MARK STEPHEN PESTANA
Department of Philosophy
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan 49401
(616) 331-3075
EDUCATION
University of Chicago
Ph.D., Philosophy, December 1986
Dissertation Committee: Christine Korsgaard, Alan Donagan, Stephen Toulmin, Paul Ricoeur
University of Kentucky
M.A., Philosophy, June 1977
Colby College
B.A., Philosophy, June 1974
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Grand Valley State University, Full Professor (visitor 1989, assistant 1990, associate 1996)
Allendale, Michigan
Roosevelt University, Instructor, 5/88-5/89
Chicago, Illinois
South Suburban College, Instructor, 1/88-6/89
South Holland, Illinois
Columbia College, Instructor, 9/88-8/89
Chicago, Illinois
University of Chicago; Continuing Education Program, Instructor, 9/88-12/88
Chicago, Illinois
City Colleges of Chicago, Instructor, 1/88-6/88
Chicago, Illinois
University of Kentucky, Teaching Assistant, 1975-77
Lexington, Kentucky
BOOKS
Metaphysics (edited) InTech, Rijeka Croatia, 2012
Moral Virtue or Mental Health? Peter Lang Publishing, 1998
PUBLISHED WORKS:
“Review of The Church and The Culture of Modernity by Richard Divozzo” in The University
Bookman @ http://www.kirkcenter.org/index.php/bookman/, 2014 pending
“Introductory Chapter 1” in Metaphysics, edited by Mark Pestana InTech, Rijeka Croatia, 2012
“Association Mechanisms and the Intentionality of the Mental” in The Journal of Mind and
Behavior, Volume 27, Number 2, pp. 91-120, 2006. (issued in late 2006)
“(A Laconic Exposition of) a Method by which the Internal Compositional Features of Qualitative
Experience Can be Made Evident to Subjective Awareness” in Philosophical Psychology Vol. 18,
No. 6, pp. 767-783, December 2005. (issued early in 2006)
"Complexity Theory, Quantum Mechanics and Radically Free Self Determination" in
The Journal of Mind and Behavior Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 365-387, 2001 (issued in 2002).
"The Three Species of Freedom and the Six Species of Will Acts" in The Modern Schoolman,
LXXIV, pp. 19-29, Nov. 1996.
"Second Order Desires and Strength of Will" in The Modern Schoolman, LXXIII, pp.173-182, January 1996.
"Conscience" (pp. 187-190), "Guilt and Shame" (pp.363-364), "Envy" (pp. 272-273) and "Self Deception" (pp. 782-783) in Magill's Ready Reference: Ethics. Ed. Shawn Woodyard. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 1994.
"Radical Freedom, Radical Evil, and the Possibility of Eternal Damnation" Faith and Philosophy, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 500-507, October 1992.
"On Teaching Moral Philosophy," in Colby Library Quarterly, Vol. XXVII, No. 2, pp. 66-70, June 1991.
"Gottfried Leibniz" (pp. 1285-1291) and "Johann Gottlieb Fichte" (pp. 743-748) in Great Lives from History: Renaissance to 1900. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 1989.
"Posidonius of Apameia" (pp. 1700-1705) in Great Lives From History: Ancient and Medieval
Series. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 1988.
"Saul Kripke” (pp. 417-419) in Thinkers of the Twentieth Century. 2nd ed., Ed. Roland Turner.
London: St. James Press, 1988.
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
“Natural Law Morality and Evolution”, PRESENTATION for Evolution For Everyone Group,
GVSU, Allendale MI, February 24, 2012.
“Natural Law Morality: A Precis” PRESENTATION at the Toward A Renewal of Culture
Conference, Russel Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, Mecasta MI, December 11, 2010.
“Making Sense of Addiction” PAPER for the Philosophy Department Colloquium, Grand Valley
State University, Allendale, MI April 23, 2010.
“The Evolution of Consciousness” PRESENTATION for the Grand Dialogue Conference, Grand
Rapids, MI, March 20, 2010
“The Evolution of Consciousness” LECTURE for the Evolution for Everyone research and
reading group at Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, December 4, 2009.
“Mystical Theology” and “Bonaventure’s Journey of the Mind into God” LECTURES for the
Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist at the Life Process Center, Lowell, Michigan, September 20
and September 27, 2008.
“Outline of a Metaphysics of Hedonic Tone” POSTER SESSION at the “Toward A Science of
Consciousness” conference Tucson, Arizona April 9, 2008.
