Curriculum Vitae
J. Carl Ficarrotta
(719) 210-5249
jcficarrotta@gmail.com
EDUCATION:
Ph.D., 1994, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Philosophy
M.A., 1988, Emory University, Philosophy
B.A., 1982, cum laude, Mercer University, both Philosophy and Music
PUBLICATIONS:
“Implementing Selective Conscientious Objection: Some Guiding Principles,” in Ellner,
Robinson and Whetham, editors, When Soldiers Say No: Selective Conscientious Objection in
the Modern Military, Ashgate Press, forthcoming in 2013.
“Moral Relativism” in The Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics, Elsevier Press (revised from the
same title in Academic Press, San Diego, 1997), 2012.
“Against Frankfurt’s Care Ground of Importance—Comments on Pelsner,” in Southwestern
Journal of Philosophy, 2011.
Kantian Thinking about Military Ethics, Ashgate Press, 2010.
“How to Teach a Bad Ethics Course,” in Teaching Philosophy, March 2009.
Book review: “Thomas A. Cavanaugh’s Double Effect Reasoning: Doing Good and Avoiding
Evil” in the Journal of Military Ethics, Volume 6, Issue 3, 2007.
“Military Ethics: Some Lessons Learned from Manuel Davenport,” in Air & Space Power
Journal, Winter 2006
“Must a Marxist be a Globalist?” in the Quarterly Journal of Ideology Volume 29, Numbers
3&4, 2006
“An Open Letter to Episcopalians on the Issue of Homosexuality and the Church,” in Anglicans
Online, What’s New This Week: Worth Noting (http://anglicansonline.org/new_this_week.html)
and in Anglican Pages: Do Justice, on-line pages hosted by Rutgers University
(http://newark.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/dojustice.html), 2003
“Software Engineering as a Profession: A Moral Case for Licensure,” in Linda L. Brennan and
Victoria E. Johnson, editors, Social, Ethical and Policy Implications of Information Systems,
Information Science Publishing, 2003
Editor, The Leader’s Imperative, Purdue University Press, 2001
Book review: “Law at the End of Life: The Supreme Court and Assisted Suicide,” in the Journal
of Legal Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, Summer 2001
“Moral Relativism” in The Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics, Academic Press, San Diego, 1997
“Are Military Professionals Bound by a Higher Moral Standard?” in Armed Forces and Society
Volume 24, Number 1 (Fall 1997) and in Air Chronicles, on-line journal of Air University
(http://www.cdsar.af.mil), 1996; revised as “A Higher Moral Standard for the Military” in G.
Lucas, editor, Ethics for Military Leaders, Fourth Edition, Pearson Publishing, 2001.
“Discrimination by Generality” in Public Affairs Quarterly Volume 10, Number 3, July 1996
“Case Method and the Teaching of Ethics” in Proceedings of the National Conference on
Applied Ethics, California State University at Long Beach, February 1996
“When Discrimination in Hiring is OK, and When It Isn’t” in Proceedings of the National
Conference on Ethics in America, California State University at Long Beach, March 1995
“Careerism: A Moral Analysis” in J. Galston and J. Hietala, editors, Ethics and National
Defense: The Timeless Issues, National Defense University Press, Washington DC, 1993
WRITING IN PROGRESS:
Book review for Ethics of F. M. Kamm, The Moral Target.
“What Could it Mean to Naturalize Ethics?” being revised for submission to The Journal of
Value Inquiry.
“The Hobbesian Pedigree and Two Ways to be a Realist,” being revised for submission to
Hobbes Studies.
Book draft, Rawlsian Thinking about Morality in International Relations.
PRESENTATIONS:
“Reflection and Correction in Hume’s Moral and Aesthetic Thought,” to the South Central
Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, Ashville, NC, 2012.
“War, Character, and Virtue,” panelist for invited symposium session at Central Division
meeting of the American Philosophical Association, Chicago, IL, 2012.
“Just War Theory: Triumphant . . . and Doing More Harm Than Good,” part of the Parr Center
for Ethics Lunch and Learn series, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 2011.
