Faculty

Dr. Richard N. Stichler

Professor of Philosophy

Educational background

• Ph.D., M.A. Georgetown University

• M.S. Drexel University

• B.A. Marlboro College                

Areas of Interest

• Greek Philosophy

• Chinese Philosophy

• Ethics and Professional Ethics

• Political Philosophy

• Philosophy of History

• British Idealism

Currently working on a comparative study of the ethics and political thought of Aristotle and Confucius. 

Teaching Experience

• Professor: Alvernia University, Reading, Pennsylvania, 1992-present

• Assistant to Associate Professor: Alvernia University, 1984-1992.

• Visiting Professor: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China, 2002-2003; Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China, Spring-Summer 2004.

• Lecturer: DeSales University, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1982-1984.

• Instructor: Kutztown University, Kutztown, Pennsylvania, 1981-1982.

• Lecturer: Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus, Reading, Pennsylvania, 1973-1980.

• Instructor: Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania, 1972-1975.

Publications

Books

• Ethics, Information, and Technology: Readings, with Robert Hauptman (co-editor). McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, NC: 1998.

Articles:

• “Alasdair MacIntyre on Confucian and Aristotelian Virtues,” International Journal of Confucian Studies, Vol. 14, 2006, pp. 301-320.

• “The Faith of a Skeptic: A Reply to Lee Davis,” Journal of Information Ethics, Fall 2005, pp. 12-14.

• “Globalization and the Crisis of Values.”  Confucius and Modern Civilization. Vol. 4. Beijing: International Confucian Association, 2005, pp. 1880-1902.

• “Richard Rorty’s New Religion.” (Chinese Translation by Jianwei Wang) Journal of Shanghai Normal University, Vol. 34, No. 3, 2005, pp. 8-10.

• “Confucius and Comparative Philosophy,” International Journal of Confucian Studies, Vol. 13, 2004, pp. 235-251. http://www.ica.org.cn/124.asp

• “Interpreting the Zhongyong: Was Confucius a Sophist or an Aristotelian?” Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2004, pp. 235-251. (Chinese translation by Haixia Lan published in Qiu Shi [Seeking Truth], Vol. 32. No. 2. 2005, pp. 13-21.)

• “The Order of the Virtues in Aristotle and Confucius,” International Journal of Confucian Studies, Vol. 12, 2002, pp. 129-173.  http://www.ica.org.cn/explore/explore-13_07.html

• “Virtue as a Mean in Aristotle's Ethics,” Proceedings of the Conference on Philosophy and Globalization, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China. 2001.

• “Aquinas, Speciesism, and Animal Rights,” Proceedings of the Conference on Chinese Culture in Global Dialogue, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. 2001.

• “Academic Freedom and Faculty Responsibility in Disciplinary Proceedings,” Academe, May-June, 1997, pp. 20-22.

• “Ethics in the Information Market,” Journal of Information Ethics, Spring 1993, pp. 48-62.

• “On Reforming the ALA Code of Ethics,” American Libraries, January 1992, pp. 40-44.

• “The Right to Revolution: Locke or Marx?” in Terrorism, Justice, and Social Values: Studies in Social and Political Theory, vol. 11, edited by Creighton Peden and Yeager Hudson. The Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, New York, 1990, pp. 329-337.

Book Reviews:

• American Naturalism and Greek Philosophy, by John P. Anton, The Review of Metaphysics: A Philosophical Quarterly, .Vol. 60, no. 3, Spring 2007.

• The Siren and the Sage: Knowledge and Wisdom in Ancient Greece and China, by Steven Shankman and Stephan Durrant, Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, Vol. 3, no. 2, 2004, pp. 347-352.

• Ethics for the Information Age, by Effy Oz, in Journal of Information Ethics, Fall 2001, pp. 74-75.

• Only Words, by Catherine A. MacKinnon, in Journal of Information Ethics, Fall 1996, pp. 79-83.

• Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought, by Jonathan Rauch, in Journal of Information Ethics, Spring 1995, pp. 79-83.

• The Anatomy of Idealism: Passivity and Activity in Kant, Hegel, and Marx, by Piotr Hoffman, in The Owl of Minerva, Spring 1987, pp. 95-98.

Lectures

• “Confucius in the European Enlightenment,” International Conference on Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Fordham University, New York, NY: October 21, 2007.

• “The Ethical Naturalism of Aristotle and Confucius,” 15th International Conference on Chinese Philosophy, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China: June 25, 2007.