RESPONDENT to “Freedom, Inclination of the Will, and Virtue in Anselm’s Moral Theory” by
Gregory Sadler presented at the American Catholic Philosophical Association annual meeting,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 9, 2007.
RESPONDENT to “Cognitive Faculties and Evolutionary Naturalism” by Bernardo Cantens
presented at the American Catholic Philosophical Association annual meeting, Denison, Ohio,
October 28, 2006.
“Quality as Existence” POSTER SESSION at the “Toward A Science of Consciousness”
conference Tucson, Arizona, April 7, 2006.
“A Method By Which the Relational Features of Qualitative Experience Can Be Made Evident to
Subjective Consciousness”. PAPER presented to the Cognitive Research Group, Psychology
Department of Grand Valley State University, March 23, 2005.
“A Method By Which the Relational Features of Qualitative Experience Can Be Made Evident to
Subjective Consciousness”. PAPER presented at the “Toward A Science of Consciousness
Conference”, Tucson Arizona; April 2004.
"Error Theory in Early Christianity and Judaism." PANEL PRESENTATION for West Shore
Academic Consortium conference, "Before the Divide: Jews and Christians in the Early Centuries"
at Hope College, Holland Michigan, October 31, 2002.
"What It Is Like To Be Information" POSTER SESSION presented at "Toward A Science of
Consciousness Conference Tucson 2002": Tucson, Arizona, April 9, 2002.
"What It Is Like To Be Information" PAPER presented at conference Religious Experience,
Neuroscience and The Self, sponsored by the Center for Theology and The Natural Sciences,
Montreal, Canada June 2, 2001.
"A Method By Which The Quantitative Essence of Qualitative Experience Can Be Made Evident
To Subjective Awareness" POSTER SESSION at the annual meeting of The Society for
Philosophy and Psychology. Cincinnati, Ohio, June 14, 2001
“William James, Information Theory and the Origins of Intentionality” POSTER SESSION at the
“Science of Consciousness—Tucson 2000 Conference”, April 10-15, 2000 Tucson Arizona
“Complexity Theory and Consciousness: Quantum Mechanics and Free Will” PAPER presented at
the conference “Theology and The New Physics”, Calvin College, Grand Rapids Michigan, April
15-18, 1999
"The Relation Between the Three Species of Freedom and the Six Species of Will Acts in Thomas Aquinas' Theory of Action." PAPER presented at The Medieval Forum, Plymouth State College,
Plymouth, New Hampshire, April 20, 1996.
"Perspectives on Religious Truth." LECTURE presented at Faculty Lecture Series, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, March, 1996.
"Second Order Desires and Strength of Will." PAPER presented at Michigan Academy Annual Meeting, Alma, Michigan, March 1, 1996.
"The Logic of Religious Exclusivism." PAPER presented at Fifth Annual Interfaith Dialogue Association Conference, Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 7, 1995.
"The Relation Between the Three Species of Freedom and the Six Species of Will Acts in Thomas Aquinas' Theory of Action." PAPER presented at Central States Philosophical Association Annual Meeting, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, October 14, 1995.
RESPONDENT to "Aquinas on the Ontological and Moral Status of Animals" by Judy Barad, Central States Philosophical Association Annual Meeting, Rolla, Missouri, October 15, 1993.
EDITORIAL WORK:
REVIEW for MIT Press of manuscript ‘Phenomenology and the Physical Reality of
Consciousness’ by Arthur Melnick, summer 2010
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
“Saint Augustine and the Problem of Evil”, PRESENTATION to the Authenticum Society,
held at Sacred Heart Church, Grand Rapids MI March 6, 2014
“Natural Law Morality: An Overview”, PRESENTATION to the Knights of Columbus
conference “Toward A Culture Of Life” held at Aquinas College, Grand Rapids MI
October 8, 2011.
“Transforming the Self—Transforming the World”, RESPONDENT to “The Catholic Moment”
presented by Sr. Lucia Treanor at “The Catholic Moment”, an event sponsored by the Catholic
Student Organization of Grand Valley State University, GVSU Allendale MI, February 10, 2011
“The Economic Ordering of Human Life”, Two PRESENTATIONS to the Thomas
More Society of West Michigan, Parnell MI and Nunica MI, May 7 and June10, 2011.
“The Economic Ordering of Human Life”, PRESENTATION to the Philosophy Club
of Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan February 5 and 12, 2010.
