Christine Vitrano
Associate Professor
Philosophy
Location: 3315 Boylan Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x3232
Fax: 718.951.4675
Email:
While pursuing her Ph.D., Christine Vitrano was an ethics fellow at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She was a visiting professor in the philosophy department at City College (CUNY) before coming to Brooklyn College.
Education:
Ph.D., CUNY Graduate Center - 2005 (Philosophy)
M.A., CUNY Graduate Center - 2004 (Philosophy)
B.A., New York University - 1999 (Philosophy)
Areas of Expertise:
Vitrano's main areas of research are value theory, ethics and bioethics. She regularly teaches classes in normative and applied ethics, including a class on happiness and the meaning of life. She co-edited an anthology on happiness and she has authored a book, The Nature and Value of Happiness. Her latest book, co-authored with Steven M. Cahn, is Happiness and Goodness: Philosophical Reflections on Living Well.
Books and Publications
"The Meaning of Life is Happiness" Logoi, Center for Philosophy and Religion, Notre Dame University, Spring 2022. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2022
Review of Beyond the Self: Conversations Between Buddhism and Neuroscience by Matthieu Ricard and Wolf Singer. Forthcoming in The European Legacy. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2021
"Beyond Gray Hair and Wrinkles." The Philosopher's Magazine, Issue 91 (2020): 84-88. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2020
"Hedonism and the Good Life" Journal of Value Inquiry, vol. 54, no.1 (2020): 21-40. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2020
"The Meaning of Life Can Be Found Without God." Problems in Value Theory, ed. Steve Cowan. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2020
"The Predicament That Wasn't: A Reply to Benatar." Philosophical Papers, vol. 49 (2020): 457-484. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2020
Review of The Arc of Love: How Our Romantic Lives Change Over Time by Aaron Ben-Ze'ev. Philosophia, vol. 48, no. 2 (2020). (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2020
Review of The Myth of the Moral Brian by Harris Wiseman, The European Legacy, vol. 24, no. 2. (2019). (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2019
"On Teaching 'Happiness and the Meaning of Life.'" In Philosophers in the Classroom, eds. Steven M. Cahn, Alexandra Bradner, and Andrew P. Mills, Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, September 2018. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2018
Review of Midlife: A Philosophical Guide by Kieran Setiya, The Philosopher's Magazine, vol 81 (2018): 115-116. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2018
"Reply to a Review: On Happiness and Goodness." APA Newsletter on Teaching Philosophy, vol. 17, no. 1 (Fall 2017). (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
"Reply to Loxtercamp." Co-written with Steven M. Cahn. Think, vol. 16, no. 45 (2017): 51-52. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
"Should We Feel Sad About Scheffler's Doomsday Scenario?" In The Moral Psychology of Sadness, ed. Anna Gotlib. London: Rowman and Littlefield, 2017. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2017
"What Does the Shape of a Life Tell Us About Its Value?" Journal of Value Inquiry, vol. 51, no. 3 (2017): 563-575. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
"The Value of Unhappiness." Think, vol 16, no. 45. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2016
"Wrestlers and Jugglers: Etzioni on Happiness." Symposium: Understanding Happiness, Society, vol 53, no. 3 (2016): 297-300. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2016
Review of Thieves of Virtue: When Bioethics Stole Medicine, by Tom Koch. The European Legacy, vol. 21, no. 4 (2016). (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2016
"Response to My Critics," Symposium: Christine Vitrano's The Nature and Value of Happiness, Reason Papers, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 26-33. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2015
Review of In Defense of Shame: The Faces of an Emotion, by Julien A. Deonna, Raffaele Rodogno and Fabrice Teroni. Philosophical Psychology, vol. 28, no. 7, pp. 1083-1086. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2015
Vitrano, Christine and Steven M. Cahn. Happiness and Goodness: Philosophical Reflections on Living Well. New York: Columbia University Press. (Books and Publications: Book (Authored)) 2015
"Meaningful Lives?" Exploring Ethics, 3rd ed. Ed. Steven M. Cahn. New York: Oxford University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2014
The Nature and Value of Happiness. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press. (Books and Publications: Book (Authored)) 2014
Review of Progress in Bioethics: Science, Policy, Politics. Eds. Jonathan D. Moreno and Sam Berger. The European Legacy. vol. 19, no. 4. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2014
Vitrano, Christine and Steven M. Cahn. "Living Well." Think, vol. 13, no. 38, pp. 13-23. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
"Happiness." The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Utilitarianism. Ed. James E. Crimmins. London and New York: Bloomsbury Academic. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2013
"Love and Resilience." Ethical Perspectives vol. 20, no.4, pp. 591-604. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2013
"Meaningful Lives?" Ratio vol. 26, no.1, pp. 79-90. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2013
Review of Yuck! The Nature and Moral Significance of Disgust, by Daniel Kelly. Philosophical Psychology vol. 26, no.5, pp. 769-72. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2013
Vitrano, Christine and Steven M. Cahn. "Choosing the Experience Machine." Philosophy in the Contemporary World vol. 20, no.1, July. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2013
"The Search for Happiness Should Begin With a Question." Brooklyn College Faculty Newsletter XIV.II. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2011
Review of Living for the Future, by Rachel Muers. The European Legacy vol. 16, no. 1. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2011
Vitrano, Christine and Nada Gligorov. "The Impact of Personal Identity on Advance Directives." Journal of Value Inquiryvol. 45, no.2, pp.147-58. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
"The Subjectivity of Happiness." Journal of Value Inquiry vol. 44, no.1, pp. 47-54. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
"Happiness and Morality." Exploring Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology, 3rd ed. Ed. Steven M. Cahn. New York: Oxford University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2009
"The Happy Immoralist." A Teacher's Life: Essays for Steven M. Cahn. Eds. Robert Talisse and Maureen Eckert. Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2009
