Articles written by Kevin J. Browne

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About me - Kevin J. Browne

I teach philosophy online at JCTC. I earned an MA in philosophy from the University of Louisville in 1995. My interests include philosophy of religion, philosophical counseling, logic, Wittgenstein, ethics, business ethics, and bioethics. I currently teach

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Arts & Humanities > Philosophical Concepts Intellect and Emotions: 1 of 20
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their own prejudices." William JamesPhilosophers are often accused of ignoring emotion or being unconcerned with emotion which is patently untrue. All throughout the history of philosophy there have been philosophers who have written about emotions ... More..
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss How you deal with death: 3 of 40
Dealing with death is never easy. I have lost both my parents; my mom at a very early age and my dad when I was a teenager. These losses were significant but I can say that I was lucky to have other supportive family members which perhaps is the greatest help of all. Although this may sound strange to say, I also truly bel... More..
Personal Finance > Taxes The lighter side of income taxes: 1 of 12
Send Me The Bill! An Idea About TaxesAccording to the tax foundation tax freedom day for the year 2007 was April 30. That means we work until then just to pay our tax bill; federal, state, and local. Clearly, reforms are needed and the current strategies promise little in the way of real fundamental reform. I think awareness ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Philosophical Concepts A dialogue on utilitarianism: 1 of 11
There are two dominant approaches in ethical theory. One approach maintains that we judge actions by their consequences and the other maintains that we judge actions by appeal to rules. The second theory, called deontology, will be addressed in the next lecture. The first theory, utilitarianism, we will consider now.The idea ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Finding the difference between happiness and pleasure: 1 of 10
Aristotle writes extensively about happiness in his book the Nicomachean Ethics. In it he says "what is always chosen as an end in itself and never as a means to something else is called final in an unqualified sense. This description seems to apply to happiness above all else: for we always choose happiness as an end in itse... More..
Education > College Study Tips Why asking questions in college courses is critical to learning: 1 of 8
"The important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert EinsteinWilliam James in The Varieties of Religious Experience tells the story "of a man who found himself at night slipping down the side of a precipice. At last he caught a branch which stopped his fall, and remained clinging to it in misery for hours. But finally his... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Morals, Values & Norms (Other) The idea of personal morals has been eliminated in today's society: 1 of 8
Many students are fond of the insight that everyone has different morals. But, is this really true? What is the evidence for this claim? Could it possibly be true? Let's look at it. While it's not clear who the "everyone" is in this claim let's examine it in two ways. First, let's look to our own culture in the United Sta... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues The problems with nationalized health care: 5 of 38
Standing in line at the post office is an instructive experiment in health care reform. How so? Let's consider a typical example. Most days when you go to the post office you have one clerk working the desk and a line at least four or five people long, sometimes longer. People are often shaking their heads in frustration... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Theories of Spirituality Problems with looking for 'the right answer' in life: 2 of 15
Elie Wiesel once said "There are a thousand and one gates leading into the orchard of mystical truth. Every human being has his own gate. We must never make the mistake of wanting to enter the orchard by any gate but our own." There is no right answer for the ultimate questions regarding life and its meaning. But, there a... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Lessons people can learn from making mistakes: 1 of 7
The fear of making mistakes stifles many people's creativity and innovation. We are often so worried about what will happen if we make a mistake or if something goes wrong that we do nothing. Richard Dawkins tells the story of a professor of his in school who researched and wrote for years on a particular biological phenomeno... More..