About the Author
Ich bin, der ich bin!
Dr. Richard Volkman is a professor of philosophy at Southern Connecticut State University and associate director of the Research Center on Computing and Society. In 1998, Dr. Volkman completed his dissertation, Why be Moral? The Ethical Individualist Response to Alienation from Morality, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In that work, he defends the claim that an individual's pursuit of the good life is a sufficient mechanism for generating moral duties. This research informs the analytical basis of his current book project, Meditations on Heroic Individualism, which presents many of the same themes as the dissertation in a more literary and meditative style. Dr. Volkman's other main philosophical interests have centered on trying to understand how and to what extent the Internet and related information technologies impact our culture and transform our ability to make judgments about the good life. Although Dr. Volkman remains skeptical regarding the ethical significance of cat videos, he is gradually coming to believe that the good life has vastly more to do with playing the fiddle than other philosophers have ever suspected.
Since there is so much more to the good life than narrowly philosophical pursuits, Dr. Volkman aspires to lead a well rounded life that includes being an active musician and an avid motorcyclist. His current musical projects center on the eclectic acoustic ensemble Whiskey for Breakfast, which performs Irish and American traditional music along with a diverse collection of acoustic arrangements of jazz, folk, rock, and metal classics. Back in the day, Dr. Volkman played lead guitar in a series of heavy metal bar bands. Nowadays, he mostly rocks the mandolin and fiddle, but he still occasionally jams the noiz on his vintage Les Paul through an amp he built himself based on an old Marshall circuit. In tune with all this, his motorcycle is a heavily customized 2007 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide with paint as loud as the pipes.
Dr. Volkman lives in Hamden, CT with his wife of 25 years and their two sons, but they all spend as much time as they can at their little shack of a cabin in the woods of New Hampshire, accompanied by their beloved dog, Moonshine.
About the Site
Auch das ist was das ist!
This site was born of Dr. Volkman’s enthusiasm for what he calls Heroic Individualism. It has been raised to value honesty and integrity of expression over any niceties of polite society. If anyone is offended by anything this site says or does, the site says, "They can suck it."
As the reader can readily discern, the site is introduced in its adolescence. As the site emerges from its adolescence into maturity, readers should expect regular updates and new areas of content. For now, the site contents itself with expressing Dr. Volkman’s take on Heroic Individualism. He intends to add new meditations every week, and these will be found at once on the Welcome page, organized by date added, and also filed into some appropriate place in Reveries and Ruminations, organized in context with the other meditations living there. The Glossary and List of Quotes pages will grow as content grows. Other content will be added as time and inspiration allow.
The site cannot be considered fully grown until it affords some opportunity to shout back at its pontifications. Discussion forums will be added as a top priority.
The site generally does not purport to be doing "scholarship," which tends to be a much more careful, deliberate, and dead thing, burdened with literature reviews, replies to reviews, criticism of replies to reviews, and replies to criticisms of replies to reviews, and this is all more than this site can readily bear. But the site does mean to express a philosophy as this is found in a concrete life, and that might be of interest to philosophers and other educated readers even as it eschews some of the niceties of proper “scholarship.” As the site matures to add sections discussing other Heroic Individualists, especially Nietzsche, Emerson, and Mill, where respect for the subjects demands a more rigorous treatment, it will have to become more scholarly. Hopefully, a way will be found to make such sections careful and deliberate but still lively and fun.
This site aspires to be just as clear and erudite as it needs to be to introduce any educated reader to Heroic Individualism, but it also demands artistic license to be as pretentious and self-indulgent as it wants to be. Some readers are turned off by what smacks of grand style, but the site hopes folks will give it a chance and try to hear for themselves why a philosophy might want to sing. It is great joy to compose, and it hopes also to be good to hear—or at least good for certain ears. Whether you find your ear attuned to this song or not, attend to the music, and perhaps that sucking sound becomes the breath of sudden inspiration as you burst into your own song.
