Jay Odenbaugh
James F. Miller Professor of Humanities
TTH 11:30AM-12:30PM or by appointment.
“Philosophy in its best moments is about instilling intellectual accountability. As William James noted, ‘Many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.’”
My research is in the philosophy of science (especially ecology and conservation biology) and environmental philosophy. Most recently, I have been writing on the conflict between the northern spotted owl and the barred owl in the Pacific Northwest. As one example, I recently co-authored a Guest Essay in the NYTimes in which we discuss our concerns about the proposal to save northern spotted owls by killing barred owls. You can also hear me discuss the topic on OPB’s Think Out Loud, the CBC’s Daybreak with Chris Walker, KUOW’s Soundside, and WBUR’s On Point.
Specialty
Philosophy of biology, environmental philosophy, philosophy of psychologyAcademic Credentials
PhD University of Calgary, Canada, Philosophy
MA Southern Illinois University, Illinois, Philosophy
BA Belmont University, Tennessee, Philosophy/Biology
Teaching
Spring 2026 Courses
PHIL-215: Philosophy and the Environment
MWF 10:20AM-11:20AM
Investigation of philosophical questions about our relationship to the environment. Topics include the value of individual organisms, species, ecosystems; the concepts of wildness and
wilderness; aesthetics of natural environments; and the relationship between ecological science and environmental policy.
Prerequisites: None.
PHIL-312: Philosophy of Language
MWF 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Philosophical issues concerning truth, meaning, and language in the writings of 20th-century thinkers such as Frege, Russell, Grice, Putnam, Quine, Searle, Kripke. Sophomore standing required.
Prerequisites: PHIL 101. PHIL 102 or one course in the history of philosophy sequence (PHIL 301 through PHIL 307) recommended.
Research
Odenbaugh, J. (2023). Philosophy and ethics of de-extinction. Cambridge Prisms: Extinction, 1, e7.
Odenbaugh, J. (2022). Owl vs owl: Examining an environmental moral tragedy. Philosophia, 50(5), 2303-2317.
Odenbaugh, J. (2020). Biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the environmentalist agenda. Biology & Philosophy, 35, 1-11.
Odenbaugh, J. (2023). An even better ape? Comments on a better ape. Biology & Philosophy, 38(4), 27.
Odenbaugh, J. (2022). What Should Species Be?: Taxonomic Inflation and the Ethics of Splitting and Lumping. In Species Problems and Beyond (pp. 91-104). CRC Press.
Odenbaugh, J. (2021). Models, models, models: a deflationary view. Synthese, 198(Suppl 21), 1-16