Michael Cholbi (born 1972) is an American philosopher and Chair in Philosophy at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
. He is best known for his research on
ethical issues
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ma ...
related to
death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
and dying, including
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
,
grief
Grief is the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief also has physical, cogni ...
, and
immortality
Immortality is the concept of eternal life. Some modern species may possess biological immortality.
Some scientists, futurists, and philosophers have theorized about the immortality of the human body, with some suggesting that human immorta ...
. Cholbi has also published work in
moral psychology
Moral psychology is a field of study in both philosophy and psychology. Historically, the term "moral psychology" was used relatively narrowly to refer to the study of moral development. Moral psychology eventually came to refer more broadly to var ...
and
Kantian ethics
Kantian ethics refers to a Deontology, deontological ethical theory developed by Germans, German philosopher Immanuel Kant that is based on the notion that: "It is impossible to think of anything at all in the world, or indeed even beyond it, t ...
, as well as on topics in
practical ethics
''Practical Ethics'', a 1979 book by the moral philosopher Peter Singer, is an introduction to applied ethics. The book has been translated into a number of languages.
Summary
Singer analyzes, in detail, why and how beings' interests should be ...
such as
work and labor,
punishment
Punishment, commonly, is the imposition of an undesirable or unpleasant outcome upon a group or individual, meted out by an authority—in contexts ranging from child discipline to criminal law—as a response and deterrent to a particular acti ...
, and
paternalism
Paternalism is action that limits a person's or group's liberty or autonomy and is intended to promote their own good. Paternalism can also imply that the behavior is against or regardless of the will of a person, or also that the behavior expres ...
.
Life and Career
Cholbi was born 1972 in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
. He intended to pursue a career in journalism before being exposed to Enlightenment thought in his first philosophy course.
He received his B.A. from
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeduca ...
in 1994 and obtained his Ph.D from the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
in 1999, completing a dissertation entitled “Publicity and Practical Reason.” After spending three years as an assistant professor at
, he went on to become Professor of Philosophy and director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy (CCEP) at
California State Polytechnic University
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona, CPP, or Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo. See the ''California State Polytechnic University, Pomo ...
in
Pomona, California
Pomona is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 151,713. The main campus of California State Polyte ...
. In January 2020, he joined the University of Edinburgh.
Cholbi was previously the editor of the journal ''
Teaching Philosophy
''Teaching Philosophy'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal devoted to the practical and theoretical discussion of teaching and learning philosophy, that is philosophy education. Established by Arnold Wilson in 1975, it has published more than ...
'' and currently serves as an associate editor for ''
Ethical Theory and Moral Practice
''Ethical Theory and Moral Practice'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal in the field of philosophy, established in 1998 and published five times a year by Springer Science+Business Media. It publishes articles in English, focusing on ethics and ...
'' and on the editorial boards of the ''
Journal of Applied Philosophy
The ''Journal of Applied Philosophy'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Society for Applied Philosophy and edited by Elizabeth Brake (Rice University). It covers a broad spectrum of issues in all a ...
'' and ''
Social Theory and Practice
''Social Theory and Practice'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal that features discussion of theoretical and applied questions in social, political, legal, economic, educational, and moral philosophy, including critical studies of classical and c ...
''. In 2012, he founded the International Association for the Philosophy of Death and Dying (IAPDD).
Cholbi appeared as a contestant on ''
Jeopardy!
''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...
'' in 2007, finishing second.
Books
*''Suicide: The Philosophical Dimensions'', Broadview, 2011
*''Understanding Kant’s Ethics'', Cambridge University Press, 2016
*''Grief: A Philosophical Guide'', Princeton University Press, 2021
;edited
*''Immortality and the Philosophy of Death'', Rowman and Littlefield, 2015
*''New Directions in the Ethics of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia''. Springer, 2015 (with Jukka Varelius)
*''Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Global Views on Choosing to End Life''. Praeger, 2017
*''Procreation, Parenthood, and Educational Rights'', Routledge, 2017 (with Jaime Ahlberg)
*''The Future of Work, Technology, and Basic Income'', Routledge, 2019 (with M.E. Weber)
*''The Movement for Black Lives: Philosophical Perspectives'', Oxford University Press, 2020 (with B. Hogan, A. Madva, and B. Yost)
*''Exploring the Philosophy of Death and Dying: Classic and Contemporary Perspectives'', Routledge, 2020 (with T. Timmerman)
References
External links
Cholbi's personal website
*
21st-century American philosophers
American philosophy academics
Academics of the University of Edinburgh
University of Virginia alumni
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona faculty
Brooklyn College faculty
Labor studies scholars
Philosophy journal editors
Suicidologists
Kant scholars
Publons awards recipients
Living people
1972 births
Educators from Portland, Oregon
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