Abbreviated Curriculum Vita:
Dr. RICHARD VOLKMAN
Professor, Philosophy, Southern Connecticut State University
Associate Director, Research Center on Computing and Society
501 Crescent St., New Haven, CT 06515
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Ethics, Computer Ethics, and Social/Political Philosophy
AREAS OF COMPETENCE
Introductory Logic, Existentialism, Aesthetics, Philosophy of Education,
Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Mind, History of Philosophy
| EDUCATION | ||
| University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1992-1998 | ||
| Ph.D., Spring, 1998 | ||
| A.B.D., May, 1996 | ||
| Winona State University, 1988-1992 | ||
| Graduated Summa Cum Honore, 1992 | ||
| B.A. in History | ||
| TEACHING EXPERIENCE | ||
| Southern Connecticut State University | ||
| Professor, Fall 2009-present | ||
| Associate Professor, Fall 2003-Spring 2009 | ||
| Assistant Professor, Fall 1998-Spring 2003 | ||
| Winona State University | ||
| Instructor, Winter 1997 and Spring 1998 | ||
| University of Wisconsin-Madison: | ||
| Lecturer, Spring 1996-Fall 1997 | ||
| Teaching Assistant, Fall 1993-Fall 1995 | ||
COURSES TAUGHT
Ethics, Intro to Philosophy, Computer Ethics, Business Ethics, Logic, Philosophy of Science, Contemporary Moral Problems, Political Thought I and II, Philosophy of Education, Ethical Individualism, Utopias and Dystopias, Philosophies of Social and Political Change, Age of Reason, Ancient Philosophy, Critical Thinking.
HONORS THESIS SPONSOR
"Amor Fati And Narrative As A Means Of Overcoming Nihilism." Kevin Ringrose. Examines the role of fatalism in the affirmation of life, especially as this relates to Stoic and Nietzschean conceptions of the good life and the wider tradition of virtue ethics. Completed Fall 2012.
"Cultural Evolution and the Information Age,” Tim Walsh. The thesis argues that engagement with Internet Culture improves perceptual excellence associated with practical wisdom, particularly as it applies to forming a cohesive narrative of the Self. Completed Spring 2010.
"Containing Universal Acid,” Chris Mahoney. Offers a semantics of evolutionary algorithms that accounts for the sense in which such algorithms yield "optimal” results. Completed Spring 2010.
"Happily Ever After? The Good Life as Narrative,” Lydia Elder. Examines contrasts in conceptions of the good life as portrayed in old and new versions of classic children's tales, beginning with "The Little Mermaid." Completed Spring 2009.
"The Wonderful Fictional Object: The Ontological Reality and Function of Daniel Dennett’s Self,” Fred Holloran. We are studying the implications of current philosophy of mind and neuroscience for notions of the Self, with special attention to Nietzschean conceptions of Self and implications for an ethics of character. Ongoing/suspended.
"Real and Spurious Patterns,” Adrian Elder. The thesis explores the ontology of patterns, especially as these relate to philosophy of science. The distinction between Real and Spurious patterns is drawn in light of work from Dennett, Dretske, and Quine. Completed Spring 2008.
"Technological Transcendence: Why it’s OK that the future doesn’t need us,” Thomas Blake. The thesis argues that, contrary to Nussbaum, Joy, Fukuyama, and others, those concerned with character should welcome our posthuman future. Completed Spring 2007.
"The Hammer of Faith: Towards a Reconstruction of Germanic Spirituality,” Ben Kowalsky. Drawing especially from Nietzsche and Kierkegaard, the thesis argues that most contemporary neo-Paganism fails to present an authentic alternative to Christianity, while historically grounded Pagan Reconstructionism can underwrite a flourishing life in the face of the death of the Christian god. Completed Spring 2006.
"Community, not Liberation: A New(er) Ethics for Our Treatment of Animals,” Alexis Elder. The thesis demonstrates that the virtues associated with Aristotelian friendship are manifest in the working relationships we have with certain non-human animals, especially dogs. Completed Spring 2005.
PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS
"The Path Dependence of Dynamic Traditions and the Illusion of Cultural AIDS.” Paper presented at Ethicomp2015. DeMontfort University, UK: Fall, 2015.
"Computer Ethics Beyond Mere Compliance.” Journal of Information, Communication & Ethics in Society, Vol. 13, no. 3/4, 2015.
"Privacy and Authenticity.” Paper presented at Computer Ethics Philosophical Enquiry, University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris, France: Summer 2014.
"Assimilation is Futile: you will resist.” Paper presented at Ethicomp2014, University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris, France: Summer 2014.
"Eyes Wide Open: helping students to see for themselves that ethics matters.” Co-authored with Suzy Jagger. International Journal of Management Education, Vol. 12, no. 2, 2014.
"How to Resist the Hypermoralist Temptation in Computer Ethics.” Paper presented at Ethicomp2013, University of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark: Summer, 2013.
"Lurking: finding one’s self while remaining hidden.” Paper presented at Ethicomp2011, Sheffield Hallam University, UK: Fall 2011.
"Professional Ethics and Privacy as Life, Liberty, Property.” Invited presentation for Summer Research Program on Computer Systems Security, U-Conn: June 21 2011.
"Collective Intelligence and Ethical Individualism.” ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society. 43:1, 2013. This paper was originally delivered at Computer Ethics Philosophical Enquiry, UW-Milwaukee: Summer 2011.
