a Right to Immigrate?,” Students for Liberty Colorado Regional Conference, University of Denver, 11/10/2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWlwTq0bJaM.
  42. “Ethical Intuitionism,” University of Minnesota, Morris, 10/5/2012.
  43. “The Unjust Price of Justice,” University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 3/12/2012.
  44. “The Irrationality of Politics,” TEDx Denver, 1/19/2012. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JYL5VUe5NQ.
  45. “Is America Run by Special Interests?” (lecture for “What Is Occupy?”, educational event organized by Occupy CU), Boulder, 12/9/2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNIZ04J9394.
  46. “Terrorism: Is the Cure Worse than the Disease?”, Boulder, 12/6/2011.
  47. “Terrorism: Is the Cure Worse than the Disease?”, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, 11/18/2011.
  48. “Report on the Search for the Worst Thing in the World,” Boulder, 11/9/2010.
  49. “Is There a Right to Immigrate?” University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 9/16/2010.
  50. “Why People Are Irrational about Politics,” Fort Hays State University, 3/9/2010.
  51. “America’s Crumbling Economy,” Boulder, 10/6/2009.
  52. “Making a Virtue of Selfishness? A Debate about Ayn Rand’s Ethics” (debate with Onkar Ghate), Boulder, 3/2/2009.
  53. “Why Believe Moral Claims?”, University of Colorado, Center for Humanities and the Arts, Work in Progress session, 8/15/03.
  54. “Is Critical Thinking Epistemically Responsible?” Georgia State University, 3/14/02.
  55. Leader for workshop, “Can Morality Come from God?”, 2nd annual symposium of the Boulder International Humanist Institute, September 1999; and 3rd annual symposium, August 2000.

References

Michael Tooley
Philosophy Department
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0232
Michael.Tooley@Colorado.edu 		Peter Klein
Philosophy Dept., 106 Somerset St.
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
pdklein@rci.rutgers.edu
Richard Fumerton
Philosophy Department
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242-1408
richard-fumerton@uiowa.edu
 Stuart Rachels
Department of Philosophy
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0218
srachels@bama.ua.edu.