Lindsay Rettler
Curriculum Vitae
EMPLOYMENT
2023-present: Assistant Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Wyoming.
2021-present: Block Lead, Themes in Medicine, WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Wyoming.
2018-2023: Visiting Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Wyoming.
2015-2017: Instructor in Philosophy, Baylor University.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Philosophy, Ohio State University, 2015
M.A., Philosophy, Western Michigan University, 2010
B.A., Philosophy, Biola University, 2005
RESEARCH
Areas of Specialization: Epistemology, Moral Psychology, Applied Ethics
Areas of Competence: Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy of Religion
PUBLICATIONS
DISSERTATION
Title: Making Sense of Doxastic Blame: An Account of Control over Belief
Committee: Declan Smithies (director), Abe Roth, and Timothy Schroeder
Abstract: In my dissertation, I argue that we can be legitimately blamed for our beliefs, even though we do not have the same kind of control over our beliefs that we have over our actions. I first argue that accounts of moral blame for action can be extended to account for doxastic blame. Then I defend the legitimacy of doxastic blame by arguing that we have a form of indirect control over our beliefs via the capacity to actively engage in reflection. Lastly, I argue that, given the relationship between faith and belief, our control over whether we have faith is similar to our control over our beliefs.
TALKS
COMMENTS
TEACHING
Instructor of Record
REFEREE WORK
SERVICE
2023-present: Assistant Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Wyoming.
2021-present: Block Lead, Themes in Medicine, WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Wyoming.
2018-2023: Visiting Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Wyoming.
2015-2017: Instructor in Philosophy, Baylor University.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Philosophy, Ohio State University, 2015
M.A., Philosophy, Western Michigan University, 2010
B.A., Philosophy, Biola University, 2005
RESEARCH
Areas of Specialization: Epistemology, Moral Psychology, Applied Ethics
Areas of Competence: Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy of Religion
PUBLICATIONS
- "Causal Connections between Anorexia Nervosa and Delusions" co-authored with Kyle De Young, 2023 Review of Psychology and Philosophy.
- "Epistemic Duty and Implicit Bias," in Epistemic Duties: New Arguments, New Angles, eds. Kevin McCain and Scott Stapleford, co-authored with Bradley Rettler, 2020.
- “In Defense of Doxastic Blame,” 2018, Synthese 195 (5): 2205-2226.
- "Faith, Belief, and Control," 2018, American Philosophical Quarterly 55 (1): 95-109.
DISSERTATION
Title: Making Sense of Doxastic Blame: An Account of Control over Belief
Committee: Declan Smithies (director), Abe Roth, and Timothy Schroeder
Abstract: In my dissertation, I argue that we can be legitimately blamed for our beliefs, even though we do not have the same kind of control over our beliefs that we have over our actions. I first argue that accounts of moral blame for action can be extended to account for doxastic blame. Then I defend the legitimacy of doxastic blame by arguing that we have a form of indirect control over our beliefs via the capacity to actively engage in reflection. Lastly, I argue that, given the relationship between faith and belief, our control over whether we have faith is similar to our control over our beliefs.
TALKS
- "Epistemic Injustice," UW Advising Conference, August 2023.
- "A Bioethics Case for Computing Ethics," Guest Speaker in Dr. Robin Hills's "Ethics for the Computing Professional," University of Wyoming, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022.
- “Doxastic Blame,” Pacific APA, April 2016.
- “In Defense of Epistemic Blame,” Alabama Philosophical Society, October 2015.
- “The Ethics of Affluence and Charitable Giving,” Invited Talk, Baylor Undergraduate Philosophy Club, October 2015.
- ”A Framework for Determining the Aim of Faith,” Invited Talk, The Faith Project: The Value of Faith, Columbia MO, July 2015.
- “On the Control of Faith and Belief,” Invited Symposium: The Nature of Faith, Pacific APA, April 2015.
- ”Control, Faith, and Belief," Invited Talk, The Faith Project: The Nature of Faith, Columbia MO, July 2014.
- “Doxastic Blame and Responsibility,” Distinguished Alumna Talk, Western Michigan University Graduate Philosophy Conference, December 2014.
