Presentations

“Happiness and Human Values” Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Baton Rouge, LA 3/15/19

“Conscientious Objection in Healthcare” Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Baton Rouge, LA 3/14/19

“Erotic Love, Deep Friendship, and Heavenly Happiness” Loyola University, New Orleans 3/13/19

“Mindfulness: Positive Psychology and the Christian Faith” New York University 3/12/19

“Conscientious Objection in Healthcare”  New York University 3/12/19

“Erotic Love, Friendship, and Happiness” University of South Carolina, 12/6/18

“A Defense of Conscientious Objection in Health Care: A Reply to Recent Objections” University of South Carolina, 12/6/18

“A Defense of Conscientious Objection in Health Care: A Reply to Recent Objections” Plenary Address at the American Catholic Philosophical Society Meeting, San Diego, CA 11/9/18

“Dao and Ignatian Spirituality” Loyola Marymount University 10/29/18

“The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice” College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA 10/23/18

“Why Have Kids? How Children Changed My Life” Boston College 10/22/18

“What’s the Purpose of Life” University of Arizona 10/17/18

“The Gospel of Happiness” University of Arizona 10/17/18

“A Defense of Conscientious Objection in Health Care” Baylor University 9/7/18

“Friendship & Happiness, Insights From Aristotle, Aquinas, And Contemporary Psychology” Baylor University 9/6/18

“God’s Plan, Married Love, and Lived Reality” The Catholic University of America, 4/6/18

“God’s Plan, Married Love, and Lived Reality” Biola University 1/24/18

“A Question of Justice: The Ethics of Abortion” Cal State San Marcos, 10/25/17

“English Group 1 Report” 23rd General Assembly Pontifical Academy for Life, Vatican City, 10/7/17

“Increasing Willpower” Wheaton College 2/3/2017

“The Gospel of Happiness” Wheaton College 2/3/2017

“God, Gratitude, and Virtue” Wheaton College 2/3/2017

“Four Levels of Happiness” Wheaton College 2/2/2017

“Theological Virtues, Prayer, and Positive Psychology” Wheaton College 2/2/2017

“Positive Psychology and Christian Theology” Wheaton College 2/2/2017

“The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church” Christendom College 11/14/16

“The Living Victims of Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia” Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 10/14/16

“The Creator of Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence: Natural Law, Inalienable Rights, and a Just Political Order” University of Virginia 9/22/16

“Created Equal or Variated Worth?” University of Virginia 9/22/16

“Four Views of Human Dignity” Newman University, KS 8/8/16

“The Identity of Catholic University” Newman University, KS 8/8/16

“How to Be Happier: Insights from Ancient Philosophy, Contemporary Psychology, and Spiritual Traditions” University of Texas-Austin 1/29/16

“The Ethics of Abortion” Biola University, 11/3/15

“Fostering Debate and Coherence in Higher Education” First Things Colloquium/Berkeley Institute, Berkeley, CA 8/3/15

“The Ethics of Abortion” Vita Institute, University of Notre Dame, 6/20/15

“Debunking Common Myths about Love and Marriage” Love and Fidelity Network, Princeton University, 6/12/15

“On the Failure of the Best Argument Against Prenatal Personhood: Why Conscious Desires Do Not Establish the Right to Life” Faculty of Law Seminar, Abortion in Context: Law, Ethics, and Practice, University College, Oxford 5/27/15

“Civil Discussion about Abortion ” Workshop, Blackfriars Hall, Oxford 5/26/15

“The Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology of Happiness in Marriage” Grandpont, Oxford 5/26/15

“Can We Believe ‘All Men are Created Equal’ after Darwin? Evolutionary Biology and Human Equality” Research Seminar, Anscombe Centre, Oxford 5/26/15

“Becoming Happier: What Philosophy, Theology, and Positive Psychology Can Teach Us about the Good Life” Newman Society, Oxford 5/25/15

“Created Equal: Clarifying the American Proposition” Constitutional Thought and History Seminar, Pembroke College, Oxford 5/25/15

