J.S. Swindell, Ph.D.

Position:

Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
 

Education:
 
Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2008. Areas of Specialization: Bioethics, Ethics (especially action theory and moral psychology). Areas of Competence: Logic, Philosophy of Science.

Representative Publications:
    Peer Reviewed
    • Swindell JS. Ambivalence. Philosophical Explorations: An International Journal of Philosophy of Mind and Action            (forthcoming).
    • Swindell JS. Facial Allograft Transplantation, Personal Identity, and Subjectivity. Journal of Medical Ethics 33(8),             2007: 449-453.
    • Swindell JS. Two Types of Autonomy. American Journal of Bioethics 9(1), 2009: 52-53.

    Book Reviews
    • Swindell JS. Review of Harry G. Frankfurt, Taking Ourselves Seriously and Getting It Right (Stanford, CA: Stanford            University Press, 2006). Journal of Value Inquiry (forthcoming).
    • Swindell JS. Review of Tim O’Keefe, Epicurus on Freedom (Cambridge University Press, 2005). Journal of Value                Inquiry 41(1), 2007: 107-112.
 

Current Research:
 
My areas of specialization are bioethics and ethics (esp. moral psychology and action theory). My areas of competence are logic and philosophy of science. I find bridging the analytic/continental "divide" to be particularly enjoyable and productive. I am interested in the following issues (both on their own and in relation to bioethical contexts): autonomy, ambivalence, weakness of will, decision making, advance directives, personal identity, and Ulysses Contracts. The focus of my dissertation research was on autonomy and ambivalence (particularly ambivalence about end of life decisions). I also work on facial transplantation, particularly the identity issues involved.
 

Courses Taught at Rice
 
    • PHL 336 Biomedical Ethics
 
Link to BCM Web Page
 
http://www.bcm.edu/ethics/?pmid=9400