"Commodification and Privacy: A Lockean Perspective.” Healthcare Ethics Committee Forum Vol. 22 No. 3. Fall, 2010.
"Why Information Ethics Must Begin with Virtue Ethics.” Metaphilosophy, Vol. 41 No. 3. April, 2010.
"A Defense of Progress.” Paper presented at Ethicomp2010, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain: Spring 2010.
"Freedom, Intellectual Property, and the Flow of Information.” Paper presented at Ethicomp08, University of Pavia, Mantua, Italy: 2008.
"Ethical Analysis.” Slides to accompany Appendix A as a resource for teachers using the textbook, Pandora’s Box: Social and Professional Issues of the Information Age, A. Adams and R. McCrindle. Wiley, 2008.
"The Good Computer Professional Does not Cheat at Cards.” Paper presented at Ethicomp07, Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan: Spring, 2007.
"Virtue ethics and the sociopoiesis of cyberlibertarianism.” Paper presented at Computing and Philosophy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2006.
"Dynamic Traditions: Why globalization does not mean homogenization.” Journal of Information, Communication & Ethics in Society, Vol. 4, no. 3, 2006. This paper was originally presented at Ethicomp05, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden: 2005; also, the presentation was updated for the "Questioning Globalization” interdisciplinary conference at SCSU, April, 2006.
"A Defense of Eudaimonist Egoism.” Philosophy and Ethics: New Research. Nova Science Publishers, 2006.
"The Philosophy of Star Wars: Skywalker as Emersonian Hero.” Invited presentation at Woodbridge Town Library, Woodbridge, CT: November 16, 2005.
"Being a Good Computer Professional: The Advantages of Virtue Ethics in Computing.” In Professionalism in the Information and Communication Technology Industry. Ed. J. Weckert and R. Lucas. Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press, 2013. This paper was originally presented at Ethicomp04, University of the Aegean, Athens, Greece:2004.
"Privacy as Life, Liberty, Property.” Ethics and InformationTechnology, vol. 5, no. 4. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004. This paper was originally presented at Computer Ethics Philosophical Enquiry, Boston College, Boston: 2003.
"Character Matters Even if Nothing Else Does: Virtue Ethics in Business.” Co-authored with Robert Page, Jr. presented at the International New England Business Administration Association Conference, SCSU: 2003.
"Digital Culture: Liberation that was not Meant to Be.” Paper presented at Ethicomp03, Universidade Lusiada, Lisbon, Portugal: 2002.
"Introduction to ‘Deliberative Democracy: Application and Online Tools.’” Invited presentation at Computing and Philosophy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh: 2002.
"Lara Croft and Liberation.” Paper accepted for inclusion in a forthcoming book on women and computing, but the project was suspended by the editors: submitted February, 2001.
"The ‘Computational Turn’ and Its impact on the Teaching of Ethics.” Invited presentation for the Computing and Philosophy group at the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association, Atlanta: December 2001.
"Playing God: Technological Hubris in Literature and Philosophy.” Paper delivered at Ethicomp2001, Technical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland: Spring 2001.
"Personal Identity in the Information Age.” Paper delivered at Computer Ethics Philosophical Enquiry, Dartmouth: Summer 2000.
"Software Ownership and Natural Rights.” Paper delivered at Ethicomp 99, Luis "Guido Carli” University, Rome, Italy: Fall 1999.
RESEARCH CENTER ON COMPUTING AND SOCIETY
The Research Center on Computing & Society is dedicated to advancing computer ethics as an academic discipline and to promoting the ethical use of computer technology. The RCCS accomplishes this through teaching, research, and publication in Computer Ethics, along with promoting networking within the international community of Computer Ethics scholars. Dr. Volkman joined the RCCS in 1998 and has served as Associate Director since 2000. The RCCS enjoys a strong presence at Ethicomp, a major international conference series in computer ethics co-created with our sister center at DeMontfort University, Leicester, UK. Dr. Volkman is a regular and active participant at Ethicomp. He currently serves of the Ethicomp Steering Committee, and he has been named Conference Chair of Ethicomp2017, which will convene in Turin, Italy in May, 2017. In addition to serving as Acting Director of the RCCS as needed, Dr. Volkman has taken a lead role in organizing a series of Roundtable discussions in the Spring semesters of 2008-2011 on topics including artificial autonomous agency, the ethics of video games, machine learning, and Floridi’s Information Ethics. Following a hiatus due to budget pressures, the Roundtable tradition returned in 2015 to consider "The Ethics of Big Data." These roundtable discussions constitute a freewheeling conversation among recognized scholars in the field.