Harvey J. Cormier, Assistant Professor

Personal

Birth Date: March 29, 1958
Birthplace: Houston, Texas

B.A., Philosophy, 1982
       University of Houston
M.A., Philosophy, 1982
       University of Houston
Ph.D., Philosophy, 1992
       Harvard University

Dissertation: "William James's Re-conception of Truth"
Director: Hilary Putnam

September 1992-Present
Assistant Professor, University of Texas
September 1991-August 1992
Instructor, University of Texas
August 1989-May 1991
Visiting Instructor, Howard University
September 1988-August 1989
Visiting Instructor, University of Houston
September 1986-August 1988
Teaching Fellow, Harvard University
Summer 1986
Visiting Instructor, University of Houston
Summer 1985
Visiting Instructor, University of Houston
1980-1982
Teaching Fellow, University of Houston

Presidential Mini-Grant to Encourage Diversity, SUNY Stony Brook, Spring 1999
Pincoffs Fellowship, Fall 1994
Howard University Faculty Development Grant, Summer 1991
Minority Prize Fellowship, Harvard University, 1984-1988
National Black Merit Scholar, University of Houston, 1976-1980

Presentations
 

"White Wrongs and Animal Rights",   November 1999, Humanities Institute, SUNY Stony Brook

“White Privilege and Animal Rights; Or, Should Black Persons Be Classed As a Dietary Supplement?” April 1999, City College of New York

"Nietzsche the Determinist", December 1997, North American Nietzsche Society invited lecture

"The Thought Police and the Secret in the Poet’s Heart", April 1997, University of Texas

"Aesthetic Realism," March 1996, Special Events Lecture Series, San Antonio College

"Nietzsche's Pragmatic Theory of Truth?" April 1995, American Philosophical Association invited lecture

"2001, Modern Art, and Modern Philosophy," October 1994, American Society for Aesthetics invited lecture

"My Final Lecture," April 1994, Wesley Foundation, University of Texas

"Philosophy and Race," February 1994, Undergraduate Philosophy Lunch Series, University of Texas

"William James on Truth as Correspondence," November 1993, University of Houston

"Pragmatism and Truth," September 1992, Texas A&M University

"Cornel West and the Politics of Pragmatism," December 1991, Boston University

• Ethics (a graduate seminar)
• American Philosophy
• Philosophy and Race
• Introduction to Ethics
• (William) James and the James Revival
• Philosophy of Language
• Aesthetics
• Pragmatism and the Latest Work of Hilary Putnam (an undergraduate tutorial)
• Introduction to Philosophy
• Introduction to Logic
• Politics and Society
• Argument (an introductory-level critical thinking course)
• Philosophy and Film (an honors program freshman seminar)
• Pragmatism (a graduate seminar)
• Free Will
• Philosophy in Literature
• Mind and Body
• (William) James and Nietzsche

Introduction to Early Critics of Pragmatism: Volume Three: Truth on Trial, by Paul Carus (1911; Thoemmes Press; rpt. forthcoming March 2001)

The Truth Is What Works; Or, Pragmatism and the Seed of Death (Rowman and Littlefield; forthcoming Spring 2000)

“Nietzsche for Determinists,” International Studies in Philosophy, Fall 1999

“Jamesian Pragmatism and Jamesian Realism,” The Henry James Review, Fall 1997

“Pragmatism, Politics, and the Corridor,” in R. A. Putnam, ed., The Cambridge Companion to William James (Cambridge U. P., 1997)

“2001, Modern Art, and Modern Philosophy,” in Freeland and Wartenburg, eds., Philosophy and Film  (Routledge, 1995)

Academic Service Activities
 

• 1999-2000, served on Departmental Executive Committee
• 1998-99, served on University Promotions and Tenure Committee at SUNY Stony Brook
• 1998-99, served on Departmental Executive Committee
• Fall 1998, organized SUNY Stony Brook Departmental Colloquia
• 1998-99, served on Departmental Undergraduate Committee, working with Logic Lab computers
• February 1997, participated in “Looking Forward, Looking Black:  Celebrating Black History Month”, a panel discussion sponsored by the University Alliance
• 1996-1997, served on Departmental Conflict Resolution Committee
• April 1996, participated in “Seuss Sayers”, literary readings sponsored by the University of Texas Liberal Arts Council
• February 1996, participated in “Love Letters”, literary readings sponsored by the University of Texas Liberal Arts Council
• October 1995, participated in “Literature of the Damned”, literary readings sponsored by the University of Texas Liberal Arts Council
• 1995-1996, served on Departmental Teaching Committee
• 1993-1995, served on Departmental Colloquy Committee
• 1993-1994, minority retention Mentor in Dean of Students' program
• 1993-1994, Faculty Fellow for “Men of Ten” at Jester dormitory
• December 1993, organized “Philosophy and the Performing Arts” conference at the University of Texas
• 1992-1993, served on Departmental Search Committee