Philosopher Daniel Dombrowski writes some of the most important books and scholarly papers in his discipline, which he modestly calls “a series of footnotes to Plato.” His prolific efforts include an astonishing 130 published journal articles and 17 books, including one he worked on for 30 years.
A self-avowed truth junkie and faculty member at Seattle University since 1988, Dombrowski’s books and scholarly articles span topics that include animal rights, civil disobedience, vegetarianism, abortion and athletics. Among his more than 100 national and international presentations, he received an invitation to present a paper at Oxford University, “Homer, Competition and Sport” and another from Harvard Law School to speak on his Catholic, pro-choice position in the abortion debate. His Oxford lecture was based on his book, Contemporary Athletics and Ancient Greek Ideals, published by the University of Chicago Press. Dombrowski says that’s the book he wrestled with for three decades. His book suggests sport is a form of play—not preparation for war or a commodity in the marketplace—that should be taken seriously, yet not so seriously that athletes cheat or use illegal performance enhancements to win.
When he searches for meaning in old traditions, Dombrowski’s teaching and scholarship frequently explore the concept of God and God’s existence. Cambridge University Press published his book on the neoclassical defense of the ontological argument for the existence of God.
Another of his books, Babies and Beasts: The Argument from Marginal Cases, considers the criteria for possession of moral rights and concludes that any animal with the capacity to feel intense pain would qualify for those rights.
Dombrowski edits the journals Process Studies and Process Studies Supplements, its electronic counterpart, both published by the Center for Process Studies at Claremont Graduate University. He also serves as a member of editorial boards or boards of directors for the Journal of Animal Ethics, Studia Whiteheadiana, Christian Vegetarian Association, Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and Catholics for Choice, among others.
From the first philosophy course he took at the University of Maine at age 18, Dombrowski knew his life’s work should be that of a teacher–scholar in philosophy. It’s a decision he never regrets.
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