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Alan Penczek
Adjunct Professor of Philosophy
Contact Information
Office: Greenspring Library – 5
Phone: 443-334-2190
Email: apenczek@stevenson.edu
Courses Taught
PHIL 220: Applied Philosophy and Community Service
PHIL 415: Professional Ethics
AIT 606: Creativity in Information Systems
Education
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Philosophy
M.A., Johns Hopkins University, Philosophy
B.A., Northeastern Illinois University, Philosophy & Psychology
Affiliations
American Association of Philosophy Teachers
Humanities and Technology Association
Academic Interests
Ethics, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Technology
Publications & Presentations
Penczek, A. (forthcoming). “A Service Learning Course in Philosophy.” In M. Cooksey (Ed.), Quick Hits for Service Learning. Indiana University Press, 2010.
Penczek, A. (2006). “Implementing a Service Learning Course in Philosophy.” Paper presented at the 16th International AAPT Workshop – Conference on Teaching Philosophy, Washington and Jefferson College.
Penczek, A. (2005). “Religious Technology and Religious Techne.” Humanities and Technology Review 24: 1-13.
Penczek, A. (2004). “Techne and Technology in Buddhist Contemplative Practice.” Paper presented at the 2004 Conference of the Humanities and Technology Association, York College of Pennsylvania.
Penczek, A. (2004). “Curiouser and Curiouser! Cried Alice: Exploring Curiosity in the Ethics Classroom.” Paper presented at the 15th Biennial AAPT Workshop – Conference on Teaching Philosophy, University of Toledo.
Penczek, A. (2002). “The ‘Dream’ Arguement, from Plato to Putnam, and Beyond.” PPer presented at the 14th Biennial AAPT Workshop – Conference on Teaching Philosophy, Thomas More College.
Penczek, A. (2002). “Spaces within the Academy: A Tale of Two Psychology Laboratories at the Johns Hopkins University, 1883-1920.” Paper presented at the Society for Philosophy and Geography Fourth Annual International Conference, Towson University.
Penczek, A. (2001). “Creative Problem-Solving Across the Curriculum.” Paper presented at the 2001 Conference of the Humanities and Technology Association, University of Virginia.
Penczek, A. (2001). “A Criterion for Causal Efficacy Derived from Optimality Theory.” Paper presented at the Central Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Penczek, A. (2000). “Modern Medical Technologies and the ‘I Wouldn’t / You Shouldn’t Fallacy.’” Paper presented at the 2000 Conference of the Humanities and Technology Association, University of Virginia.
Penczek, A. (2000). “Exploring Cloning and Other Reproductive Technologies in the Philosophy Classroom.” Paper presented at the 13th Biennial AAPT Workshop – Conference on Teaching Philosophy, Alverno College.
Penczek, A. (1999). “Two Lessons in Probability.” American Philosophical Association Newsletter 98: 156-59.
Smolensky, P. & Penczek, A. (1998). “Optimality and the Definition of ‘Cause.’” Paper presented at the Linguistics Department Colloquium, University of Maryland, College Park.
Penczek, A. & Smolensky, P. (1998). “Optimality Theory and Causal Efficacy.” Paper presented at the Philosophy Department Colloquium, Johns Hopkins University.
Penczek, A. (1997). “Disjunctive Properties and Causal Efficacy.” Philosophical Studies 86: 203-19.
Penczek, A. (1997). “Counterfactuals with True Compenents.” Erkenntnis 46: 79-85.
Penczek, A. (1996). “Making Mind Matter: A Cartesian Legacy.” Paper presented at the 21st Annual Fall Philosophy Colloquium, Towson University.
Penczek, A. (1996). “Introductory Logic: First Day.” Teaching Philosophy 19: 121-25.
(Translated and reprinted as “Einfu: hrung in die Logik” in Zeitschrift fu: r Philosophie 2, Nr. 3: 10-15, 1999).
In-house Presentations
Diversity Committe Symposium
- “John Dewey and the Politics of Free Expression.” (Spring, 2003)
Diversity Conversations
- “Do Men and Women Reason Differently About Ethics?” (Fall, 2005)
- “Gender Differences in Ethical Thinking.” (Fall, 2004)
J.R. Mitchell Memorial Book Talks
- A Sand County Almanac and Conservation Esthetic, by Aldo Leopold.
- The School and Society, by John Dewey. (Fall, 2007)
- My Journey to Lhasa, by Alexandra David-Neel. (Fall, 2005)
- Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s “Netherlandish Proverbs” and the Practice of Rhetoric, by Mark A. Meadow. (Spring, 2005)
- The Metaphysical Club, by Louis Menand. Part III: George Morris, John Dewey. (Fall, 2003)
- The Metaphysical Club, by Louis Menand. Part II: Louis Agassiz, William James. (Fall, 2002)
- The Metaphysical Club, by Louis Menand. Part I: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (Fall, 2002)
Faculty Development Workshops
- “The Learning Beyond One-Credit Option.” (Spring, 2007)
- “A Service Learning Course in Philosophy.” (Spring, 2006)
- “Technology in the Curriculum.” (Spring, 1999)
Faculty-Student Symposia
- “Competition among Early Schools of Psychology.” (Spring, 2003)
- “Democratic Ideals and Risk Management.” (Spring, 2002)
- “When No One’s in Charge.” (Spring, 2001)
Faculty Works-in-Progress Series
- “Ethical Issues in Reproductive Technology.” (Spring, 2000)
- “Optimality and the Concept of a ‘Concept.’” (Fall, 1999)
Post-Sabbatical Talk
- “Service Learning in Philosophy.” (Spring, 2005)
School of Humanities and Social Sciences – Interdisciplinary Panel Discussions
- “Do the Ends Justify the Means?” (Fall, 2009)
VJC Scholarworks
- “Curiouser and Curiouser! Cried Alice: The Ethics of Curiosity.” (Spring, 2004)
Short Stories
“The Man Who Could Fast Forward.” (Fresh: Short Writings from Members and Friends of the Shambhala Meditation Center, Spring, 2006)
“Trading Places.” (Spectrum: Literary and Arts Magazine, Spring, 2003)