In Defiance: Philosophers on Confronting Evil

Carl Elliott is a professor in the Department of Philosophy. Dr. Elliott grew up in Clover, South Carolina and graduated from Davidson College and the Medical University of South Carolina, where he received his MD. He did his PhD in philosophy at Glasgow University in Scotland. Before moving to Minnesota Dr. Elliott held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Chicago, the University of Otago in New Zealand, and the University of Natal Medical School in South Africa (now the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu Natal.) He was also an assistant professor at McGill University in Montreal for four years.

Much of Dr. Elliott's recent scholarship has been in two areas. The first area concerns wrongdoing in medicine, especially in the areas of clinical research and pharmaceutical marketing. The second concerns philosophical issues surrounding identity, authenticity and justice as seen through the lens of biomedical technology. He also have longstanding interests in the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein and the novelist Walker Percy. He is currently working on a book about whistleblowing in medical research, which is supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Award.

Sarah Holtman is a professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Philosophy.  Her areas of specialization are in moral and political philosophy, philosophy of law and Kant’s practical philosophy. Dr. Holtman's research is rooted in these areas, with a particular emphasis on the interpretation, extension and application of broadly Kantian political theory. Before taking her doctorate at UNC, Chapel Hill, Dr. Holtman received a JD from UVA and clerked for judges in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Currently, she is writing a book that both develops an interpretation of Kant’s theory of justice rooted in a rich conception of civic respect and applies that theory to a range of contemporary issues. Dr. Holtman regularly teach courses in moral, political and legal philosophy at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as offerings focused on various aspects of Kant’s practical philosophy and on the work of contemporary Kantians.

Dwight K Lewis Jr is an assistant professor in the department of philosophy. His teaching and research interrogate philosophy and the world through a historical lens; he concentrates on the Early Modern Period, Africana Philosophy, and philosophy of race, with a focus on the philosophy of Anton Wilhelm Amo (c.1700-c.1750). You can learn more about Anton Wilhelm Amo by reading Dr. Lewis’ interview with Eidolon. He attempts to live his life as James Baldwin says, “larger, freer, and more loving”, for himself and in relation to his community, both locally and globally. Larger, Freer, More Loving is also the name of his podcast with Matt LaVine. Enjoy life! Love yourself! Earlier this year Dr. Lewis was interviewed by the Smithsonian Channel for the documentary “One Thousand Years of Slavery” (episode 2) produced by Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance, which “examines the wounds caused by slavery”. Outside of that, he is currently working on multiple book and passion projects with his favorites being The Center for Canon Expansion and Change (CCEC) and teaching to Gen Z.