“Against Frankfurt’s Care Ground of Importance—Comments on Pelsner,” to the Southwestern
Philosophical Society meeting, Memphis, TN, 2010.
“Good Things Come in Threes: It's High Time to Permit Selective Conscientious Objection,” the
annual Davenport Lecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 2010.
“Terrorism, Just War Theory and Kant's Perpetual Peace,” to the special conference on The War
on Terrorism and American Values, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 2009
“Just War Theory: Triumphant . . . and Doing More Harm Than Good,” keynote address to the
annual Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK,
2009
“Feelings and Norms: The Special Case of Moral Approbation in Hume,” to the South Central
Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, Corpus Christi, TX, 2009
“How to Teach a Bad Ethics Course,” to the philosophy departments of Colorado College and
US Air Force Academy, CO, 2008
“A Case for Selective Conscientious Objection,” plenary lecture to the International Society for
Military Ethics, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, 2008
“An Introduction to The Just War Theory,” to the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff
Course, Toronto, Canada, 2007 and 2008
“Intentions, Character, and Consequentialism,” commentary on a paper by Alistair Norcross to
the Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 2007
“Should Members of the Military Refuse to Fight in Immoral Wars?” to Colorado College (J.
Glenn Gray Memorial Lecture Series) and US Air Force Academy, CO, 2007
“Does the Doctrine of Double Effect Justify Collateral Damage?” to Colorado College and the
US Air Force Academy, CO, 2007
“The Moral Basis of the Right to National-Defense,” commentary on a paper by Thomas Peard to
the Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, 2006
“Toward A More Restrictive Approach to Using the Principle of Double Effect in the Context of
Military Targeting,” University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, 2006
“An Overview of Just War Theory,” to the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff Course,
Toronto, Canada, 2006
“The Role of Core Texts in Military Education and Moral Development,” (as part of a panel) to
the Joint Services Conference on Professional Ethics, Washington, DC, 2006
“A Defense of Robert Elliot’s Noncognitive Theory of Metaethics,” commentary on a paper by
Ian Smith to the Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO,
2005
“Just War Theory: A Critical Reflection,” to the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff
Course, Toronto, Canada, 2005
“What it Could Mean to Naturalize Ethics: Anticipation and Help in the Writing of David
Hume,” to the South Central Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, Saint Simons Island, GA,
2005
“Fragments of Character: A Reply to Candace Upton,” to the Mountain-Plains Philosophy
Conference, Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS, 2004
“Thinking Carefully about the Just War Theory,” to the Canadian Forces College Command and
Staff Course, Toronto, Canada, 2004
“Medical Ethics for the Hospital Commander” to the Air Force Medical Group Commander’s
Course, Maxwell AFB, AL, 2004
“Does Hume’s Law Depend on the Analytic-Synthetic Distinction?” to the South Central Society
for Eighteenth-Century Studies, Santa Fe, NM, 2004
“Ethical Challenges of Strategic Deception in the War on Terrorism” to the Triangle Institute for
Security Studies, Duke University, NC, 2003
“Just War Theory: A Deflationary Account” to the Department of Philosophy, US Air Force
Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, 2002
“Equal Opportunity Ethics: Some Philosophical Reflections” to the Defense Equal Opportunity
Management Institute, Patrick Air Force Base, FL, 2001
“The Military Ethics of Manuel Davenport” to the Manuel Davenport Memorial Conference,
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 2001
“The Relationship Between Theory and Practice in the Intro Ethics Course” to the Department of
Philosophy, US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, 2001
“Morality and Religion: Avoiding the Pitfalls in the Classroom” to the Department of
Philosophy, US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, 2001
“Autonomous Legislators: A Response to Chadwick Ray” to the Mountain-Plains Philosophy
Conference, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 1999
“Moral Decision Making for Military Commanders” to the Air Education and Training
Command New Squadron Commander's Course, Randolph Air Force Base, TX, 1999
“A Rawlsian Approach to Morality in International Relations” to the Department of Philosophy,
US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, 1998
