Robert Miner: Vita, page 1
Robert Miner 10/17
Professor of Philosophy in the Honors College
Great Texts Program/Philosophy Department
Baylor University
Waco, Texas 76797
Direct phone: (254) 710-7193
Departmental fax: (254) 710-7191
E-mail:
Born 20 October 1970
Residence: 520 N. 33rd St.
Waco, Texas 76707
Home phone: (254) 235-3883
Degrees and Additional Education
1996-1999University of Notre Dame
Ph.D., 1999, Philosophy
1996University of Cambridge
Visiting Scholar, St. Edmund’s College
Dissertation research and writing
1993-1995University of Notre Dame
M.A., 1995, Philosophy
1989-1993Rice University
B.A., cum laude, 1993, History
Academic Appointments
2013-Baylor University, Professor of Philosophy in the Honors College
2004-2013Baylor University, Associate Professor of Philosophy in the Honors College
2002-2004Baylor University, Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the Honors College
1999-2002Boston College, Department of Philosophy
Assistant Professor, 1999-2002
1998-1999Xavier University, Department of Philosophy
Visiting Assistant Professor, 1998-99
Publications (by imprint date within category)
Volumes Authored
Nietzsche and Montaigne. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017. xii + 294 pp.
Thomas Aquinas on the Passions: A Study of Summa Theologiae 1a2ae qq. 22-48. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2009. xi + 315 pp.
Truth in the Making: Creative Knowledge in Theology and Philosophy. London: Routledge. 2004.
xvi + 148 pp.
Vico, Genealogist of Modernity. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2002.
xvi + 215 pp.
Revised version translated as Vico e la Genealogia della Morale in progress.
Volumes Translated
Giambattista Vico, The New Science. Translation of Giambattista Vico, Principi di Scienza Nuova
d’intorno alla commune natura delle nazioni (1744). With Jason Taylor. Forthcoming from Yale University Press in 2018.
Thomas Aquinas: Questions on Love and Charity. Translation of Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theologiae, Secunda Secundae, Questions 23-46. Published in “Rethinking the Western Tradition” Series, Yale University Press, April 2016.xiv + 400 pp.
Articles and Book Chapters in Modern Philosophy (selected)
“Nietzsche, Schmitt and Heidegger in the Anti-Liberalism of Leo Strauss.”Telos 160 (2012): 9-27.
“Nietzsche’s Fourfold Conception of the Self.”Inquiry 54 (2011): 337-60.
“Nietzsche on Friendship.”Journal of Nietzsche Studies 40 (2010): 47-69.
“‘Politics as Opposed to Tradition’: The Presence of Nietzsche and Spinoza in the ‘Zionist Essays’ of Leo Strauss.” Interpretation 37 (2010): 203-226.
“A Metaphysics of Humility and Greatness.” Introduction to the Liber Metaphysicus of Giambattista
Vico, translated by Jason Taylor. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2010.
“Pascal on the Uses of Scepticism.” Logos 11 (2008): 111-122.
“Vico on War and Peace.” In Macht und Moral: Politisches Denken im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert, ed. Hans-
Richard Reuter and Markus Kremer, pp. 291-305. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2007.
“Vico, Giambattista.”In The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition, ed. Donald Borchert.
Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006.
“The Baconian Matrix of Descartes’s Regulae.” In Descartes and Cartesianism, ed. Nathan D. Smith
and Jason P. Taylor, pp. 1-20. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2005.
“The Dependence of Descartes’ Ontological Proof Upon the Doctrine of Causa Sui.”
Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia 58 (2002): 873-886.
“Lakatos and MacIntyre on Incommensurability and the Rationality of Theory-Change.”
Epistemologia 24 (2001): 221-236.
“Is Hobbes a Theorist of the Virtues?” International Philosophical Quarterly 41 (2001): 269-284
“Suarez as Founder of Modernity? Reflections on a Topos in Recent Historiography.” History of
Philosophy Quarterly 18 (2001): 17-36.
“Verum-factum and Practical Wisdom in the Early Writings of Giambattista Vico.” Journal of the
History of Ideas 59 (1998): 53-73.
Articles and Book Chapters in Medieval Philosophy (selected)
“Thomas Aquinas’s Hopeful Transformation of Peter Lombard’s Four Fears.” Speculum: A Journal of
Medieval Studies 92 (2017): 963-975.
“Disagreeing in Charity: Learning from Thomas Aquinas.” In Thomas Aquinas,
Questions on Love and Charity (Summa Theologiae 2a2ae 23-46), ed. Robert Miner, 299-312.
Yale University Press, 2016.
“The Difficulties of Mercy: Reading Thomas Aquinas on Misericordia.”Studies in
Christian Ethics 28 (2015): 70-85.
