Prof Dr. Gregg Caruso, Fairfield University, United States.
Prof. Gregg D. Caruso is an internationally recognized philosopher and ethicist specializing in applied ethics, free will, punishment, and neuroethics. Currently serving as the Professor of Applied Ethics and Director of the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics at Fairfield University, he also holds the position of Honorary Professor of Philosophy at Macquarie University in Australia. With a career spanning over two decades, Caruso has made seminal contributions to moral philosophy and public policy through his prolific writing and thought leadership. His commitment to public discourse is evident in his interdisciplinary work that bridges philosophy, neuroscience, law, and ethics. He is well-regarded for his advocacy of justice reform based on scientific understanding of human behavior, challenging traditional notions of moral responsibility and retributive punishment. Through his books, public engagements, and academic leadership, Caruso continues to shape contemporary ethical thought with clarity, compassion, and a deeply rooted concern for social justice. 🌍📚
👨🏫 Profile
Google Scholar
🎓 Education Background
Prof. Caruso’s academic journey is grounded in rigorous philosophical training and a passion for ethical inquiry. He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the City University of New York Graduate Center in 2011, with earlier degrees including a M.Phil. in Philosophy (2002) from the same institution, a B.A. in Philosophy (1996) from William Paterson University, and an A.A.S. in Music (1995) from Nassau Community College. His education blends analytical depth with a rich appreciation for the arts and humanities, laying a solid foundation for his later work in ethical theory, neuroscience, and the philosophy of law. Caruso’s advanced training at one of the world’s largest graduate centers exposed him to interdisciplinary scholarship, fostering his unique approach that integrates neuroscience and ethics. This diverse educational background enables him to bridge the gap between abstract philosophical debate and pressing real-world ethical challenges. 🎓📖🧠
👨💼 Professional Experience
Prof. Caruso’s academic and administrative leadership is distinguished and comprehensive. He began as a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Brooklyn College (2000–2003) and held early positions at John Jay College and Brooklyn College before joining SUNY Corning in 2006. Rising through the ranks, he became a SUNY Distinguished Professor and later transitioned to Fairfield University in 2024, where he now leads the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics. His international influence includes roles as Honorary Professor at Macquarie University and visiting appointments at Northeastern University London and the University of Aberdeen. Caruso also served as department chair at SUNY Corning, showcasing leadership in curriculum development and ethical programming. His career reflects a deep engagement with both classroom teaching and scholarly research, with contributions that shape global debates on justice, free will, and ethics. His commitment to academic excellence and social impact underscores his standing as a respected scholar and educator. 🌐📘🎓
🧠 Research Interests
Prof. Caruso’s research revolves around applied ethics, moral responsibility, free will, punishment theory, neurolaw, and the philosophy of mind. His influential theory of free will skepticism challenges retributive justice by arguing that individuals are not morally responsible in the traditional sense due to the lack of free will, a position grounded in neuroscience and moral psychology. He also explores business ethics, public health ethics, and environmental ethics, addressing how systemic and social determinants affect behavior and moral outcomes. Caruso is pioneering in advocating non-retributive models of criminal justice that focus on prevention, rehabilitation, and social welfare. His current research, including his in-progress book “Putting People Before Profit”, extends his ethical analysis into corporate responsibility and economic justice. His intellectual breadth enables him to work across disciplines and influence policy, education, and law with philosophical rigor and empirical sensitivity. 🧬⚖️📖
🏆 Awards & Distinctions
Prof. Caruso has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his research excellence and scholarly impact. In 2024, he was named SUNY Distinguished Professor, an honor granted to those with national or international academic prominence. His book Rejecting Retributivism won the 2022 APA Joseph B. Gittler Award for outstanding contributions in the philosophy of social sciences. He has been awarded two sabbaticals, multiple research stipends, and institutional grants from Fairfield University, SUNY Corning, Cornell, and the University of Aberdeen. His successful organization of the Justice Without Retribution Conference series highlights his collaborative leadership. He also received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship in 2015 and the Teaching Excellence Award in 2012. These accolades affirm Caruso’s stature as a leading thinker in ethics and philosophy, whose work influences both academic circles and public discourse. 🏅📜🌟
📚 Selected Publications
The Land That Time Forgot? Planetary Health and the Criminal Justice System
Event-Causal Libertarianism, Indeterministic Weightings, and the Pragmatic Approach
Free will skepticism and its implications: the case for optimism
Précis of Rejecting Retributivism: Free Will, Punishment, and Criminal Justice
Retributivism, Free Will Skepticism, and the Public Health-Quarantine Model: Replies to Kennedy, Walen, Corrado, Sifferd, Pereboom, and Shaw
Why We Should Reject Semiretributivism and Be Skeptics about Basic Desert Moral Responsibility
Why We Should Reject Semiretributivism and Be Skeptics about Basic Desert Moral Responsibility: A Reply to John Martin Fischer
Punishment and desert
Moral Responsibility Skepticism