Vita
John Charles Coker
Address:
Office:
Department of Philosophy Home:
5812 Chalet Drive North
124 Humanities Building Mobile,
AL 36608-3610
University of South Alabama Phone:
(251) 209-1068
Mobile, AL 36688
Phone: (251) 460‑6248
E-Mail:
jcoker@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Birthdate: November 18, 1956
Marital Status: Unmarried
Academic Position: Chair
Academic Rank:
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Dates of Appointment to the University of South
Alabama to Current Rank:
Chair, Department
of Philosophy, University of South Alabama, 10-01-2001 to present.
Assistant to the Dean, University of South Alabama, 6-1-02 – 5-15-2006
Acting Chair, Department of Philosophy, University of South Alabama, 8/15/2000 to 9/30/2001
Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of South Alabama, 9/94 to present
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of South Alabama, 9/87 to 8/94.
Instructor
in Philosophy, University of South Alabama, 9/86 to 8/87.
Educational Credentials:
1. Ph.D., conferred Oct. 1986, University of
Illinois, Urbana, IL, attended 9/79 to 8/86, major: Philosophy.
2. Juris Doctor, conferred Feb. 1982,
University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, attended 9/78 to 12/81.
3. B.A., conferred May 1978, University of
Iowa, Iowa City, IA, attended 9/75 to
5/78, majors: Philosophy (Honors), Religions (Honors). Valparaiso University,
Valparaiso, IN, attended 9/74 to 5/75.
Areas of Specialization:
Continental
Philosophy
Ethics
Areas of Competence:
Philosophy of Law
Social-Political Philosophy
Professional Designations / Licenses:
Illinois State Bar (Law License)
Professional Memberships:
American Philosophical Association
International Association for Philosophy and
Literature
North American Nietzsche Society
British Nietzsche Society
New Nietzsche Society
Teaching Experience:
Associate Professor (1994 ‑ present ), Assistant
Professor (1987 ‑ 1993) or Instructor (1986 ‑ 1987), Dept. of Philosophy, University of South Alabama,
Mobile, AL.
Lower level courses:
PHL 110: Introduction to Philosophy; b) PHL 121:
Introduction to Logic; c) PHL 131: Introduction to Ethics.
200 Level courses
PHL 290: Classical and Medieval Philosophy (taught in
class and taught twice as a fully on-line e-course); PHL 244: Recent
Philosophy; b) PHL 261 (formerly, PHL 290: Special Topics) Existentialism; PHL
236 (formerly, PHL 290: Special Topics) Philosophy of Law; PHL 233: Philosophy
of Love; (W Credit Course); PHL 290: Special Topics: On Being Free..
Upper level courses:
PHL 336: Legal Theory (cross-listed with CJ 336); PHL
337: Liability and Punishmennt (cross-listed with CJ 337); PHL 348: Continental
Philosophy Since Kant (Formerly PHL 390: Special Topics: Recent Continental
Philosophy) (W Credit Course);. PHL 390: Special Topics: Philosophy of Human
Relations [phenomenology and intersubjectivity]; PHL 390: Special Topics:
Recent Liberalism; PHL 390: Special Topics: Ancient Greek Culture (Honors)
(team-taught with Prof. Houston); PHL 390: 20th Century Political
Philosophy (cross-listed with PSC 390, team-taught with Prof. Fishman); PHL
390: Philosophy and Literature of Friendship (cross-listed with EH 390,
team-taught with Prof. Matheson ); PHL 390: Classical Mythology (cross-listed
with EH 390, team-taught with Prof. McLaughlin).
PHL 492: Seminar: Advanced Philosophy of Law; PHL 492:
Law and Lierature (cross-listed with PSC 492); PHL 494: Directed Studies
(various)
Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Philosophy, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
a) Instructor:
duties included full responsibility for course content, text selection,
lectures, and grades.
Introduction to Logic; Introduction to Ethics; Introduction
to Philosophy.
b) Grader: duties included grading papers, assignments
and exams, and occasional lecturing and
leading of discussion groups.