“Thomas Aquinas and Hans Urs von Balthasar: A Dialogue on Love and Charity,”New Blackfriars
95 (2014): 504-24.
“Aquinas on Habitus.” In A History of Habit: From Aristotle to Bourdieu, ed. Tom Sparrow and Adam
Hutchinson. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2013.
“Augustinian Recollection.” Augustinian Studies 38 (2007): 435-450.
“Non-Aristotelian Prudence in the Prima Secundae of the Summa Theologiae.” The Thomist64 (2000):
401-422.
Book Reviews (selected)
Nietzsche’s Earth, by Gary Shapiro. Forthcoming in Review of Metaphysics, 2018.
Aquinas on Beauty, by Christopher Scott Sevier. Speculum 92 (2017): 307-308.
Leo Strauss on the Borders of Judaism, Philosophy, and History, by Jeffrey A. Bernstein. Perspectives on
Political Science 45 (2016): 68-69.
Interpreting Suarez: Critical Essays, edited by Daniel Schwartz. The Thomist 79 (2015): 315-320.
Vico and Naples: The Urban Origins of Modern Social Theory, by Barbara Ann Naddeo. British Journal for the History of Philosophy 22 (2014): 389-393.
Divine Illumination: The History and Future of Augustine’s Theory of Knowledge, by Lydia Schumacher.
Reviews in Religion and Theology 20 (2013): 315-318.
Friedrich Nietzsche: A Philosophical Biography, by Julian Young. Review of Metaphysics 67 (2013): 204-06.
Intellectual Appetite, by Paul Griffiths. Thomist 75 (2011): 497-503.
Scripture and Metaphysics: Aquinas and the Renewal of Trinitarian Theology, by Matthew Levering. Journal of
Religion 86 (2006): 692-694.
Vico’s Uncanny Humanism, by Sandra Luft. Clio 34 (2005): 170-174.
After Aquinas: Varieties of Thomism, by Fergus Kerr. Nova et Vetera 2 (2004): 232-235.
Nietzsche, Metaphor and Biology, by Gregory Moore. Review of Metaphysics 57 (2003): 162-165.
Modern Enlightenment and the Rule of Reason, ed. John C. McCarthy. Review of Metaphysics 57 (2003):
158-160.
Vico, The First New Science, translated by Leon Pompa. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews (April 2003).
Spheres of Philosophical Inquiry and the Historiography of MedievalPhilosophy, by John Inglis. Review of
Metaphysics 53 (2000): 706-708.
Reason and Rhetoric in the Philosophy of Hobbes, by Quentin Skinner. Review of Metaphysics 52 (1999):
983-985.
L’Etica del Rinascimento tra Platone e Aristotele, by Antonio Poppi. Review of Metaphysics 52 (1999):
716-717.
Vico and Moral Perception, by David Black. New Vico Studies 16 (1998): 83-86.
Invited Lectures (selected)
“Beyond Taxonomy: The Inner Logic of Thomas Aquinas’s Treatment of Virtue in the
Prima Secundae.”Invited Lecture at University of Notre Dame, Australia. July 2016.
“Two Powers, One Appetite: How Thomas Aquinas Thinks About the Emotions.” Keynote
Speaker for 2015 Methods Collaboratory, The ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions. Sydney, Australia. September 2015.
“Two Diagnoses of Spiritual Fatigue: Nietzsche and Vico.” Invited Lecture for Department of
Italian Language and Literature, Yale University. October 2014.
“Joy and Sorrow in the Secunda Secundae of Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae.” Plenary
presentation for Roundtable Panel on “Scholastic Emotions” at 40th Annual Medieval
Colloquium, Sewanee: University of the South. April 2014.
“Montaigne and Nietzsche: Skeptics for Life?” Philosophy Department Spring Colloquium,
Saint Vincent College. April 2012.
“Aquinas as Reader of Aristotle: The Case of Magnanimity.” Invited Panelist for Symposium on
“Aristotle Through a Medieval Lens,” convened at American Philosophical Association,
Central Division meeting. April 2011.
“Nietzsche's Four Levels of the Self.” Annual Rose Maguire Lecture at Carleton University,
Ottawa, Canada. February 2011.
“Aquinas on Magnanimity.” Invited Speaker at Loyola University. January 2011.
“Why Split the Sensitive Appetite? Aquinas on the Concupiscible/Irascible Distinction.” Invited
Speaker at the University of St. Thomas. October 2008.
“The Baconian Matrix of Descartes’s Regulae.” Keynote Speaker at the Fifth Annual
Graduate Conference of Philosophy at Boston College. April 2004.
“Vico on the Causes of War.” Presented at the Institut für Theologie und Frieden in Erfurt,
Germany. April 2004.
