Daniel A. Fincke, PhD
camelswithhammers@gmail.com
Education
PhD, Fordham University, 2010, Philosophy
MPhil, Fordham University, 2007, Philosophy
MA, Fordham University, 2003, Philosophy
BA, Grove City College, 2000, magna cum laude, Philosophy (highest honors), Religion minor,
Certification
American Philosophical Practitioners Association Certification, 2012
Teaching and Research Areas
Areas of Specialization: Ethics; Contemporary Moral Philosophy; Nietzsche.
Areas of Competence: Philosophy of Religion.
Dissertation
On Deriving and Defending an Axiology of the Will to Power
Adviser: John Davenport (Fordham University)
Readers: John Richardson (New York University)
Christopher Gowans (Fordham University)
Samir Haddad (Fordham University)
Examiner: Merold Westphal (Fordham University)
In my dissertation, first I extrapolate and systematize Nietzsche’s critiques of various forms of morality, his insights into moral psychology, his own positive axiological principles, and his constructive ethical proposals. Then I substantially reformulate and update his core insights into moral philosophy through an in-depth engagement with major paradigms and figures from contemporary moral psychology and metaethics. In both interpreting and defending Nietzsche and then in working out the details of my own Nietzschean account of metaethics, I contend that strength of will to power, conceived of as perpetual striving for self-overcoming, should be seen as the most fundamental human good. Further, I develop a systematic account of how we can best understand the worth of virtue, duty, happiness, and other moral and non-moral goods with respect to the contribution each makes to this overarching priority.
Academic Publications
• “The Ethics of the Will to Power in Nietzsche” in New Catholic Encyclopedia for Philosophy: Ethics Supplement, 2012-2013.
• “The Ethical Significance of the Eternal Recurrence of the Same for Nietzsche” in New Catholic Encyclopedia for Philosophy: Ethics Supplement, 2012-2013.
• “Hans Blumenberg and The Legitimacy of the Modern Age: A Warning to Post-Secularists: Defining Secularism’s Distinctiveness and Refining it for the Present Day” in Rethinking Secularization: Philosophy and the Prophecy of a Secular Age. Cambridge Scholars, 2009.
Award
2004-2005 Teaching Associate of the Year Award from the Fordham University Graduate Student Association.
Philosophical Counseling
Self employed. August 2013-present.
I am an American Philosophical Practitioners Association certified philosophical counselor and I provide philosophical consulting services online using video conferencing software.
Teaching
Self employed. January 2013-present.
I teach online classes using video conferencing technology. I handle all the responsibilities of advertising, recruiting students, administrating the business, and teaching the classes. In my first year and a half I have had 32 students finish classes already.
• Ethics (4 section)
• Nietzsche (4 sections)
• Philosophy for Atheists (4 sections)
• Historical Philosophy (1 section)
• Philosophy from the Enlightenment to the Present (1 section)
City University of New York.
Adjunct Assistant Professor, August 2011-January 2014
• Moral Philosophy (4 sections at Hunter College).
• Ancient Philosophy (2 sections at Hunter College).
• Introduction to Ethics (2 sections at Hunter College).
• Introduction to Philosophy (2 sections at City College).
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Adjunct Assistant Professor, September 2010 to January 2014.
• Ethics (9 sections).
• Contemporary Ethical Issues (1 section).
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Adjunct Professor, January 2010 to May 2013.
• Questions in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy: Descartes to Derrida (4 sections).
• Ethics (6 section).
• Questions in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (3 sections).
• Introduction to Philosophy (1 section).
William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ
Adjunct Professor, September 2003 to May 2013.
• Introduction to Philosophy (18 sections).
• Philosophy of Religion (3 sections).
Fordham University, New York, NY; Bronx, NY; Tarrytown, NY
Adjunct Professor, January 2012-May 2012.
Teaching Associate, September 2004-December 2009.
Teaching Fellow, January 2003-May 2004.
• Philosophical Ethics (18 sections).
• Philosophy of Human Nature (9 sections).
• Business Ethics (1 section).
St. John’s University, Queens, NY
Adjunct Professor, August 2008 to December 2011.
• Philosophy of the Person (6 sections).
• Ethics (2 sections).
Book Reviews
• Book Review of Nietzsche’s Philosophy of Religion by Julian Young for International Philosophical Quarterly Spring Issue, 2008
• Book Review of Pious Nietzsche by Bruce Benson for International Philosophical Quarterly Winter Issue, 2009.
Blog
Camels With Hammers (at http://patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers).
Blogger and Editor-in-Chief, June 2009-Present
• Over 4 million pageviews all time
• Hosted on the blog network of Patheos September 2012-Present
• September 1, 2011 through September 16, 2012, Camels With Hammers was on the blog network Freethought Blogs, garnering over 1.2 million pageviews.
• I write philosophical and journalistic articles on issues related to ethics, philosophy of religion, and atheism for both popular and philosophical audiences.
• I write original philosophical articles as drafts for future publications.
• I write educational pieces on philosophy for a general audience.
• I write atheism related articles as part of an effort to contribute to the burgeoning discussion about post-religious culture, ethics, beliefs, and institutions in the wake of the emergence in recent years of the “New Atheists”.
• I publish articles from other philosophers.
• Over 4,000 posts since June 2009.
Academic Conference Papers and Presentations
• “Power and Consequence: Towards A Nietzschean Ethics,” St. John’s University 10/4/10
• Reply to Kei Hiruta’s “Value Pluralism and Political Pluralism: Two Problems,” presented at the Fordham Philosophical Society’s graduate student conference at Fordham University, 4/12/08
• “Is Pragmatic Truth Nietzsche’s ‘All Too Human Truth,’” NY Pragmatist Forum, 2/1/08
• “On Hans Blumenberg’s The Legitimacy of the Modern Age,” presented as part of a conference on the theme of secularism held by a conjunction of Fordham University and Antwerp University, 4/10/07
• “Nietzsche’s Will To Power as a Ground for Ethical Pluralism,” Eastern Pennsylvania Philosophical Association, Bloomsburg University, 10/28/06
• Reply to Karoline Huebner’s “Spinoza’s use of Teleological Language” presented at the Fordham Philosophical Society’s graduate student conference at Fordham University, 3/3/06
• “Nietzsche on the Truth About Values and the Values of Truth,” William Paterson University 11/30/05
Associations
• American Philosophical Association
Academic References
• Professor John Davenport, PhD. Davenport@fordham.edu (973) 943-6566
• Professor Christopher Gowans, PhD. Gowans@fordham.edu (718) 817-3275
• Professor John Richardson, PhD. JR8@nyu.edu (212) 998-8334
• Professor Eric Steinhart, PhD. Steinharte@wpunj.edu (973) 720-3028
Additional references available on request.