• “Phronesis and Yi: Practical Wisdom in Aristotle and Confucius,” Neo-Confucian Seminar, Columbia University, New York, NY: November 3, 2006.

• “The Commensurability of Confucian and Aristotelian Virtues,” International Conference on Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Fordham University, New York, NY: October 21, 2006.

• “American Individualism and Chinese Collectivism,” Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China: December 16, 2005.

• “Alasdair MacIntyre on Confucian and Aristotelian Virtues,” East China Normal University, Shanghai, China: December 12, 2005.

• “Comparing the Virtues of Confucius and Aristotle,” International Conference on Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Fordham University, New York, NY: October 16, 2005.

• “Chinese and Western Ethical Theories,” International Conference on Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Fordham University, New York, NY: October 23, 2004.

• “Globalization and the Crisis of Values,” Third Conference of the International Confucian Association, Beijing, China: October 10, 2004

• “The Order of the Virtues in Aristotle and Confucius,” International Conference on Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Fordham University, New York, NY: November 1, 2003.

• “Christian Ethics and Western Civilization,” Institute of World Religions, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China: January 14, 2003.

• “Interpreting the Zhongyong: Was Confucius a Sophist or an Aristotelian?” Ninety-Ninth Annual Conference of the American Philosophical Association, Philadelphia, PA: December 28, 2002.

• “Aristotle’s Philosophy of the Social Sciences,” Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China: July 9, 2002.

• “Socrates and Plato on Education and Dialectic,” Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China: July 6, 2002.

• “Aristotle and Modern Politics,” Peking University, Beijing, China, June 27, 2002.

• “Aristotle and the Crisis of Modern Values,” Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China, April 10, 2002.

• “Aristotle and Aquinas on Moral Virtue,” Twentieth Annual Conference on Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, Oct 28, 2001.

• "Virtue as a Mean in Aristotle's Ethics," Conference on Philosophy and Globalization, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China, July 4, 2001.

• "Aquinas, Speciesism, and Animal Rights," Conference on Chinese Culture in Global Dialogue, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, June 25, 2001.

• "Aquinas on the Ethical Treatment of Animals," Thirty Fifth Annual Medieval Congress, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 7, 2000.

• "Aquinas and Animal Rights," Twentieth Conference on Medieval Studies: Plymouth State College, Plymouth, New Hampshire, April 16, 1999.

• "Liberality in Aristotle's Ethics," American Catholic Philosophical Association, Philadelphia Division, Annual Meeting, Newmann College, Aston, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1998.

• "From Albertus Magnus to Darwin: On the Difference between Animals and Humans," The Thirty-Third International Conference on Medieval Studies: University of Western Michigan, Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 9, 1998.

• "Ethical Egoism in Aristotle and Aquinas," Alvernia College Lecture Series, Alvernia College, October 24, 1995.

• "Ethics and Librarianship," Second Northeast Regional Law Library Conference, University of Pennsylvania, November 8, 1991.

Grants

• National Endowment for the Humanities, Summer Institute: Southeast Asia: Indigenous Impulses and Outside Influences. University of Hawaii, Summer 2005.

• National Endowment for the Humanities, Summer Institute: A View From Noah's Ark: New Windows on the Medieval World. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Summer 1996.

• National Endowment for the Humanities, Education Division: Author and Project Director, $34,000 Grant for an Interdisciplinary Faculty Seminar, Alvernia College, Summer 1989.

Membership in Professional Associations

• International Confucian Association: Beijing, China (Board Member)

• Neo-Confucian Seminar: Columbia University

• Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy

• Society for Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy

• American Association of University Professors

Professional Experience

American Association of University Professors:

    Member, National Committee on Professional Ethics (Committee B), 1998 to 2001
    President, Pennsylvania Division of the AAUP, 1998 to 2000
    Vice President, Pennsylvania Division of the AAUP, 1995-1998
    Chair, Membership Development, Pennsylvania Division of the AAUP, 1992-1995

Alvernia University:

    Chair, Rank and Tenure Committee, 2005-2006
    Chair, Humanities Department, Alvernia College, 1999 to 2000
    Chair, Humanities Division, Alvernia College, 1987-1990
    Chair, Department of Philosophy and Theology, Alvernia College, 1987-1990
    President, Alvernia College AAUP Chapter, 1989 to 1996

Honors & Awards

• NDEA Title IV Fellowship, Georgetown University

• Beta Phi Mu Award, Drexel University

• University Fellowship, University of Maryland

• Graduated with Honors, Marlboro College