“The Social Ordering of Human Life”, PRESENTATION to the Thomas More Society
of West Michigan, Parnell MI, February 27, 2010
“The Political Ordering of Human Life”, PRESENTATION to the Thomas More
Society of West Michigan, Parnell MI March 27, 2010
“Mystical Theology”, LECTURE for The Inquisitors (an informal reading group),
Grand Rapids, MI; January 30, 2009
“The Metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas”, LECTURE (formal presentation) to The Inquisitors (an
informal reading group), Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 16, 2008
DISCUSSION LEADER at the Acton University: Symposium on Faith, Economics and Liberty,
Grand Rapids, Michigan June 12 and June 13, 2008
“Thomas Aquinas and the 13th Century” LECTURE (formal presentation) to The Inquisitors (an
informal reading group), Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 27, 2007
“Dominant Themes in Current Mind-Brain Research” LECTURE for Legatus of Grand Rapids (an
organization for Catholic business executives), Grand Rapids Michigan, May 1, 2007
“The Natural Law Analysis of the Social and Political Orders” LECTURE (formal presentation)
to The Inquisitors (an informal reading group), Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 15, 2006
“Ethics and the National Economy” LECTURE (formal presentation) to The Inquisitors (an
informal reading group), Grand Rapids, Michigan, December 2, 2005
“Cognitive Closure: The End of Science?” LECTURE for Honors Junior Seminar “Cosmology for
Poets”, Grand Valley State University, Honors Program, April 7, 2005
"Self Deception" LECTURE presented to Grand Valley State University Honors Students for
Honors Dormitory Council, March 26, 2003.
“Self Knowledge and Self Control—The Last Lecture of Mark Pestana." LECTURE presented at
The Grand Valley State University Student Senate Last Lecture Series on November 6, 2002.
“Legal Codes, Professional Codes and Moral Standards." LECTURE presented at Society of
Manufacturing Engineers Chapter 38 Annual Dinner Program; Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 14,
2002.
"Will Robots Inherit The Earth?" LECTURE presented to "Life Long Learners" at Montcalm
Community College, Montcalm, Michigan, Nov. 15, 2000
“Approaches to Nature.” PAPER presented as part of Integrated Humanities Initiative for parents
of students at Sigsbee Elementary School, Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 6, 1998.
"Just War Theory and Nuclear War." LECTURE presented at seminar on War in the Nuclear Age,
Grand Valley State University, November 4, 1997
"The Natural Law Argument Against Contraception." LECTURE presented at Franciscan Life
Process Center, Lowell, Michigan, June, 1996.
"Natural Law Morality and Homosexuality." LECTURE presented at Grand Valley State
University, Pillar Society, Spring, 1995.
ORGANIZED AND LED—Philosophy of Mathematics Reading Group Grand Valley State
University with professors from philosophy and mathematics department 2008 and 2009
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
“How Pride Causes Slavery to Sin—Part I” in this long (50 page) article I explain how continued
wrong-doing causes compulsion to continue engaging in such behaviors.
“How the Truth Sets Us Free—Part II” on moral realism and freedom of will (draft of paper)
The Metaphysics of Subjectivity, book-length (465 pages), manuscript concerning the relationship between subjective first person accounts of consciousness and objective third person characterizations of the fundamental metaphysical structure of human beings.
AWARDS
Selected to participate in Advanced Workshop in "Religious Experience, Neuroscience and The
Self" sponsored by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences and held in Montreal, Canada
May 31—June 5, 2001.
Selected as participant in five week seminar on “Theology and The New Physics” led by John
Polkinghorne (of the physics department of Cambridge University) sponsored by the Pew
Charitable Trust and conducted at Calvin College, Grand Rapids MI July 1998.
(award amount $2,500)
AREAS OF RESEARCH SPECIALIZATION
Philosophical Psychology, action theory
Philosophy of Mind
Moral Philosophy, Theoretical
AREAS OF TEACHING COMPETENCE
Medieval Philosophy
Logic
Metaphysics
Social and Political Philosophy
COURSES TAUGHT
Metaphysics
Philosophy of Mind
Mind, Brain and Consciousness
Medieval Great Philosophers
Theories of Human Nature
Ethics in the Professions
Inwardness and Existence (Special Topic on subjectivity)
Three Classical Theories of Emotion: Descartes, Spinoza and Hume on the Passions of the Soul
Philosophy and Literature: The Problem of Evil
Introduction to Philosophy, Introductory Logic, Ethics, Introduction to Liberal Studies
LANGUAGE—French
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
Serve as invited external advisor on Advisory Board of the Catholic Studies Program of
Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (September 1, 2011 - present).
Secretary of Grand Rapids Guild of Catholic Medical Association (2010-present)
MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
American Catholic Philosophical Association
Catholic Medical Association