- “Reason-Responsiveness and Voluntary Control,” Pacific APA, April 2014.
- “Reason-Responsiveness and Voluntary Control,” Baylor Philosophy of Religion Conference, Baylor University, April 2014.
- “Epistemic Control and Responsibility,” Epistemology Brown Bag, Northwestern University, May 2013.
- “Believing the Speaker,” Notre Dame/Northwestern Epistemology Conference, April 2011.
- “No Necessary Condition for Self-Deception,” Brown Bag Lecture Series, Department of Philosophy, Western Michigan University, November 2010.
COMMENTS
- "Comments on Chris Tweedt's 'An Argument for the Perspectival Account of Faith'," Central APA, February 2023.
- “Comments on Charity Anderson’s ‘Divine Hiddenness: Are Glimpses Enough?’,” The Nature and Value of Faith Conference, January 2016.
- “Comments on Jon Kvanvig’s Comments ‘Faith, Cognitive and Affective’,” The Nature and Value of Faith Conference, November 2014.
- “Comments on Greg Antill’s ‘The Ethics of Self-Fulfilling Belief’,” Notre Dame /Northwestern Epistemology Conference, April 2013.
- “Comments on Todd Stewart’s ‘A Critique of Two Criteria for Epistemically Circular Belief’,” Illinois Philosophical Association, November 2012.
TEACHING
Instructor of Record
- Philosophy of Mental Health. Fall 2021, Fall 2023 (University of Wyoming)
- Bioethics. Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021 (University of Wyoming)
- Critical Thinking -- at the Wyoming Women's Center. Spring 2023 (University of Wyoming, Pathways from Prison Program)
- Introduction to Logic. Fall 2016 (Baylor University)
- Introduction to Ethics: Love and Sex. Spring 2016, Fall 2015 (Baylor University)
- Contemporary Social and Moral Problems in the U.S. Fall 2013 (Ohio State)
- Philosophy and Public Affairs. Spring 2010 (2), Fall 2009 (2) (Western Michigan)
- Critical Reasoning. Fall 2009 (2), Summer 2009 (Western Michigan)
- Health Inequities for Infectious Diseases. Spring 2023, Fall 2022
- Fatal Invention Book Discussion Sessions. Summer 2023, Summer 2022
- Social Identities, Privilege & Intersection. Summer 2023
- Cancer Disparities. Fall 2023, Fall 2022
- Inequities in the Care of People with Diabetes. Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Anti-Fat Bias & Health. Fall 2023, Fall 2022
- What is Bioethics? Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021
- Relational Ethics. Spring 2023, Spring 2021
- Narrative Ethics. Spring 2021
- Complexities in Decision Making Capacity. Spring 2021
- Cognitive Bias. Spring 2021
- Foundations of Justice in Healthcare. Spring 2023
- Ethics & Chronic Kidney Disease. Spring 2023
- End of Life Ethics. Spring 2023
- Virtues & Values. Spring 2023
- Ethics Practice & Prep for Clerkships. Spring 2023
REFEREE WORK
- Journal of Philosophy (2022)
- Philosophical Studies (2022, 2018)
- Religious Studies (2021)
- Synthese (2019, 2023)
- Faith and Philosophy (2018)
- Philosophical Quarterly (2017)
- dialectica (2013)
- Research Award, Faith Project Summer Seminar, Summer 2015, Summer 2014.
- Invited Participant, Southern Methodist University Analytic Theology Workshop, Summer 2014, Summer 2013.
- Invited Participant, St. Thomas Summer Seminar in Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Theology, Summer 2012.
- Graduate Student Award for Teaching Effectiveness, Philosophy Department, Western Michigan University, Spring 2010. (Awarded to one graduate student in each department.)
SERVICE
- New Student Welcoming Committee, Philosophy Department, OSU, 2010-2012.
- Graduate Student Mentor, WMU, Fall 2009-Spring 2010.
- Editorial Assistant for Fritz Alhoff, Patrick Lin, and Daniel Moore’s What is Nanotechnology and Why Does it Matter?: From Science to Ethics, published 2010 with Wiley-Blackwell.
- Conference Organization Committee, Western Michigan University Graduate Philosophy Conference, December 2008 and December 2009.
