Bob Fischer (philosopher)

For other people with the same name, see Bob Fischer.

Bob Fischer is an American philosopher who specializes in epistemology (especially modal epistemology) and ethics (especially animal ethics). He is a Professor of Philosophy at Texas State University and a Senior Research Manager at Rethink Priorities. His books include Modal Justification via Theories (in which he defends his account of "Theory-Based Epistemology of Modality"), The Ethics of Eating Animals, and Weighing Animal Welfare.

Education and career

Fischer earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and English at State University of New York at Geneseo from 2001 to 2004. ^[1] He received a PhD in philosophy at the University of Illinois Chicago. ^[1] He submitted his doctoral thesis, which was entitled Modal Knowledge, in Theory, in 2011. His advisor (and thesis committee chair) was W. D. Hart; the other committee members were Colin Klein, Walter Edelberg, Daniel Sutherland, and Karen Bennett. ^[2]

From Illinois, he moved to Texas State University, first (2011–2013) as a senior lecturer, and subsequently as an assistant professor of philosophy (2013–19), an associate professor of philosophy (2019–2024), ^[1] and professor of philosophy (2024-present).^{[ citation needed ]} Fischer is a senior research manager at Rethink Priorities ^[3] and, along with Mark Budolfson and Lisa Kramer, a director of the Animal Welfare Economics Working Group. ^[4]

Research

Fischer's philosophical work spans epistemology and animal ethics.

Fischer's first monograph was Modal Justification via Theories, ^[5] in which he defends a "Theory-Based Epistemology of Modality". According to this account, agents can have a justified belief in modal claims about certain kinds of "extraordinary" matters (e.g., philosophical issues) only if the claim follows from a theory in which they have a justified belief. Key to Fischer's account is that abductive reasoning (such as appeals to the virtue of simplicity) is well-placed to help agents to identify the theories that they are justified in believing. ^[6] The epistemologists Antonella Mallozzi, Anand Vaidya, and Michael Wallner give the example of mind-body dualism. On Fischer's Theory-Based Epistemology of Modality, "we are justified in believing that mind-body dualism is metaphysically possible only if we are justified in believing a theory T from which mind-body dualism follows", but if T "is not the simplest theory, all else being equal, then one would not be justified in believing it, and thus not be justified in believing that mind-body dualism is metaphysically possible". ^[6]

In 2024, Fischer published Weighing Animal Welfare, ^[7] which collects the research that he and his team did from 2021-2023 on interspecies welfare comparisons. Interspecies welfare comparisons involve estimating the relative well-being levels of members of different species. For instance, if someone judges that a chicken in a battery cage is worse off than a human living a normal life, that person is making an interspecies welfare comparison. The book shows how it may be possible to make such comparisons by finding a mix of behavioral and physiological proxies for possible differences in the intensities of valenced experiences (like pleasure and pain). It then reports the results of applying that methodology.

Fischer has also conducted research on insect sentience and welfare, examining whether insects can feel pain and the ethical implications for their treatment. ^[8]

Selected publications

Monographs

• Fischer, Bob (2017). Modal Justification via Theories. Springer.
• Fischer, Bob (2020). The Ethics of Eating Animals: Usually Bad, Sometimes Wrong, Often Permissible. Routledge. ^{[9] [10]}

Debate books

• Jauernig, Anja, and Bob Fischer (2024). What Do We Owe Other Animals? A Debate. Routledge.

Textbooks

• Fischer, Bob (2021). Animal Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge. ^[11]
• Palmer, Clare, Bob Fischer, Christian Gamborg, Jordan Hampton, and Peter Sandøe (2023). Wildlife Ethics: The Ethics of Wildlife Management and Conservation. Wiley.