“Three Concepts of Making in Vico’s New Science.” Presented at Yale University to
Professor Giuseppe Mazzotta’s seminar on Vico. April 2002.
Conference Papers, Talks and Workshop Presentations (selected)
Comment on Byoungjae Kim’s “Hume on the Problem of Other Minds.” The 43rd International
Hume Society Conference: Sydney, Australia. July 2016.
Comment on Naohito Mori, “Conventions and Factions in Hume’s Political Philosophy.” The 42nd
International Hume Society Conference: Stockholm, Sweden. July 2015.
“Is There Such a Thing as a Moral Emotion? Aquinas on the Place of the Passions Within the Prima Secundae of the Summa Theologiae.” Contribution to panel on “Mercantile Morality and Moral
Emotions in Medieval England.” International Medieval Congress at Leeds. July 2014.
Comment on Stephen F. Brown, “The Nature and Connection of the Moral Virtues According to
Francis of Mayronis” and William Rogers, “The Emotions in Thomas Bradwardine’s De
continuo.” Medieval Colloquium at Sewanee: University of the South. April 2014.
Comment on Paul Symington’s “The Aristotelian Epistemic Principle and the Problem of Divine Naming in Aquinas.” American Catholic Philosophical Association. November 2010.
Comment on Andrew Lang’s “Clarifying Two Central Issues in Double Effect Reasoning Debates,” American Catholic Philosophical Association. November 2009.
“Spinoza, Nietzsche and Leo Strauss on the Grandeur of Reason.” The Centre of Philosophy and
Theology at the University of Nottingham: “The Grandeur of Reason”conference in Rome,
Italy. September 2008.
“Vico, Spinoza and Radical Enlightenment.” Workshop on “Themes in Modern Philosophy”
at Boston College. September 2007.
“‘On n'en peut venir là’: Pascal on the Uses of Scepticism.” The Centre of Theology and Philosophy at
the University of Nottingham, in partnership with the Instituto de Filosofia Edith Stein de Granada: “Belief and Metaphysics” conference in Granada, Spain. September 2006.
“Plato as Practical Political Thinker.” Philosophy Club at Baylor University. October 2004.
“Illumination and Construction in Bacon.”St. Stephen’s House, Oxford University. July 2002.
“Descartes and the Primacy of Making.” Philosophy Club at Baylor University. October 2001.
“Suarez as Founder of Modernity? Reflections on a Topos in Recent Historiography.”
Boston Colloquium in Medieval Philosophy. November 1999.
“Vico and the Project of Moral Genealogy.” Department of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount
College in Los Angeles, California. February 1999.
“Did Hobbes Make the ‘Linguistic Turn’? A Reading of Leviathan, Chapter 4, ‘Of Speech.’”
Department of Philosophy at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. January 1999.
“Lakatos and MacIntyre on Incommensurability and the Rationality of Theory Change.” Paideia: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy. Boston, Massachusetts. August 1998.
“Aquinas on Prudence and the Knowledge of Ends in the Prima Secundae of the Summa Theologiae.” 33rd International Congress of Medieval Studies. Kalamazoo, Michigan. May 1998.
“Equity and the Ars Interpretandi in the Jurisprudence of Giambattista Vico.” Panel on
“Hermeneutics and Law,” at the First Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Law, Culture and the Humanities at Georgetown University. Washington, D.C. March 1998.
“Vico on the Origins of Moral Consciousness.” Colloquium of the Department of Philosophy at
Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. September 1997.
