Matthew W. McKeon

Biography

I have been Chair of the Philosophy Department since fall 2011. My current areas of work are in the philosophy logic and argumentation theory. Since the publication of my monograph on the concept of logical consequence (Peter Lang 2010), my work has focused on the cognitive, linguistic, and normative dimensions of our practice of using arguments to give reasons for their conclusions. E.g., Are explanations necessarily different from arguments? Why, exactly, is it bad to beg the question? When you state an argument do you thereby assert that the conclusion follows from the premises? What cognitive requirements are there for using an argument to advance reasons for its conclusion?

I am also interested in the ethics of arguing and the connection between intellectual virtues and critical thinking. I am currently at work on a book project, Arguments and Reason Giving, which I hope to complete by the end of Spring 2024. A central question of the book is: when does giving an argument count as giving reasons for the conclusion?

My teaching primarily consists of courses in logic ( “Logic and Reasoning” PHL 130; “Formal Reasoning” PHL 330; “Logic and its Metatheory” PHL 432, “Philosophy of Logic and Language”). I enjoy engaging students in my classes with my current research topics. I am available to work with graduate students.