Matthew W. McKeon

mckeonm@msu.edu
(517) 355-4490

503 South Kedzie Hall
368 Farm Ln
East Lansing, MI 48824

FacultyPhilosophy

Associate Professor
Department Chairperson

Philosophy of Logic, Argumentation, Epistemology

ORCID: 0000-0002-1416-241X

Curriculum Vitae

Biography

I have been Chair of the Philosophy Department since fall 2011. My current areas of work are in the philosophy logic and argumentation theory. Since the publication of my monograph on the concept of logical consequence (Peter Lang 2010), my work has focused on the cognitive, linguistic, and normative dimensions of our practice of using arguments to give reasons for their conclusions. E.g., Are explanations necessarily different from arguments? Why, exactly, is it bad to beg the question? When you state an argument do you thereby assert that the conclusion follows from the premises? What cognitive requirements are there for using an argument to advance reasons for its conclusion?

I am also interested in the ethics of arguing and the connection between intellectual virtues and critical thinking. I am currently at work on a book project, Arguments and Reason Giving, which I hope to complete by the end of Spring 2024. A central question of the book is: when does giving an argument count as giving reasons for the conclusion?

My teaching primarily consists of courses in logic ( “Logic and Reasoning” PHL 130; “Formal Reasoning” PHL 330; “Logic and its Metatheory” PHL 432, “Philosophy of Logic and Language”). I enjoy engaging students in my classes with my current research topics. I am available to work with graduate students.

University News

Philosophy Department Earns High Marks for Addressing Issues of Underrepresented Groups
Published February 2, 2021 in College of Arts & Letters
brick tower behind trees with yellow leaves and one with white and green flowes
A leading advisory board of recognized philosophers has identified Michigan State University’s Department of Philosophy as a premier place for graduate students from underrepresented populations…Read now »