Kai Nielsen (philosopher)
Kai Nielsen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 15, 1926 Marshall, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | April 7, 2021 (aged 94) |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Duke University |
| Occupation(s) | Philosophy professor, author |
Kai Nielsen (May 15, 1926 – April 7, 2021) was an American professor, latterly emeritus, of philosophy at the University of Calgary. He specialized in naturalism, metaphilosophy, ethics, analytic philosophy, social and political philosophy. Nielsen also wrote about philosophy of religion, and was an advocate of contemporary atheism. He was also known for his defense of utilitarianism, writing in response to Bernard Williams's criticism of it.
Biography[edit]
Born on May 15, 1926, in Marshall, Michigan, Kai Edward Nielsen was raised in Moline, Illinois.[1]
Nielsen achieved his AB honors[2] at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and, in 1959, his PhD at Duke University.[3]
Before moving to the University of Calgary, Nielsen held appointments at Amherst College and New York University.[4]
Nielsen was a member of the Royal Society of Canada[3] and a past president (in 1983) of the Canadian Philosophical Association.[5]
Nielsen was also one of the founding members of the Canadian Journal of Philosophy.[6]
In 1973 Nielsen was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto II.[7]
He wrote or edited over 40 books on topics such as Marxism, metaphilosophy and ethical and political theory.[3]
Nielsen died in April 2021 at the age of 94.[4][8]
Publications[edit]
Books[edit]
- Pessimism of the Intellect, Optimism of the Will: The Political Philosophy of Kai Nielsen, Edited by David Rondel and Alex Sager, 2012, ISBN 978-1-55238-530-2
- Wittgensteinian Fideism?, 2006, ISBN 0-334-04005-1 (with D. Z. Philips)
- Atheism And Philosophy, 2005, ISBN 1-59102-298-3
- Globalization And Justice, 2002, ISBN 1-59102-054-9
- Naturalism and Religion, 2001, ISBN 1-57392-853-4
- Exploitation, 2001, ISBN 0-391-04000-6
- Why Be Moral?, 1997, ISBN 0-87975-519-9
- Naturalism Without Foundations, 1996, ISBN 1-57392-076-24
- On Transforming Philosophy: A Metaphilosophical Inquiry, 1995, ISBN 0-8133-0666-3
- Does God Exist?: The Debate Between Theists and Atheists (with J. P. Moreland), 1993, ISBN 978-0879758233
- God and the Grounding Of Morality, 1991, ISBN 0-7766-0328-0
- After the Demise of the Tradition: Rorty, Critical Theory, and the Fate of Philosophy, 1991, ISBN 0-8133-8044-8
- Ethics without God, 1990, ISBN 0-87975-552-0
- God, Skepticism and Modernity, 1989, ISBN 0-7766-0241-1
- Marxism and the Moral Point of View: Morality, Ideology, and Historical Materialism, 1989, ISBN 0-8133-0653-1
- Equality and Liberty: A Defense of Radical Egalitarianism, 1986, ISBN 0-8476-7516-5
- Philosophy and Atheism, 1985, ISBN 0-87975-289-0
- An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, 1983, ISBN 0-312-43310-7
- Marx and Morality, 1981, ISBN 0-919491-01-4
- Scepticism, 1973, ISBN 0-333-10263-0
- Ethics Without God, 1973, revised edition 1990. ISBN 978-0879755522
- Reason and Practice: A Modern Introduction to Philosophy, 1971, ISBN 0-06-044836-9
- Contemporary Critiques of Religion, 1971, ISBN 0-333-06963-3
- Ethics Without God, 1971, ISBN 0-301-73021-0
Articles and book chapters[edit]
see listings at Nielsen's personal home page, Calgary home page, and details at Philpapers.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Kai Edward Nielsen". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ KAI NIELSEN Curriculum Vitae (Abbreviated)
- ^ a b c "Nielsen, Kai 1926- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ a b "Department of Philosophy | University of Calgary". phil.ucalgary.ca. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ "Presidents". CPA-ACP. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ "Canadian Journal of Philosophy". Cambridge Core. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ "Humanist Manifesto II". American Humanist Association. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ "In Memoriam: Kai Nielsen". News. 2021-04-09. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
Sources[edit]
- Pojman, L. The Moral Life, OUP, 2001. ISBN 0-19-516608-6
External links[edit]
- Kai Nielsen's bibliography and archives
- Transcript of debate with theist William Lane Craig
- Nielsen page at Calgary
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Other | |
- 1926 births
- 2021 deaths
- 20th-century atheists
- 21st-century atheists
- American atheists
- Atheism in Canada
- Atheist philosophers
- Academic staff of Concordia University
- Consequentialists
- Critics of religions
- Duke University alumni
- People from Marshall, Michigan
- People from Moline, Illinois
- Philosophers from Illinois
- Philosophers from Michigan
- Philosophers of religion
- Political philosophers
- Social philosophers
- Academic staff of the University of Calgary
- Utilitarians
- Rationalists
- Presidents of the Canadian Philosophical Association