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Mark Schroeder

Professor of Philosophy
Mark Schroeder
Email maschroe@usc.edu Office STO 115A Office Phone (213) 740-3609

Research & Practice Areas

Metaethics, Practical Rationality, Normative Ethics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Language, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Mind, Social Philosophy, Philosophy of Action, Philosophy of Law, Philosophy of Conflict

Center, Institute & Lab Affiliations

  • Conceptual Foundations of Conflict Project, Director
  • USC Center for Law and Philosophy,

Biography

My research interests have ranged widely across areas of philosophy that are in some way connected with metaethics, including topics in epistemology, metaphysics, normative ethics, practical reason, and the philosophy of language, and I have also published on the history of ethics.

My current work largely concerns what it is to be a person, and how our answer to that question can help us to understand and navigate interpersonal relationships and interpersonal conflict, as well as the applications of these ideas to other topics in philosophy. I am also especially interested in contributing toward establishing the philosophy of conflict as a central and organizing area of philosophical concern.

My newest book, When Things Get Personal: A Philosophical Guide to Conflict, is about an important skill for navigating interpersonal relationships – our ability to distinguish signal from noise – and about how and why we get into trouble when we make mistakes in applying it.

Education

  • Ph.D. Princeton University, 11/2004
  • M.A. Philosophy, Princeton University, 11/2002
  • B.A. Philosophy, Mathematics, and Economics, Carleton College, 6/2000

  • Tenure Track Appointments

    • Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California, 12/11/2011 –
    • Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California, 04/16/2008 – 12/10/2011
    • Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California, 08/16/2006 – 04/15/2008
    • Assistant Professor, University of Maryland College Park, 08/15/2004 – 06/15/2006

  • Research Specialties

    Metaethics, Practical Rationality, Normative Ethics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Language, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Mind, Social Philosophy, Philosophy of Action, Philosophy of Law, Philosophy of Conflict

  • Book

    • Schroeder, M. (2026). When Things Get Personal: A Philosophical Guide to Conflict.
    • Berislav Marusic, Schroeder, Mark (Ed.). (2024). Analytic Existentialism.
    • Howard, N., Schroeder, M. (2024). The Fundamentals of Reasons. Oxford University Press.
    • Schroeder, M. (2023). Noncognitivism in Ethics, second edition. Routledge.
    • Schroeder, M. (2021). Reasons First. Oxford University Press.
    • Schroeder, M. (2015). Explanation and Expression in Ethics, volume 1: Expressing Our Attitudes. Oxford University Press.
    • Schroeder, M. (2014). Explanation and Expression in Ethics, volume 1: Explaining the Reasons We Share. Oxford University Press.
    • Schroeder, M. A. (2010). Noncognitivism in Ethics. Oxford: Routledge.
    • Schroeder, M. A. (2008). Being For: Evaluating the Semantic Program of Expressivism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • Schroeder, M. A. (2007). Slaves of the Passions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Recognition Award, Spring 2017
    • National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship Recipient, 2014-2015
    • Mellon Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students, Spring 2014
    • USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award, Spring 2014
    • Philosopher’s Annual selection, Fall 2012
    • American Philosophical Association Article Prize, Fall 2010
    • Philosopher’s Annual Selection, Fall 2010
    • General Education Teaching Award, Fall 2009
    • Philosopher’s Annual selection, Fall 2009
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