“The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice” Princeton University, 4/30/15

“The Seven Big Myths about Marriage” University of Scranton 4/15/15

“Becoming Happier: What Philosophy, Theology, and Positive Psychology Can Teach Us about the Good Life” Ave Maria University 3/20/15

“The Seven Big Myths about Marriage” Ave Maria University 3/19/15

“Becoming Happier: What Philosophy, Theology, and Positive Psychology Can Teach Us about the Good Life” Boston College, 3/12/15

“Created Equal: An Interpretation and Defense of the American Proposition” Madison Undergraduate Fellows, Princeton University, 3/3/15

“The Seven Big Myths about Marriage” Villanova University, 2/11/15

“Created Equal: An Interpretation and Defense of the American Proposition” Villanova University, 2/11/15

“Created Equal: An Interpretation and Defense of the American Proposition” Madison Fellows, Princeton University, 1/28/15

Proles as a Good” Elizabeth Anscombe Society, Princeton University 12/05/2014

“Commentary on R.J. Snell on Lonergan and Natural Law” Lonergan Society, ACPA, Washington D.C., 10/11/14

“What is Happiness?  Answers from Aristotle, Aquinas, and Martin Seligman” Biola University, 5/9/14

“Conscientious Objection and Health Care Professionals” Keynote Address, Society of Christian Philosophers Conference, Carroll College, 4/3/14


“Equality: A Commentary on Girgis” Princeton University 3/28/2014“Intrinsic and Extrinsic Punishments:  A Commentary on Hershenov” Biola University Graduate Conference, 11/9/13

“The Time-Interest Account and the Gradualist View” Vita et Veritas Conference, Yale University 10/19/13

“Conscience Protections for Health Care Workers” Faculty for Life Conference, University of San Francisco 6/1/13

“Conscience Protections for Health Care Workers” Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH 3/22/13

Veritatis splendor, Evangelium Vitae, and Weakness of Will” Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC 2/23/13

“Commentary on Zeis on Intention” American Catholic Philosophical Association Meeting, Marina Del Rey, CA 11/2/12

“The Meaning of Life: Ancient Wisdom and Contemporary Science” U.C.L.A. 2/23/12

“Every Human Being Has a Right to Life” Eastern Division, American Philosophical Association Meeting, Washington D.C. 12/28/11

“What Can Be Done to Reduce Binge Drinking and a ‘Hook Up’ Culture on Campus?” Newman Society Meeting for College and University Presidents, Baltimore 11/13/11

“The Stupidity of Dignity:  A Response to Steven Pinker” Radical Emancipation Conference, University of Notre Dame, 11/11/11

“A Case for Equal Basic Rights for All Human Beings, Born and Unborn:  A Response to Critics of The Ethics of Abortion” University Faculty for Life Conference, University of Notre Dame 6/11/11

“Can It Be Morally Permissible to Assert a Falsehood in Service of a Good Cause?” Easter Disputed Question, University of St Thomas, Minnesota 5/5/11

“Equal Rights and Unequal Wrongs” Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, La Mirada, CA 5/21/11

“What Can Be Done to Reduce Binge Drinking and a ‘Hook Up’ Culture on Campus?” Intellect and Virtue:  The Idea of a Catholic University, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 4/8/11

“Thomas Aquinas as a Commentator on Aristotle’s Ethics:  A Reply to Mark D. Jordan” Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA, 4/8/11

“Equal Rights and Unequal Wrongs” Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford 3/1/2011

“What are the Limits of Conscientious Objection for Health Care Workers?” Open Minds, Open Hearts, Fair Minded Words: Life and Choice in the Abortion Debate, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 10/16/10

“Does Richard Dawkins Refute God’s Existence?”  University of Virginia, 10/16/09

“A Theology of the Body:  Love, Happiness, and Sex” Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, 10/8/09

“Organ Donations After Cardiac Death”  Keynote Address at The Ethics of Organ Transplantation:  An Interdisciplinary Conference, University of St. Thomas, Houston, 3/28/09

“What Children Give to Parents:  Reflections for Plato’s Symposium and Aristotle’s Ethics” Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, Conference on the Family, University of Notre Dame, 11/08/08.