Edited books

• Bramble, Ben, and Bob Fischer (eds.) (2015). The Moral Complexities of Eating Meat. Oxford University Press. ^[12]
• Fischer, Bob, and Felipe Leon (eds.) (2017). Modal Epistemology After Rationalism. Springer.
• Fischer, Bob (ed.) (2017). College Ethics: A Reader on Moral Issues That Affect You. Oxford University Press. ^[13]
  • Second edition published 2020.
• Fischer, Bob (ed.) (2020). The Routledge Handbook of Animal Ethics. Routledge. ^[14]
• Fischer, Bob (ed.) (2020). Ethics, Left and Right: The Moral Issues That Divide Us. Oxford University Press.
• Weston, Anthony, and Bob Fischer (eds.) (2023). A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Fischer, Bob (ed.) (2024). Weighing Animal Welfare: Comparing Well-being Across Species. Oxford University Press.

References

1. Fischer, Bob (2021). "Bob Fischer's CV". Texas State University. Archived from the original on 2023-06-17. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
2. Fischer, Robert William (2011). Modal Knowledge, in Theory (Thesis). University of Chicago at Illinois.
3. "Rethink Priorities' Worldview Investigation Team: Introductions and Next Steps". Rethink Priorities. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
4. "AWE Working Group - About".
5. Reviews:
   • Biggs, Stephen (2017). "Modal Justification via Theories". Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews. Retrieved 8 July 2023./
6. Mallozzi, Antonella; Vaidya, Anand; Wallner, Michael (7 July 2023). "The Epistemology of Modality". In Zalta, Edward N.; Nodelman, Uri (eds.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2023 ed.). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.
7. Fischer, Bob, ed. (2024). Weighing Animal Welfare. doi:10.1093/9780197745793.001.0001. ISBN   978-0-19-774576-2.
8. "The Current State of the Science of Insect Sentience | Psychology Today".
9. Milburn, Josh (19 April 2021). "Knowing Animals 164: Is veganism morally required? With Bob Fischer". Knowing Animals (Podcast). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
10. Reviews:
    • Bernstein, Justin; Anne Barnhill (2021). "Fischer, Bob. The Ethics of Eating Animals". Ethics . 131 (3): 605–10. doi:10.1086/712575.
11. Reviews:
    • Bobier, Christopher (2023). "Review of Animal Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction". Between the Species . 26 (1): 167–172.
    • Kegley, Jacquelyn Ann (2022). "Animal Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction, by Bob Fischer". Teaching Philosophy . 45 (1): 112–115. doi:10.5840/teachphil20224513.
12. Reviews:
    • Bernstein, Mark (2017). "Review: The Moral Complexities of Eating Meat". Journal of Animal Ethics . 7 (2): 198–203. doi:10.5406/janimalethics.7.2.0198.
    • Doggett, Tyler (2016). "The Moral Complexities of Eating Meat". Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
    • Lamey, Andy (2017). "Review of The Moral Complexities of Eating Meat". Between the Species . 20 (1): 133–146.
    • Fadeeva, Yuliya (2016). "Ben Bramble, Bob Fischer (Eds.) The Moral Complexities of Eating Meat". Ethical Theory and Moral Practice . 19 (5): 1333–1335. doi:10.1007/s10677-016-9714-9.
13. Reviews:
    • Nobis, Nathan (2017). "Bob Fischer, ed. College Ethics: A Reader on Moral Issues that Affect You". Teaching Ethics . 17 (2): 259–262. doi:10.5840/tej201717250.
14. Reviews:
    • Sansò, Gloria (2019). "The Routledge Handbook of Animal Ethics". Metapsychology Online Reviews. 25 (2). Retrieved 4 July 2023.
    • Cao, Xinyi (2022). "Bob Fischer, ed. The routledge handbook of animal ethics. New York: Routledge, 2020". Frontiers of Narrative Studies. 7 (2): 239–243. doi:10.1515/fns-2021-0014.

External links

• Official website
• Bob Fischer at PhilPeople

Bob Fischer
Born	Robert William Fischer
Occupation	Professor
Education
Education	State University of New York at Geneseo (BA) University of Illinois Chicago (MA and PhD)
Thesis	Modal Knowledge, in Theory  (2011)
Doctoral advisor	W. D. Hart