Current Controversies:
On Being Free, Fall 81 (Prof. Schroeder); Ethics and Social Policy, Fall
81 (Prof. Rabinowitz), Fall 79 (Prof. Scheid); Marxist Philosophy, Spring 80
(Prof. Schacht); Ethics, Spring 80, Fall 80 (Prof. Diggs); Philosophy and Literature,
Fall 80 (Prof. Schroeder); World Religions, Spring 80 (Prof. Tiebout)
Master's Thesis Committees Served On Note: The highest degree conferred by the
Department of Philosophy of the University of South Alabama is a B.A.; however,
since I became a Full Member of Graduate Faculty, owing to my publication
record, I have been asked and have agreed to serve on Masters Thesis Committees
in other Departments, as follows:
1992-3: Tommy
Franklin, English: Creative Writing
[thesis comprised of Short Stories; defense in Spring 1993] (Chair:
Prof. James White)
1993-4: Nancy
Hartzog, Sociology [thesis on homelessness; defense in 1994] (Chair: Prof. Roma
Hanks)
1997-1998:
Lavanda Caldwell, English [thesis on Keats' Odes; defense on Oct 16,
1998] (chair: Prof. Lia Hotchkiss).
1998-1999: Michelle Wise, English: Creative Writing
[thesis comprised of poems and short stories; defense on Mar. 18, 1999] (chair:
Prof. Sue Walker.)
2002-3003: Victoria Horenstein (English) 6/6/02
2002-3003: Jason Griggs (English) 6/26/02
2003-3004: Carol Case (English) 6/20/03
2003-3004: Stacy Weston (English) 6/25/03
Grants, Fellowships and Honors:
University of South Alabama Arts and Sciences Support
and Development Award.
University of South Alabama Special Faculty
Development Fund (numerous times)
University of South Alabama, Faculty Support and
Development Award (FSDA).
University of South Alabama Research Council Grant,
1991‑92.
National Endowment for the Humanities, Summer Seminar
for College Teachers, Nietzsche's Philosophical Thought and its
Interpretation, Director: Richard Schacht (University of Illinois, Urbana),
1989.
Alabama Humanities Foundation Grant, co‑applicant
with Prof. Sheri Katz (Spring Hill College) to bring Norman Malcolm to address
Alabama Philosophical Society, 1987.
Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation
Fellowship, Woodrow Wilson Foundation,
1985‑86.
University of Illinois Fellow, 1979‑80, 1982‑83.
Phi Beta Kappa, 1978.
Awards:
Han Essay Prize (1985)
Charles F. Schoen Award (1976)
Publications:
In Print
Refereed Journal Articles:
“Construing Perspectivism,” published in International
Studies in Philosophy, Vol. XXXIV, No. 3, 2002, pp. 5-28.
"Spectres of Friends and Friendship: A Reading of
'From High Mountains. Aftersong.,'" The Journal of Nietzsche Studies,
Issue 16, Fall 1998, pp. 1- 32.
"The Therapy of Nietzche's 'Free Spirit,'" International
Studies in Philosophy, Vol. 29, No. 3, Summer 1997, pp. 63‑88.
"On the Bestowing Virtue (Von der Schenkenden
Tugend): A Reading," Journal of Nietzsche Studies, Issue 8,
Autumn 1994, pp. 5‑31.
"Riding the Fiery Steed: Von Den Freuden‑
und Leidenschaften," International Studies in Philosophy, Vol.
26, No. 2, Summer 1994, pp. 117‑135.
"On Becoming Great Friends," International
Studies in Philosophy, Vol. 25, No. 2, Summer 1993, pp. 113‑27.
"On Being Nemesętikos as a Mean," Journal
of Philosophical Research, Vol. 17, 1992, pp. 61‑92.
Articles in Books:
Commissioned Pieces:
"Derrida," in The World's Great
Philosophers, ed. Robert Arrington (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 2003), 8:
53-58.
"Jacques Derrida," in The Blackwell Guide
to Continental Philosophy, ed. Solomon & Sherman (Oxford: Basil
Blackwell, 2003), 12: 291-313.
"Max Scheler," in A Companion to
Philosophers, ed. Robert Arrington (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1999).
"Jacques Derrida," in A Companion to Philosophers,
ed. Robert Arrington (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1999).
Editorially Reviewed Conference Proceedings Articles:
College Level Conferences:
"From the Name to the Signature" in Derrida's
Glorious Glas ed. D. Goicoechea & M. Zlomislic (Port Colborne: Thought
House Publishing Group, 1997).
