John Capps
Professor
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts
585-475-2464
Office Location
John Capps
Professor
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts
Bio
John Capps received his Ph.D from Northwestern University in 1997. The focus of his research is within epistemology and the philosophy of science, where he has been influenced by the work of classical American pragmatists. Recent publications have focused on theories of truth, the overlap between American pragmatism and early analytic philosophical traditions, and the case for discussion-intensive pedagogy.
585-475-2464
Areas of Expertise
Epistemology
Theories of truth
Pragmatism
Anglo-American philosophy
John Dewey
Select Scholarship
Journal Paper
Capps, John. "James and Waismann on temperament in philosophy." The Pluralist 18. (2023): 46-65. Print.
Capps, John. "The Less Said the Better: Dewey, Neurath, and Mid-century Theories of Truth." Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie. 104. (2022): 164-191. Print.
Capps, John. "Pragmatism about truth-makers." Contemporary Pragmatism 19. (2022): 350-370. Print.
Published Review
Capps, John. "Writing public-facing philosophy about science." Rev. of Nancy Cartwright: A philosopher looks at science, by n/a. Metascience 2022: 95-98. Print.
Capps, John. "Review of Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World by Charles Sabel and David Victor." Rev. of Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World, by n/a. Dewey Studies 2022: 93-97. Print.
Capps, John and Camille Lea,. "Thinking philosophically." Rev. of How to Think Like a Philosopher, by n/a. Metascience 2023: 387-389. Print.
Book Chapter
Capps, John. "Democracy, Truth, and Understanding: An Epistemic Argument for Democracy." Democracy, Populism, and Truth. Ed. Mark Navin and Richard Nunan. New York, New York: Springer, 2020. 63-76. Print.
Capps, John. "The Pragmatic Origins of Ethical Expressivism: Stevenson, Dewey, and the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science." Pragmatism and the European Traditions: Encounters with Analytic Philosophy and Phenomenology Before the Great Divide. Ed. S. Marchetti M. Baghramian and M. Baghramian. New York, NY: Routledge, 2018. 187-202. Print.
Capps, John. "Epistemology, Logic, and Inquiry." The Continuum Companion to Pragmatism. Ed. Sami Pihlstrom. New York, NY: Continuum, 2011. 81-91. Print.
Currently Teaching
CRIM-299
Crime, Justice and Ethics
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to ethical theories, consideration of justice as operationalized in contemporary criminal justice and emerging issues that accompany technological advancements such as video surveillance. Students will explore how ethical frameworks are embedded, implicitly and explicitly, in fundamental questions that are resolved by police, judges, and prosecutors. Conceptions of justice and criminal justice will be considered as they relate to criminological and criminal justice theories such as Procedural Justice/Legitimacy theories, Restorative Justice, as well as rationales for punishment. Implications for evaluation of technological changes in criminal justice will also be considered from the perspectives of ethical choices.
PHIL-101
Introduction to Philosophy
3 Credits
Philosophy is about the rigorous discussion of big questions, and sometimes small precise questions, that do not have obvious answers. This class is an introduction to philosophical thinking where we learn how to think and talk critically about some of these challenging questions. Such as: Is there a single truth or is truth relative to different people and perspectives? Do we have free will and, if so, how? Do we ever really know anything? What gives life meaning? Is morality objective or subjective, discovered or created? We’ll use historical and contemporary sources to clarify questions like these, to understand the stakes, to discuss possible responses, and to arrive at a more coherent, more philosophically informed, set of answers.
PHIL-205
Symbolic Logic
3 Credits
An introduction to symbolic, or formal, deductive logic and techniques, such as truth tables, truth trees, and formal derivations. The emphasis will be on propositional (or sentential) logic and first-order predicate logic.
PHIL-310
Theories of Knowledge
3 Credits
Epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, examines how we come to know what we know. This course covers historical and contemporary approaches to the question of what knowledge is, what makes a belief true, and how beliefs are justified. Philosophical skepticism, the idea that we actually know nothing at all, will also be discussed, as well as possible responses. Other topics may include epistemic relativism, feminist epistemology, naturalism, the internalism/externalism debate, and the application of epistemology to other fields.
PHIL-312
American Philosophy
3 Credits
This course examines the contributions of American philosophers from the colonial era to the present day. From the New England Transcendentalists of the 19th century, to the Pragmatism and Neo-Pragmatism of the 20th and 21st, American philosophy has responded to the demands of a pluralistic, ever-changing society. Because American philosophy is a reflection of American culture, it has also offered a unique perspective on perennial philosophical problems in ways that have differed sharply from dominant forms of European philosophy. Authors may include Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, C.S. Peirce, Jane Addams, William James, John Dewey, Richard Rorty, and Cornel West.
PHIL-595
Senior Thesis in Philosophy
3 Credits
This course is required of philosophy majors during their senior year. A student will choose a faculty member to serve as a primary advisor. With the advisor's guidance, a student will research and write a substantial paper on a specific philosophical topic. Students will be encouraged to investigate a particular question in depth, likely building on earlier course work. The finished thesis will be discussed and examined by a committee including two other faculty members.
In the News
-
July 13, 2023
Capps and Lea publish book review
-
April 8, 2020
Capps receives honorable mention for article