Associate Professor
I have been Chair of the Philosophy Department since fall 2011. My primary areas of research are the philosophy of 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?
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 2022. I have been given a teaching release for Spring 2022 in order to accomplish this.
My teaching primarily consists of courses in logic, critical thinking, and the 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.
E-mail: mckeonm@msu.edu