Marcus Arvan
Education
1998 Tufts University, B.A.
2008 University of Arizona, Ph.D.
Courses Taught
Introduction to Philosophy
Ethics
Social and Political Philosophy
Career Specialties
Dr. Arvan specializes in social and political philosophy and ethics. His primary avenues of research are social justice and human rights. His doctoral dissertation, "A Nonideal Theory of Justice," constructed a comprehensive theory of the ethics of social progress and applied the theory to several important comtemporary debates, such as the debate over the ethics of free trade and the debate over how undemocratic nations ought to be treated. Dr. Arvan is also actively engaged in research on the ethics of war, the nature of justification in ethical theory and the philosophy of mind.
Professional and Community Activities:
Dr. Arvan's first publication, "In Defense of Discretionary Association Theories of Political Legitimacy: Reply to Buchanan," appeared in the Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy in May 2009. He has also presented papers at a number of conferences and universities, including the Eastern Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association, the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, the Western Canadian Philosophical Association, the University of British Columbia, Northern Arizona University and Vancouver Island University. In his life outside of academia, Dr. Arvan has been a professional musician and recording artist, a disc-jockey and program director at 91.5 WMFO, a community radio station in Medford, MA. He was also assistant program director at an assisted living facility for persons living with mental illness.