Kelly Dean Jolley

I am a professor of philosophy at Auburn University and I currently hold the Goodwin-Philpott Endowed Chair in Religion.  I work in the theory of judgment, philosophical psychology, metaphilosophy, the philosophy of religion, the history of twentieth century philosophy (analytical and phenomenological) and ancient philosophy.  I am also interested in skepticism, aesthetics and philosophical theology.  I am much indebted to the work of Anscombe, Murdoch, Weil, Wittgenstein, Frege, Kierkegaard, Kant, St. Thomas Aquinas and Plato.  I am also a big fan of Plutarch, Montaigne, Samuel Johnson, Emerson and Thoreau.  I am devoted to Austen’s novels.

Outside of philosophy, I am a rank amateur poet, a reader of literature, a watcher of football, a smoker of pipes, and an admirer of american pit bull terriers.  But most importantly, I am the husband of a wonderful wife, Shanna, and father of two wonderful children, Eli and Sydney; and, I am a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

10 responses

  1. I’ve probably said it before, but I’ll say it again: I enjoy your posts. Thanks for sharing and please keep it up.

  2. Dear Sir,

    I stumled upon an article of yours on Socrates ‘exquisite argument’ against Protagoras, but could only find bits and pieces of it. From what I could read, I concluded it to be very interesting for me in the writing of some things. Would it be possible to send me a copy of it?

    Thanks for your cooperation,

    Hans Bolten

  3. Since you are my old logic professor I wanted to share something I’ve been thinking about:

    Only that whose non-existence is unimaginable is fundamental.

    The non-existence of material is imaginable.

    The non-existence of consciousness is unimaginable.

    Only two aspects of reality exist: material and consciousness.

    Therefore consciousness is fundamental.

    **I’m not sure if this is sound. The last premise may be false. Anyway, I too write poetry, and I enjoy the poems you’ve written that I’ve read, especially the one about the poisoned trees.

  4. I’m a friend of Ed Mooney writing on Marcel and Bugbee
    We emailed briefly before

    Ed says you working on J Wisdom
    Would love to chat
    David

  5. Kelly, you’re a national treasure. I love reading your musings and works.
    Hope the new year is full of “grand schemes,” new horizons and God’s profound blessings!