“Embryonic Stem Cell Research” The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 10/24/07.

“Aquinas and Bioethics” The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 2/12/07.

“Ectopic Pregnancy and the Catholic Hospital” Urged on by Christ: Catholic Health Care in Tension with Contemporary Culture, 21st Bishops Workshop, Dallas, Texas, 2/7/07.

“Brain Death:  Moral and Ethical Considerations” Urged on by Christ: Serving the Human Person in Medicine and the Life Sciences, Annual National Catholic Bioethics Center Seminar, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, 10/7/06.

“Moral Analysis of Prenatal and Postnatal Care Complications” Urged on by Christ: Serving the Human Person in Medicine and the Life Sciences, Annual National Catholic Bioethics Center Seminar, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, 10/6/06.

“The Tragic Case of Jodie and Mary:  Questions about Separating Conjoined Twins” Northridge Medical Center, Northridge California, 5/30/06.

“The Ethics of Artificial Wombs:  Kantian, Neo-Kantian, and Utilitarian Perspectives” Marquette University, 2/9/06.

“Moral Analysis of Separating Conjoined Twins:  Jodie and Mary” Annual National Catholic Bioethics Seminar, Santa Teresita Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 11/4/05.

“Abortion and Ectopic Pregnancy” Annual National Catholic Bioethics Seminar, Santa Teresita Medical Center, Duarte, CA. 11/4/05

“The Desire to Live and the Right to Live” 57th Annual Northwest Philosophy Conference, Seattle University,10/21/05.

“Personhood and Conscious Desires:  A Response to David Boonin” The Foundation of Freedom Conference, University of Portland, 6/4/05.

“Capital Punishment and the Catholic Tradition” St. Thomas and the Natural Law, University of Notre Dame, 7/7/04.

“Personhood As Conscious Desires? A Response to David Boonin” University Faculty for Life Conference, University of St. Thomas Law School, Minneapolis, 6/4/04.

“The Natural Law and the Death Penalty” Written on the Heart: The Tradition of Natural Law, Calvin College,5/15/04.

“Being in Love and Begetting a Child:  A Greek Myth of Eros and the Christian Mystery of Marriage” The Church in the 21st Century Initiative, Boston College, 2/23/04.

“The Divine in Thomas Aquinas’s Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: Can We be Good without God?”  Ethics without God University of Notre Dame, 7/14/03.   

“Disclaimers in the Sententia libri ethicorum of Thomas Aquinas?  A Reconsideration”  Albertus Magnus Institut, Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms-Universität zu Bonn, 6/4/03.

“Is Every Human Being Also a Person?”  Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. 5/21/03

“La nature et le développement de l’amour dans le mariage:  Vers une compréhension approfondie de la sexualité, de l’amitié et du don de soi dans la relation conjugale”  Université de Fribourg, Switzerland, 5/20/03.

“Ethik ohne Gott:  Spielt Gott keine unbedingt notwendige Rolle in der moral philosophie des
Aristoteleskommentar von Thomas?”  Schweidt der Universität zu Köln, 5/15/03.

“Is the Sententia libri ethircorum of Thomas Aquinas only an Interpretation of Aristotle?”  Forshungskolloquium des Thomas-Instituts, Universität zu Köln, 5/14/03.

“Freedom, Rationality, and Personhood:  The Contemporary Anglo-American Debate and a Late Antique Solution”  Institut für Philosophie, Universität Würzburg, 5/14/03.

“La séparation de Mary et Jodie les jumelles jointes : discussion du cas”  Université de Fribourg, Switzerland, 4/10/03.

“Solomon’s Dilemma: The Case of Conjoined Twins” Université de Fribourg, Switzerland, 4/10/03.

“Are Artificial Wombs Morally Permissible?” Albertinum/L’Ancienne Académie de Fribourg, Switzerland, 4/9/03.