Fellowships and Grants (selected)
2017Yale University, Center for Faith and Culture
Research Grant for “Openings to Joy”
One of two open-rank grants awarded to 2016 applicants
2016Summer Research Sabbatical (Baylor University)
Also awarded in 2007, 2011 and 2013
2014Spring Research Leave (Baylor University)
Also awarded in Spring 2005
2005National Endowment for the Humanities
Summer Stipend for “Thomas Aquinas on the Passions”
Professional Service (selected)
2016-Committee for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Achievement (URSA), Baylor University
Honors College Committee for Outstanding Faculty Nominations and
Review of Sabbatical and Research Leave Applications, Baylor University
2014-University Lecturers Committee, Baylor University
2013-Webmaster, Great Texts Program, Baylor University
2004-2012Associate Director, University Scholars Program, Baylor University
2004-2008Faculty Senate Representative for Honors College, Baylor University
2003-Honors College Curriculum Committee, Baylor University
2001Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Philosophy,
Boston College
1999-2000Advisor for Placement of Ph.D. Students, Department of Philosophy, Boston College
Editorial Service
Referee for Cambridge University Press, Brill, Routledge, Hackett Publishing, Pontifical Institute for Medieval Studies, Lexington Books, Broadview Press, Catholic University of America Press, University of Notre Dame Press, Fordham University Press
Reader for History of Philosophy Quarterly, Mediaeval Studies, Theoria, Philosophy and Social Criticism,
The Thomist, Journal of Nietzsche Studies, Christian Scholar’s Review, Politics and Religion, Journal of
Religion, Philosophy and Rhetoric, Journal of Church and State, Studies in Christian Ethics, Mediaeval Studies, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, South African Journal of Philosophy, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, British Journal for the History of Philosophy
Teaching
Courses Taught at Baylor University (2002-2017)
How We Became Modern: University Scholars Capstone
Aquinas, Spinoza and Hume on the Passions (graduate seminar)
Aquinas on Charity, Its Acts, and Opposed Vices (graduate seminar)
Nietzsche & Montaigne (graduate seminar)
Psychological Observation in Three Genres: Essay, Aphorism, Novel
The Thought of Nietzsche
Social World I and II (Baylor Interdisciplinary Core)
What is the Self? (Freshman Year Seminar)
The Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns
Great Texts of the 18th and 19th Centuries
Great Texts of the Early Modern Age
Great Texts of the Ancient Intellectual Tradition
Great Texts of the Medieval Intellectual Tradition
Thomas Aquinas on the Knowledge of God
Introduction to Philosophy
Patristic and Medieval Philosophy
History of Modern European Philosophy
History of Ancient Philosophy
Plato Summer Seminar
Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas on the Passions (graduate seminar)
Contemporary Ethics
Courses Taught at Boston College (1999-2002)
Descartes and His Critics (graduate seminar)
The Philosophy of Giambattista Vico (graduate seminar)
Knowing and Making in Modern Philosophy (graduate seminar)
Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes (graduate seminar)
Perspectives in Western Culture
History of Modern Philosophy
Dissertations and Graduate Examinations
Josh King, Political Science: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2015
Vince Reighard, Political Science: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2014
Lanta Davis, English: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2013
Matthew Dinan, Political Science: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2012
Nathan Kilpatrick, English: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2012
Lewis Pearson, Philosophy: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2009
Jay Bruce, Philosophy: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2008
John Wolfe, Philosophy: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2008
Taryn Whittington, Philosophy: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2008
David Ngong, Religion: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2007
Russell Hobbs, Religion: Ph.D. dissertation committee, 2005
Phillip Stambovsky, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee and director, M.A. Thesis, 2002
Edward McGushin, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee, 2002
Neal Leavitt, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee, 2001
Michael Krom, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee, 2001
Jason Taylor, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee, 2001
Elizabeth Southerland, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee, 2001
Debbie Hutchins, Philosophy: M.A. exam committee, 1999
Senior Theses (Director)
Lauren Laughlin, “The Truth About Deception” (2016)
Holly Winters, “Seneca on Anger” (2014)
Jacob Abell, “Untimely Meditations on the Need for Roots: Imagining a Culture of Human
Need in Nietzsche and Simone Weil” (2013)
Abby Worland, “Images and Concepts of the Afterlife” (2010)
Sam Cole, “The Virtue of Faith in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas” (2009)
Shane Slowey, “The Problem of Historical Exegesis: Gadamer’s Mediation Between the
Thought of Leo Strauss and Collingwood’s Idea of History” (2009)
Eric Headstream, “Hegel’s Two Heresies: Interrogating the Theological Project of
G.W.F. Hegel” (2009)
Amanda Weppler, “Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas on Magnanimity” (2008)
Kathryn Simpkins, “Fear of the Lord in Aquinas and Bunyan” (2008)
Adam Urrutia, “Aquinas on Providence” (2007)
Independent Studies
Alex Hoffman, independent study on the idea of mercy (2017)
Adam Myers, independent study on Thomas Aquinas (2017)
Emily Edwards, independent study on Thomas Merton (2016)
Nathan Cartagena, Jared Brandt, Matthew Wilson, independent study on the Stoics (2015)
Adam Myers, independent study on historiography of philosophy (2015)
Robert Marshall, independent study on Montaigne and Nietzsche (2012)
Preston Yancey, independent study on Thomas Aquinas (2011)
Katharine Boswell and Amanda Weppler, independent study on Leo Strauss (2007)
Shane Slowey, independent study on R.G. Collingwood (2007)
Scotty Ellis, independent study on Bonaventure (2006)
Paul Schiavone, independent study on modern philosophy (2001)
Colloquia for the Honors Program on the following authors and texts:
Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving
R.G. Collingwood, The Principles of Art
Terry Eagleton,Reason, Faith, and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate
Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance” and “Spiritual Laws”
Seneca,Moral Letters
Nietzsche, “Schopenhauer as Educator”
Vico, On the Method of Studies of Our Time