University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Office: Stabler Hall, Room 307-I
Phone: 501-569-3106
Email: spfarrelly@ualr.edu

Introduction

I arrived at UALR in the fall of 2007 to take up a position as assistant professor of philosophy. Having recently completed my graduate work at Emory University in Atlanta, I was thrilled to find a welcoming home at UALR.

My most recent research projects attempt to solve problems in the philosophy of law through a synthesis of pragmatic theories of meaning and theories of discourse in the tradition of the Frankfurt School. All this focus on theories of discourse and meaning means I like to talk; feel free to visit me in my office to discuss class, school, or life in general.

I harbor a special love for foreign languages; some of my philosophical interests arose out of the attempt to make sense of the ways I become a different person when speaking German or Russian. If you’re interested in polishing your German skills, stop by some time.

Teaching Interests

I’m excited to teach courses in social and political philosophy, the philosophy of law, and ethics. In addition to my interests in practical philosophy, I am fascinated by the more recent history of philosophy, especially movements in Germany—from Hegel to the Frankfurt School—and the United States—primarily pragmatism. I look forward to teaching Introduction to Philosophy, Ethics and Society, and Contemporary Philosophy in addition to more specialized courses.

Areas of Specialization: Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Law

Areas of Competence: Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Continental Philosophy, American Pragmatism, Ethics

Research Interests

My research interests aim in two related, yet distinct, directions. I am fascinated by the nature of rationality in law and politics: Under what conditions should we characterize political debate as rational? What does rationality consist in? Recent work in this field concentrates on the transformative nature of argumentation. We become different people—we transform our desires and interests—through the give and take of reasons that occurs in debate. These transformations suggest that we should think of politics not simply as a competition over power and goods, but as a common project of self-invention. As a complement to this first line of inquiry, I am becoming increasingly interested in the nature of emotions and their role in our reasoning processes. This question derives from an interest in aesthetics but is equally at home in questions of politics: frequently, we think of emotions as blinding us to rational debate, but certainly empathy can motivate us to understand our interlocutors and passionate commitment can drive us to seek out the best arguments we can.

Representative Presentations and Publications

“Policing the Boundary: Democracy and the Limits of Scientific Reason,” The Social Sciences and Democracy International Symposium; University of Ghent, Belgium, September, 2006.

“Explicitating Habermas: Brandomian Expressivism as Corrective to Communicative Action,” APA Pacific Division; Portland, Oregon, April, 2006.

“Post-metaphysical Justification in Primitive Communities: Habermas and Contemporary Anthropology,” Identity and Difference: An Interdisciplinary Conference on German Thought, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, April, 2005.

“Kantian Ethics after Social Theory,” with Kareem Khalifa, Social Theory Consortium; Tampa, Florida, May, 2003.

Educational Background:

Ph.D. Philosophy, 2007 (expected)
Emory University

M.A. Philosophy, 2004
Emory University

BA History, 1998
Carleton College