Josh May

Josh May

Associate Professor of Philosophy (primary)
Associate Professor of Psychology (secondary) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
University Hall 5010
(205) 934-8920

Pronouns: he/him

Research and Teaching Interests: Ethical Theory, Neuroethics, Free Will/Moral Responsibility, and Theory of Knowledge

Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:00-5:00 p.m., HHB Lounge

Education:

  • BA, CSU Sacramento, Philosophy
  • PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara, Philosophy

I grew up and went to college in California, where I developed a penchant for ethical issues and Mexican food. Before arriving at UAB in 2013, I lived for two years on the other side of the globe, in a land Down Under, where it’s summer in December, there’s universal health care, and the local time is one day ahead of the States. In Australia, I taught at Monash University in Melbourne and explored as much of the country as I could squeeze in — from the Great Barrier Reef to the Outback (the real thing, not the steakhouse).

Most of my research aims to better understand the development, breakdown, and improvement of moral knowledge and virtue. I tackle questions such as: Do we really know right from wrong? Why are moral disagreements so difficult to resolve? Do we have free will? How can we improve our moral characters? My attempts to answer such questions are heavily informed by discoveries in the cognitive sciences, some of which I've tried to generate myself or in collaboration with other scientists.

When not reading, writing, or teaching, I like to get away from the computer and climb rocks, play guitar, hike in the forest, look at birds, cook mostly vegetarian food, or spend time with my wonderful daughter.


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