"The Child's New Truth," in Joyful
Wisdom: Zarathustra's Joyful Annunciations of ..., David Goicoechea &
Mark Zlomislic (Port Colborne, Ontario: Thought House Publishing Group, 1995).
Book Reviews:
Book Review of Tim Murphy, Nietzsche, Metaphor,
Religion and of Gilles Fraser, Redeeming Nietzsche: On the Piety of
Unbelief.
Book Note on Philip Blosser, Scheler's Critique of
Kant's Ethics, in Ethics, Vol. 107, No. 1, Oct. 1996.
Book Review of Bruce Wilshire, The Moral Collapse
of the University, in Teaching Philosophy, Vol. 14, No. 2,
June 1991, pp. 206‑9.
Book Note on J. Budziszewski, The Nearest Coast of
Darkness, in Ethics, Vol. 100, No. 4, June 1990, p. 909.
Book Note on Paul Wadell, Friendship and the Moral
Life, in Ethics, Vol. 101, No. 2, January 1991. p. 428
Book Review of Julian Young, Nietzsche's Philosophy
of Art, in Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol.
28, No. 4, Winter 1994, pp. 107‑110.
Forthcoming:
International Conference Proceedings
"Responding to the Image of Baubo," in Interrogating
Images, ed. Stephen Barker (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 2001).
Papers Presented:
"The Sublimity of Schiller's 'The Veiled Image at
Sais,'" presented at the International Association for Philosophy and
Literature, in Leeds, England, May 26-May 31, 2003.
"Construing Perspectivism," for North
American Nietzsche Society, meeting at American Philosophical Association
Central Division, Chicago, IL, April 21, 2000.
"A Postmodern Site of Encounter: A Syncope between Apollo and Dionysus,"
presented at International Association for Philosophy and Literature: Postmodern Sites, to General
Session: "Nietzschean Sites,"
Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut, May 12, 1999.
"'Love For
Example': Some Derridean Reflections," at Conference on Love and the
Family, 2000 Years of Agape, Brock University, Feb. 11-13, 1999.
"Responding to the Image of Baubo,"
presented at International Association for Philosophy and Literature: Interrogating Images, to Organized Session:
"Legacies of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche: Images of Responsibility,"
University of California at Irvine, May 7, 1998.
"The Graft of The Ordinary" delivered at American
Philosophical Association, Central Division Meeting, May 9, 1998.
"Counterwords: Remarks on Cavell / Derrida,"
at the International Association for Philosophy and Literature: Dramas of
Culture, to Panel: "The Rifts of Culture: Poetry, Politics,
Ethics," George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, May, 1996.
"From Names to the Signature," to
Conference, "The Resurrection in Derrida's Glorious Glas,"
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, November 1995.
"Specters of Friends and Friendship," at the
International Association for Philosophy and Literature: Virtual Incorporations,
to Panel: "Requesting the Pleasure of Your Company: Derrida, Kristeva,
Foucault," Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May, 1995.
"Nietzsche's Poetics of Metamorphosis," at International
Association for Philosophy and Literature: Thinking Between Philosophy and
Poetry, to Working Seminar: "The Poetics of the Stages on Life's
Way," University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 1994.
"Towards a Tropology of Emotion," to
Conference, "Eros ‑ Agape ‑ Philia In the Writings of Martha
Nussbaum," Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, February
1993.
"Nehemasian Narrative and the Child's
Truth," to Conference, Zarathustra's Joyful Annunciations," at Brock
University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, November 1993.
"Riding the Fiery Steed: Von den Freuden‑
und Leidenschaften," to North American Nietzsche Society, at American
Philosophical Association, Central Division, Chicago IL, April 1993; and
read as Presidential Address, Alabama Philosophical Society, November 1992.
Sessions Organized:
"Be(at)ginnings: Derrida and the Beats," International
Association for Philosophy and Literature, Spelman College, Atlanta GA,
May, 2001. I also chaired this session.
"Demarcating Aesthetic Ideologies After
DeMan," International Association for Philosophy and Literature,
State University of New York at Stony Brook, Wed. May 9, 2000.
"Legacies of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche: Images of
Responsibility," International Association for Philosophy and
Literature, University of California at Irvine, May 1998.
Sessions Chaired:
"The Nomad and the Marginal," at International
Association for Philosophy and Literature, conference Marginal Regions:
Textual Margins, Mobile, AL, Wed. May 7, 1997.