v t e Animal welfare
Issues	Abandoned pets Animal husbandry Animal testing Animals in sport Artificial insemination Barn fire Battery cage Beak trimming Bile bear Blood sports Captivity Chick culling Culling Concentrated animal feeding operation Dairy farming Discretionary invasive procedures on animals Eating live animals Eating live seafood Eyestalk ablation Feedback (pork industry) Foam depopulation Foie gras controversy Forced molting Fur farming Gestation crate Hunting Horse pain caused by the bit Intensive animal farming Intensive pig farming Livestock branding Livestock dehorning Livestock transportation Pet rental Poultry farming Puppy mill Testing cosmetics on animals Ventilation shutdown Vivisection Welfare of farmed insects Wild animal welfare Wildlife farming Zoos
Concepts	Abnormal behaviours in animals Animal psychopathology Animal shelter Animal welfare science Anthrozoology Behavioral enrichment Compassionate conservation Conservation welfare Ethics of uncertain sentience Ethical omnivorism Five Domains model Five Freedoms Humane law enforcement Intrinsic value in animal ethics Rescue group RSPCA Assured Three Rs principles Welfare biology
Pain	Pain in amphibians Pain in cephalopods Pain in crustaceans Pain in fish Pain in invertebrates Grimace scale
Organisations	ASPCA Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society Animal Defenders International Animal Welfare Committee Animal Welfare Party Animals' Friend Society American Humane Animal Aid Unlimited Animal Welfare Board of India Animal Welfare Institute Animal Welfare Investigations Project Badger Trust Band of Mercy Battersea Best Friends Animal Society Blue Cross Blue Cross of India Care for the Wild International Cats Protection Church Society for the Promotion of Kindness to Animals Compassion in World Farming CAWF Cinnamon Trust Dogs Trust DSPA DSPCA Eurogroup for Animals Four Paws FRAME Hedgehog Care Humane Canada Humane Farm Animal Care HSUS Humane Society International Humane Slaughter Association International Animal Rescue IFAW International Society for Applied Ethology ISPCA List of animal welfare organizations League Against Cruel Sports Marine Connection National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports Network for Animals Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research MSPCA-Angell National Animal Welfare Trust National Anti-Vivisection Society National Council for Animals' Welfare OneKind Party for Animal Welfare People for Animals People's Dispensary for Sick Animals RNZSPCA RSPCA RSPCA Australia Save Me Scottish Animal Welfare Commission SSPCA Tiggywinkles Toronto Humane Society UFAW Wildlife Aid Foundation World Animal Protection World Horse Welfare
Publications	American Humane Magazine Animal Protection Animal Welfare AWI Quarterly Cruel Sports Human Advocate Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science Our Dumb Animals The Animals' Friend The Animals' Guardian The Cat The Zoophilist
Books	A Few Notes on Cruelty to Animals (1846) Black Beauty (1877) Diet for a New America (1987) Min ko vill ha roligt (1990) Miracle Dog (2005) Striking at the Roots (2007) Pawprints of Katrina (2008) No Animals Were Harmed (2011)
Activists and workers	Contemporary Michael C. Appleby Cynthia Bathurst Matthew E. Bershadker Christa Blanke Moira Brown Jan Cameron Judy MacArthur Clark Kendra Coulter Peter Ronald Davies Petra Deimer Alanna Devine Robin Ganzert Celia Hammond Alison Hanlon Brian Hare Kathrin Glock Emily Patterson-Kane Philip Lymbery Damien Mander Christine Nicol Wayne Pacelle Sharon Pincott Ilka Reinhardt Jill Robinson Naomi Sagara Sepehr Salimi Adolfo Sansolini Rakesh Shukla Karen Stockin Patti Strand Sally Varma Tina M. Widowski Historical Gertrude Ansell Emily Appleton Gertrude Baillie-Weaver H. Baillie-Weaver Madeleine Bemelmans Henry Bergh Annie Bradshaw Victoria Braithwaite Mary Brancker Benjamin Bryan Roger A. Caras Ada Cole