Website: Lloyd J. Carr

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Academic biography:

As an undergraduate I originally majored in biology, fascinated with genetics, and envisioned a career as a high school teacher (rather than someone who would, or even could, pursue a graduate degree or become a research scientist). At the time I had little interest in philosophy, having no knowledge of this discipline aside from a few brief references to it in some high school literature classes. As I worked through the biology curriculum, a pattern began to emerge: along with other students I would ask questions in class and to many of those I was most curious about the response would be along the lines, “Oh, that’s a philosophy question, not for this class.” or “That’s not a topic we can deal with in biology, that’s a question for philosophers.” Once I took my first philosophy course, I believe it was a standard “Introduction to Philosophy,” 1 of 3 required philosophy courses in the general education curriculum at the time at Fordham University, I was hooked. Changing my major in junior year from biology to philosophy was viewed as a “danger sign” within my family – a cause for worry, not to say a huge “step down” career wise. But the hook was deep, and I couldn’t be talked out of this “terrible decision.” I was fortunate to do my graduate work at the Graduate Faculty, New School for Social Research, at a time when a group of legendary refugee scholars were still active. I had no idea of the world I was entering. Both the permanent and often the visiting philosophy faculty was steeped in pre-WW2 European intellectual culture. They taught, interacted with their students, and animated the philosophy department out of this culture; they lived it. We philosophy students approached their classes and seminars with a mix of excitement, anticipation, and intimidation; they were real “events.” I focused on Husserl and phenomenology, and studied primarily with Aron

Enjoying a canal ride: Gurwitsch, Hans Jonas, and Dorian Cairns; but I was able to take courses and seminars with Hannah Arendt, Rudolph Arnheim, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Jürgen

Berlin, May 2011 Habermas, J. N. Mohanty, and Seth Benardete.

In the mid-1980’s I moved from New York City to New Hampshire and a position in Rivier College’s (now University) philosophy department. At Rivier I was able to develop interest and courses in several areas of philosophy that had been neglected, for example, political philosophy, philosophy of religion, philosophy of art, and especially decision reasoning. I retired as a Full Professor in 2011 and am currently Adjunct Professor in the Philosophy Department of Rivier University teaching Political Philosophy (Fall 2012), a course I developed to be offered every 4 years during the Fall Semester of the US Presidential elections.

Lloyd J. Carr, Professor Emeritus

Rivier University

So. Main Street

Nashua, NH 03060

Email: lcarr@rivier.edu

Links:

1. Curriculum Vitae:

Curriculum Vitae

2. Papers:

a) Trust:

Trust - an analysis of some aspects.pdf

Trust - distinguishing kinds, forms, and degrees. Part II.pdf