Review of Ethics and the Beast, by Tzachi Zamir. The European Legacy vol. 14, no. 2. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2009
"Grading Examinations in Large Classes." APA Newsletter on Teaching Philosophy vol. 8., no.1. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
"Happiness and Morality." Happiness: Classic and Contemporary Readings in Philosophy. Eds. Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano. New York: Oxford University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2008
Vitrano, Christine and Steven M. Cahn. Happiness: Classic and Contemporary Readings in Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press. (Books and Publications: Book (Edited)) 2008
Review of After Harm: Medical Error and the Ethics of Forgiveness, by Nancy Berlinger. Theoretical Medicine vol. 28, pp. 83-86. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2007
Review of Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction, by Tony Hope. American Philosophical Association Newsletter on Philosophy and Medicine. (Books and Publications: Book Review) 2007
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
PSC-CUNY 44 Research Award, 2013-14. (Grants and Fellowships) 2013
PSC-CUNY 42 Research Award, 2011-12. (Grants and Fellowships) 2011
PSC-CUNY 41 Research Award, 2010-11. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
Mrs. Giles Whiting Fellowship for Outstanding Teaching in the Humanities, Brooklyn College. (Grants and Fellowships) 2009
PSC-CUNY 40 Research Award, 2009-10. (Grants and Fellowships) 2009
PSC-CUNY 39 Research Award, 2008-09. (Grants and Fellowships) 2008
Medical Ethics Fellowship, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 2002-06. (Grants and Fellowships) 2002
Robert E. Gileece Fellowship, CUNY Graduate Center, 2000-04. (Grants and Fellowships) 2000
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
"A Life Well Lived: Happiness and Goodness" Paper presented at "Happiness: Emotion, Mood or Character Trait" Birback College, University of London, January 2023. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2023
"So You Want To Be A Doctor?" Participant in a panel discussion, Brooklyn College, CUNY, March 2019. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2019
"How to Engage others and Understand Difference." Participant in a panel discussion, Brooklyn College, CUNY, February 2017. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
"Ready or Not: Genome Sequencing and Personalized Medicine are Here." Paper presented and participation in a panel discussion, Brooklyn College Faculty Day, May 2017. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2017
"Human Enhancement: How Perfect is Too Perfect?" The Society of Bioethics and Medicine, Brooklyn College, CUNY, March 2016. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2016
"What Does the Shape of a Life Tell Us About Its Prudential Value?" Tenth Annual Felician Ethics Conference, Felician College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2016
Commentator on Von Kriegstein's "Toward a Scalar Solution to the Scope Problem for Pro-Attitude-Based Well-being," The 2nd Speculative Ethics Forum, St. John's University. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2016
Participant in a Round Table Discussion on Happiness, The Helix Center. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2016
"Happiness." Gotham Philosophical Society. February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
"Living Well" Ninth Annual Felician Ethics Conference, Felician College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2015
"Happiness and Morality: Is there a connection?" Sheila and Wilbur Liebson Ethics Colloquium. Department of Philosophy, Brooklyn College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
"The Upside of Unhappiness." Eighth Annual Felician Ethics Conference, Felician College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
"A Conversation About Happiness." College Colloquium on Happiness. Lebanon Valley College. Anniville, Pa. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
"Love and Resilience." Seventh Annual Felician Ethics Conference, Felician College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2013
"The Nature and Value of Happiness." Felician Ethics Institute Fall Author Meets Critics Colloquium. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
"HeLa's Troubled Legacy: Medicine, Ethics and Other Puzzles in the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." The Sheila and Wilbur Liebsen Ethics Colloquium. Brooklyn College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2012
"Is Unhappiness Irrational?" New Jersey Regional Philosophical Association Fall Meeting. Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
"The Value of Unhappiness." Sixth Annual Felician Ethics Conference. Felician College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
"Egoism and Business: Is Ethics Possible?" Faculty Day. Brooklyn College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2011
"Quest for the Meaning of Life." New Jersey Regional Philosophical Association Fall Meeting. Bergen Community College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"Of Love and Death." New Jersey Regional Philosophical Association Fall Meeting. Bergen Community College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"On Love and Death." Long Island Philosophical Society Meeting. St. John's University. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"A New Perspective on the Good Life." Long Island Philosophical Society Meeting. Long Island University. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"Happiness and Morality." Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at the Community College and in the Community. Norwalk Community College. Norwalk, Conn. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"The Problem of Personal Identity and Its Impact on Advanced Directives." Oxford-Mount Sinai Consortium on Bioethics. Mount Sinai School of Medicine. New York. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"Well-Being: A New Approach." New Jersey Regional Philosophical Association Fall Meeting. Ramapo College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"Happiness and Well-Being." New Jersey Regional Philosophical Association Fall Meeting. Ramapo College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
"The Search for Well-Being." Long Island Philosophical Society Meeting. St. John's University. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
"Kantian Autonomy and Its Implications for Paternalism." Oxford-Mount Sinai Consortium on Bioethics. Mount Sinai School of Medicine. New York. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2005
Other Professional Activities
The Evil Twin Podcast, episode on Love, June 2015. 2015