Edith Cole Jim Cronin Brian Davies Gerard Lysley Derriman Maria Dickin Marjorie Doggett Muriel Dowding Alice Drakoules Sarah J. Eddy Thomas Erskine Agnes Estcourt-Oswald Edward G. Fairholme Aida McAnn Flemming Lucy Furman Basil Goldstone Julia Goddard Robert Gower Norman Child Graham Colesworthey Grant George Greenwood Peter Gurney Catherine Victoria Hall Edward Hemingway Rachel Hirschfeld Sjoerd Hofstra Clive Hollands Douglas Houghton John A. Hoyt W. Hugenholtz Rowland Johns Velma Bronn Johnston Albert Knapp Agnes von Konow Titus Lander Carla Lane Etta Lemon Victoria Lidiard George Watson Little Alasdair Alpin MacGregor Terry Maple Fergus MacCunn Frederick Messer Richard Martin Shirley McGreal Lady Mount Temple Harriet Nevins Felix Ortt Catherine Louisa Pirkis Eliza Phillips Maude Gillette Phillips Duchess of Portland Samuel Jackson Pratt Nancy Price Wilfred Risdon Peter Roberts Jules Rühl Jan Salter Olive Smith-Dorrien Catherine Smithies Thomas Bywater Smithies Herbert Snow Ellin Prince Speyer Christine Stevens Douglas S. S. Steuart Elisabeth Svendsen Mary Tealby Ralph Waldo Trine Sidney Trist Ethel Venton M. Dudley Ward Jessey Wade Christopher Wathes Franz Weber Caroline Earle White Emily Williamson H. Fergie Woods Alice Morgan Wright Gretchen Wyler
Scholars and writers	Contemporary Arnold Arluke Jonathan Balcombe Michael Balls Geoffrey Barstow Marc Bekoff Donald Broom Marian Dawkins Bob Fischer Bruce Fogle Jane Goodall Temple Grandin Celia Haddon Jane Hurst Erich Hoyt Barbara J. King Alistair Lawrence David Macdonald Jeremy Marchant Jeff McMahan Daniel Mills Sy Montgomery Virginia Morell Yew-Kwang Ng Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell Clare Palmer Susan J. Pearson Dale Peterson Jessica Pierce Diana Reiss Carl Safina Matthew Scully Paul Shapiro Jennifer Skiff Peter Wohlleben Historical George T. Angell Patrick Bateson Beddow Bayly Ernest Bell Edward Berdoe Arthur Broome Jean Burden Gerald Carson Stephen Coleridge Christian Adam Dann J. Morewood Dowsett Audrey Eyton George Fleming Ralph Fletcher Ruth Harrison Caroline van der Hucht-Kerkhoven C. W. Hume E. Douglas Hume Beatrice Lindsay James Macaulay Basheer Ahmad Masri Francis Orpen Morris George Nicholson Siobhan O'Sullivan Charles Reinhardt Francis H. Rowley W. M. S. Russell Chris Sherwin Colin Spedding William O. Stillman John Styles Bell Taylor Ernst von Weber D. G. M. Wood-Gush Frans de Waal Meta Wellmer Hugh Wirth William Youatt Thomas Young
Categories	Animal advocacy parties Animal killing Animal rights Animal welfare and rights legislation Animal welfare in sports Animal sacrifice Animal sanctuaries Animal testing Animal welfare and rights by country Cruelty to animals Dishes involving the consumption of live animals Ethically disputed business practices towards animals Fur trade Pain in animals People associated with animal welfare Vivisection Whaling
Religious considerations	Dhabihah Jhatka Kutha Shechita Tza'ar ba'alei chayim
Rituals and festivals	Blessing of animals Bous al carrer Cock throwing Combat de Reines Eid al-Adha Gadhimai festival Goat throwing Goose pulling International Primate Day Kapparot Dog Meat Festival Monkey Buffet Festival October Horse Pushkar Camel Fair Rapa das Bestas of Sabucedo Running of the bulls Surin Elephant Round-up Toro embolado World Animal Day
Legislation	Animal testing regulations Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (UK) Animal Welfare Act 1999 (NZ) Animal Welfare Act 2006 (UK) Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (US) Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 (UK) Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 (UK) EU Directive 2010/63/EU (EU) EU Directive 1999/74/EC (EU) Horse Protection Act of 1970 (US) Hunting Act 2004 (UK) List of international animal welfare conventions Philippine Animal Welfare Act 1998 (Philippines)
Related	List of animal rights advocates List of animal sanctuaries
Category