Kai Nielsen (philosopher)

For other people named Kai Nielsen, see Kai Nielsen.

Kai Nielsen (born 1926) is adjunct professor of philosophy at Concordia University in Montreal and professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Calgary. Before moving to Canada, Nielsen taught for many years at New York University (NYU). He specializes in metaphilosophy, ethics, and social and political philosophy. Nielsen has also written about philosophy of religion, and is a leading advocate of contemporary atheism. He is also known for his defense of utilitarianism, writing in response to Bernard Williams's criticism of it.

Nielsen got his B.A. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Ph.D. at Duke University. He is the author of some 32 books and 415 articles. Member of the Royal Society of Canada, and past president of the Canadian Philosophical Association. Nielsen is also one of the founding members of the Canadian Journal of Philosophy.

Books

Wittgensteinian Fideism?, 2006, ISBN 0-334-04005-1
Atheism And Philosophy, 2005, ISBN 1-59102-298-3
Globalization And Justice, 2002, ISBN 1-59102-054-9
Naturalism and Religion, 2001, ISBN 1-57392-853-4
Exploitation, 2001, ISBN 0-391-04000-6
Why be Moral?, 1997, ISBN 0-87975-519-9
Naturalism without Foundations, 1996, ISBN 1-57392-076-2
Philosophy Atheism, 1996, ISBN 0-87975-289-0
On transforming philosophy: A metaphilosophical inquiry, 1995, ISBN 0-8133-0666-3
God And The Grounding Of Morality, 1991, ISBN 0-7766-0328-0
After the demise of the tradition: Rorty, critical theory, and the fate of philosophy, 1991, ISBN 0-8133-8044-8
Ethics without God, 1990, ISBN 0-87975-552-0
God, Skepticism and modernity, 1989, ISBN 0-7766-0241-1
Marxism and the Moral Point of View: Morality, Ideology, and Historical Materialism, 1989, ISBN 0-8133-0653-1
Equality & Liberty: A Defense of Radical Egalitarianism, 1986, ISBN 0-8476-7516-5
Philosophy & atheism : in defense of atheism, 1985, ISBN 0-87975-289-0
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, 1983, ISBN 0-312-43310-7
Marx and Morality, 1981, ISBN 0-919491-01-4
Scepticism, 1973, ISBN 0-333-10263-0
Reason and practice; a modern introduction to philosophy, 1971, ISBN 0-06-044836-9
Contemporary Critiques of Religion, 1971, ISBN 0-333-06963-3

Philosophical conversations and debates in his BOOKS

Cosmopolitan Justice, 2009 (forthcoming), ISBN 0-13-140388-5
Walking the Tightrope of Faith, 1999, ISBN 90-420-0706-0
Rethinking nationalism, 1998, (Canadian journal of philosophy) ; ISBN 0585127565
On the relevance of metaethics: New essays on metaethics, 1996, ISBN 0-919491-21-9
Méta-philosophie : reconstructuring philosophy?, 1994, ISBN 0-919491-19-7
Ethique et rationalité, in French, 1992, ISBN 2-87009-478-7
Does God Exist? the Great Debate: The Great Debate, 1990, ISBN 0-8407-7180-0
Search for Community in a Withering Tradition: Conversations Between a Marxian Atheist and a Calvinian Christian, 1990, ISBN 0-8191-7990-6
Analyzing Marxism : new essays on analytical Marxism / edited by Robert Ware & Kai Nielsen, 1989, Canadian journal of philosophy. Supplementary volume. 0229-7051 ; 15, ISBN 0-919491-15-4
Science Morality and Feminist Theory, 1987, ISBN 0-919491-13-8
New essays in ethics and public policy / edited by Kai Nielsen and Steven C. Patten, 1982, ISBN 0-919491-08-1
New essays on John Stuart Mill and utilitarianism / edited by Wesley E. Cooper, Kai Nielsen, and Steven C. Patten, 1979, Canadian journal of philosophy. Supplementary volume. v. 5
New essays on contract theory / edited by Kai Nielsen and Roger A. Shiner, 1977, Canadian journal of philosophy. Supplementary volume. v. 3
Philosophy & political action; essays edited for the New York Group of the Society for Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1972, ISBN 0-19-501503-7