Brian C. Barnett

Adjunct Lecturer of Philosophy
Welles 107C
585-245-6353
barnett@geneseo.edu
He/Him

Brian C. Barnett joined the Geneseo faculty in 2018. He received his B.S. in Mathematics and B.A. in Philosophy (summa cum laude) from the University of Oklahoma, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. His primary teaching and research interests include epistemology, logic, the philosophy of nonviolence, ethics, and Eastern philosophy. In 2023 he was awarded the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. He currently serves on the McNair Advisory Board and as editor of the Peace & Nonviolence category on PhilPapers.org. Outside of academia, he enjoys waterfall hiking, nature photography, pilgrimages to historic sites, and live music.

Office Hours, Spring 2025

Tuesday/Thursday 11:15-12:15

Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • B.S., Mathematics, University of Oklahoma (2007)

  • B.A., Philosophy, University of Oklahoma (2007)

  • M.A., Philosophy, University of Rochester (2011)

  • Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Rochester (2016)

Affiliations

  • American Philosophical Association

  • Concerned Philosophers for Peace

  • McNair Scholars Program

Publications

  • “The Power of Ahimsic Communication," Blog of the APA, Current Events in Public Philosophy series (30 December 2024). .

  • “Ahimsic Communication: An Alternative to Civility,” Blog of the APA, Current Events in Public Philosophy series (23 December 2024). .

  • “Beyond Civility & Incivility," Blog of the APA. Current Events in Public Philosophy series (9 December 2024). .

  • Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology, ed., Rebus Press (2021). .

  • “The Analysis of Knowledge," in Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology, ed. Brian C. Barnett, Rebus Press (2021), 2-19. .

  • “What Is Epistemology?" in Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology, ed. Brian C. Barnett, Rebus Press (2021), xix-xxiii. .

  • Review of Monotheism and the Meaning of Life by T. J. Mawson, Religious Studies Review 46, 2 (June 2020), 215.

  • “Higher-Order Defeat in Realist Moral Epistemology,” in Higher-Order Evidence and Moral Epistemology, ed. Michael Klenk, Routledge (2020), 117–35.

Select Honors & Awards

  • SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching, 2022-23

  • Dr. David Kuebel Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award, St. John Fisher University, 2021-22

  • Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher of the Year Award, University of Rochester, 2009–10

Certifications

  • Mental Health First Aid Certified

  • Safe Zone Certified

  • Advancing Cultural Competency Certificate

Teaching & Research Interests

Epistemology Logic & Probability Eastern Philosophy Philosophy of Nonviolence Ethics

Classes

  • PHIL 111: Introduction to Logic

    An introduction to deductive logic, including propositional and predicate logic, Aristotelian logic, problems of definition, informal fallacies, and the elements of linguistic analysis.

  • PHIL 420: Topic: Protest Ethics

    This is a subtitled course that focuses on some area(s) of applied ethics at an advanced level. Each section will take up applied moral, social, and/or political issues from a philosophical perspective, drawing on contemporary philosophical work on the topic.