“Krieg gegen Irak:  Was unterscheidet US-Präsident George W. Bush und Papst Johannes Paulus II in ihrer Argumentation?”  Schweidt der Universität zu Köln, 3/13/03.

“Cost-Benefit Analysis and Human Dignity” Global Values and Global Stability : Economic Efficiency and its Limitations VIII Zavikon Conference of the Dräger Foundation and the American Institute of Contemporary German Studies (AICGS), Bieberstein Castle near Dresden, Germany, 2/21/03.

“The Sententia libri ethicorum of Aquinas:  Merely an Interpretation of Aristotle?”  Internationales Theologisches Institut, Gaming, Austria. 1/24/03

“Der Kommentar zur Nikomachischen Ethik:  Nur das Aristoteles-Verständnis des Thomas oder darüberhinaus auch Thomas’ eigenes Denken?” Philosophisches Arbeitskreis, Bonn, Germany, 12/3/02.

“Usury and Lending at Interest in the Catholic Tradition:  Then and Now” LARIBA 2002, 9th Annual Islamic Symposium on Banking and Finance, Pasadena, California, 3/30/02.

“Why the Death Penalty? Capital Punishment and the Catholic Tradition” A Culture of Life, a Conference sponsored by the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, University of Notre Dame, 12/1/01.

“Just War:  Its Conditions, Our Current Situation, and Why it Matters” Symposium on the Events of September 11, Loyola Marymount University, 9/20/01.

“The Status of Thomas’ Commentary on Aristotle’s Ethics” International Conference on Aquinas on Nature, University of Notre Dame, 7/18/01.

“Authority in the Church:  A Response to Fr. Thomas Rausch, S.J.” President’s Day, Loyola Marymount University, 3/24/01.

“Thomas Aquinas on the Development of Doctrine” International Conference on the Sources used by Aquinas, University of Notre Dame, 7/19/00.

“Quality of Life and the Culture of Life:  An Either/Or?” Linacre Centre Conference  The Great Jubilee and the Culture of Life. Queens’ College, Cambridge University, 7/4/00.

“Censorship and the Natural Law” at the “Censoring Censorship” sponsored by the Next Step Program of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Loyola Law School, and the Museum of Tolerance, 2/24/00.

“Distinguishing Intention from Foresight:  What is Included in a Means to an End”  Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, University of Notre Dame, 12/2/99.

“MacIntyre and Lonergan on the History of Philosophy:  A Response to James Duffy”  Lonergan Society Meeting at the ACPA, St. Paul, Minnesota, 11/6/99.

“Psychiatric and Philosophic Reflections on Physician Assisted Suicide” with Dennis Philander, M.D., University of Minnesota, Fairview Riverside Campus, 11/11/98.

“Proportionalism and Relativism”  Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, 8/1/97.

“Is the ‘Medical Management’ of Ectopic Pregnancy by the Administration of Methotrexate Morally Acceptable?”  Linacre Center for Health Care Ethics 20th Anniversary Conference, Queens’ College, Cambridge University, 7/30/97.

“Selbstverteidigung bei Thomas von Aquin und das Prinzip der Doppelwirkung”  Forshungskolloquium of the Thomas-Institut, Universität zu Köln, 6/11/97.

“Teleology and Deontology” Internationales Theologisches Institut Gaming, Austria, 4/28/97.

“MacIntyre and Emotivism” Conference Paper for “Civil Society in South Eastern Europe:  Philosophical and
Ethical Perspectives” American University in Bulgaria; Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, 4/26/97.

“Double Effect Reasoning in the Thomistic Tradition” Institute of Philosophy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, 4/16/97.

“Human Action and the Goodness/Rightness Distinction” Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 2/28/97.

“Rival Interpretations for Three Hard Cases” Bundeskanzler Scholars Meeting, Washington, D.C., 4/27/96.

“Exceptionless Norms in Aristotle?” Loyola University, New Orleans, 3/5/96.

“Lying: Absolutism and Consequentialism” U.S. Naval Academy, 1/23/96.

“Exceptionless Norms in Aristotle?” Stanford University, 1/17/96.