Jacob Goodson, Ph.D.

Position

Professor of Philosophy; Division Chair, Social Sciences; Faculty Chair

Email Address

Jacob.Goodson@sckans.edu

Bio

• Curriculum Vitae

Jacob L. Goodson (PhD, University of Virginia) is Professor of Philosophy at Southwestern College. Dr. Goodson teaches Biomedical Ethics, Crime & Punishment, History of Philosophy, Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Sociology, Logic, and several upper-level courses relating to aesthetics, ethics, philosophy of law, philosophy of religion, political philosophy, political science, religious studies, and spirituality. He serves as President of the Kansas Philosophical Society. From 2026-2027, he is a Fellow at the Center for Cyber-Social Dynamics (CCSD) at Kansas University in Lawrence, KS.

Dr. Goodson's most recent publications include Building Beloved Community in a Wounded World (Cascade Press, 2022), The Philosopher's Playground (Cascade Press, 2021), The Dark Years? Philosophy, Politics, and the Problem of Predictions (Cascade Press, 2020), Introducing Prophetic Pragmatism (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2019), and Strength of Mind: Courage, Hope, Freedom, Knowledge (Cascade Press, 2018). He has also edited multiple books. His next manuscript, entitled Keep Your Mind in Hell: The Struggle from Despair to Despair Not, is forthcoming with Cascade Press.

He enjoys live music and theater, making seasonal playlists, taking long walks, traveling, and watching professional sports. He is the proud father of Sophia Grace and Seraphina Rose. Although a Fellow at Kansas University, he currently cheers for the Kansas St. Wildcats because Seraphina is double majoring in educational leadership and political science at Kansas St. 

Interviews on Podcasts

• Building Beloved Community: Jacob L. Goodson and Brad Elliott Stone on the podcast, Things Not Seen
• Prophetic Pragmatism: Cornel West, Hope, and the Philosophy of Race on the podcast, Ethical Theory Review
• Philosophers Need to Care about the Poor podcast interview
• Dr. Jacob Goodson & Dr. Jackson Lashier interviewed by Dr. David Dault on the podcast, Things Not Seen
• Dr. Ann Duncan & Dr. Goodson interviewed about their co-edited book on Mad Men on the podcast, Things Not Seen
• Dr. Goodson & Dr. Brad Elliott Stone interviewed about their co-authored book, Introducing Prophetic Pragmatism on the podcast, Things Not Seen

Reflections on Higher Education

• "Introduction: The Pillars Project," from Strength of Mind: Courage, Hope, Freedom, Knowledge, (Cascade Press, 2018) Purchase
• "Freedom and Knowledge in Jewish Philosophy," from Strength of Mind: Courage, Hope, Freedom, Knowledge, (Cascade Press, 2018) Purchase 
• "The State of the Secular University," in Journal of Scriptural Reasoning, vol. 14, no. 2, (2015)

Reflections on the Discipline of Philosophy

• "Pedagogical Hope and Practical Reasoning: Stanley Hauerwas and the Work of Philosophy," in Journal of Scriptural Reasoning, vol. 16, no. 2, (November 2017)
• "Pragmatism and Semiotics" in Journal of Scriptural Reasoning, vol. 19, no. 1, (2020)

Ethics and Moral Theory: Friendship, Love, Marriage

• "Friendship after Freud: Reflections on the Death of a Friend and the End of a Friendship," in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, (The American Humanist Association, 2019)
• "Zou Bisou Bisou: Feminist Theory and Sexual Ethics in Mad Men," in The Universe Is Indifferent: Theology, Philosophy, Mad Men, (Cascade Press, 2016) Purchase

Philosophy of Religion: Varieties of Religious Reasonings

• "Kant and the Nature of Doctrine: A Rule-Theory Approach to Theological Reasoning," in Journal of Scriptural Reasoning, vol. 16, no. 1, (2017)
• “Communicative Reason and Religious Faith in Secular and Post-Secular Contexts,” in The Oxford Handbook on Secularism, (Oxford University Press, 2017), chapter 19. Purchase 
• "Can Christian Theologians Reason Post-Metaphysically? Jürgen Habermas and the Semblance of Intellectual Virtue," in Groundless Gods: The Theological Prospects of Post-Metaphysical Philosophy, (Pickwick Publications, 2014), chapter 3. Purchase 
• "Autonomy, Exteriority, and Scriptural Authority," in Journal of Textual Reasoning, vol. 7, no. 1, (2012)
• "What Is Reparative Reasoning? Jürgen Habermas's Philosophy, Practical Reasoning, and Theological Hermeneutics," in Journal of Scriptural Reasoning, vol. 10, no. 2, (2011)
• "Repressing Novelty? William James and the Reasoning of Scriptural Reasoning," in Journal of Scriptural Reasoning, vol. 8, no. 2, (2009)
• "'Philosophy'" in the Varieties of Religious Experience: From Theology through the Science of Religions to a Science of Convictions," in Streams of William James, 5.3, (2003)

Politics and Political Philosophy: Pragmatism, Predictions, and Presidents

• "The American Republic: William James on Political Leadership," with Quinlan C. Stein, Contemporary Pragmatism, (2022)
• "Introduction: Predictions Run in the Family" to The Dark Years? Philosophy, Politics, and the Problem of Predictions (Cascade Press, 2020) Purchase

Lectures and Speaking Engagements

Dr. Goodson is available to lecture or speak on...

• American Philosophy
• Animal Ethics
• Ethics of Warfare
• Issues in Higher Education
• Jewish Philosophy & Judaism
• Modern Philosophy of Religion
• Prophetic Pragmatism in the 21st Century
• Richard Rorty's Predictions about 21st Century Politics
• Sports Ethics, particularly issues relating to the MLB & NFL
• Virtue Theory and Defense of Particular Virtues Needed in the Modern World 

Book Dr. Goodson