“Relativism and Moral Power: A Reply to De Marco” to the Mountain-Plains Philosophy
Conference, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, 1998
“Justifying Higher Moral Standards for the Military Professional” (as part of a panel discussion,
Wherefore the Scarlet Letter?) to the Joint Services Conference on Professional Ethics,
Washington, DC, 1998
“Realizing Autonomy in the Doctor-Patient Relationship” as part of Medical Ethics in the 20th
Century: A Panel Discussion, at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 1997
“Trying to Justify Natural Rights: The Contract Tradition from Hobbes through Rawls” to the
Colorado-Wyoming Political Science Association, Colorado Springs, CO, 1997
“Ethics and the Computer Professional: Evolving Professional Obligations in the Software
Industry” to the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Colorado Springs Chapter,
Colorado Springs, CO, 1997
“Why Be Moral?” to selected USAF Academy faculty and staff at the Academy Character
Enrichment Seminar (ACES), USAF Academy, CO, 1997
“Discrimination in Hiring” to the National Conference on Ethics in America, Long Beach, CA,
1995
“Moral Nihilism in Respect to War” as part of a panel discussion on Morality and the Profession
of Arms, conducted by the US Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Colorado Springs, CO,
1995
“A Character Development Case Study” to Faculty Orientation for the US Air Force Academy,
Colorado Springs, CO, 1995
“Discrimination by Generality” to the Department of Philosophy, US Air Force Academy,
Colorado Springs, CO, 1995
“Roger Sullivan on Kant’s Alleged Absolutism” to the Department of Philosophy, US Air Force
Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, 1995
“Just War Theory,” a six part class under the auspices of the Adult Education Program at Grace
Episcopal Church, Colorado Springs, CO, 1991
“Careerism in the Military Services” to the Joint Services Conference on Professional Ethics
(JSCOPE), Washington DC, 1989
COURSES DIRECTED:
Ethics (core course taught by 15 instructors to nearly 1000 students per year)
Great Philosophers (historically oriented introduction to metaphysics and epistemology)
Medical Ethics
American Philosophy
Symbolic Logic
Applied Reasoning
Philosophy of Science
Philosophy of Law
Music Appreciation
American Art and Music
Jazz
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS (all the US Air Force Academy):
Professor of Philosophy, 2007
Associate Professor of Philosophy, 2002
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, 1994
Instructor of Philosophy, 1988
OTHER WORK:
Department Head, US Air Force Academy Department of Philosophy, Summer and Fall 2009.
Deputy Department Head, US Air Force Academy Department of Philosophy, Academic Year
1999-2000.
Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Military Ethics.
Executive Committee Member, Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference.
Program Director, Joint Services Conference on Professional Ethics (JSCOPE)—now re-named
the International Society for Military Ethics (ISME). Assembled the annual conference, managed
and maintained the ISME/JSCOPE website.
Program Director, the Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference at the University of Central
Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, 1998. Local arrangements host, USAF Academy, CO, 2001. Program
Director for 2004 conference in Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS.
Distinguished Lectures. Until 2001 was responsible for all details of two distinguished lectures
each year. Some of the lecturers: Michael Walzer, Nicolas Rescher, Peter French, Alan Bloom,
John McDermott, Hadely Arkes, William Bennett, Manuel Davenport, Martin Cook, and
Christina Hoff Summers. Edited and published a monograph for each of the lectures.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Philosophical Association, International
Society for Military Ethics, Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference, South Central Society for
Eighteenth-Century Studies, Hume Society
REFERENCES (confidential letters available on request):
Professor Thomas E. Hill, Jr.
Department of Philosophy
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 962-7291
Professor Nicholas Fotion
Department of Philosophy
Emory University
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-6577
Malham M. Wakin, Brigadier General, USAF retired
Professor Emeritus
Department of Philosophy
USAF Academy, CO 80840
(719) 333-4070
(719) 481-3227 (home)
Professor James L. Cook
Department of Philosophy
USAF Academy, CO 80840
(719) 333-8652
Professor Manuel Davenport (deceased-letter on file)
Department of Philosophy
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843
(409) 845-5624