Patricia Marino

Professor
P. Marino portrait

Areas of interest

Ethical theory, applied ethics, social philosophy, epistemology, philosophy of economics, philosophy of sex and love

Areas of graduate supervision

  • Ethical Theory
  • Applied Ethics
  • Bioethics
  • Social Philosophy
  • Epistemology
  • Philosophy of Economics
  • Philosophy of Sex and Love
  • Ethics of AI
  • Values in Science

Current Research

I have wide-ranging research interests, but my current projects are inÌýethics, philosophy of economics, the social and ethical aspects ofÌýalgorithms, and methodologies of optimization more generally.ÌýParticularÌýtopics include: moral pluralism and bioethics, challenges to utilitarianÌýethical reasoning, the values that come into play in applying economicÌýtheory, the ways that algorithms can perpetuate unjust social patterns, andÌýthe use of mathematics in economic formalism.

My first book Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic World (McGill-Queen’sÌýUniversity Press, 2015) addresses the question: How should we reason morallyÌýin a pluralistic world, in which we share multiple values (honesty, fairness,Ìýbenevolence etc.) but interpret and prioritize these in different ways?

I also work in philosophy of sex and love, and my most recent book PhilosophyÌýof Sex and Love: An Opinionated Introduction (Routledge Press, 2019),Ìýexplores basic issues surrounding sex and love in today’s world, such asÌýconsent, objectification, non-monogamy, racial stereotyping, and the need toÌýreconcile contemporary expectations about gender equality with our beliefsÌýabout how love works.

Selected publications

  • Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic WorldÌý(McGill-Queen's University Press, 2015).
  • "Value Pluralism and the Foundations of Normative Law and Economics: The Case of Threshold Deontology," forthcoming in Magdalena MaÅ‚ecka and Peter Cserne, eds.,ÌýLaw and Economics as Interdisciplinary PracticeÌý(¸é´Ç³Ü³Ù±ô±ð»å²µ±ð).Ìý

Selected grants, fellowships, awards

  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Standard Research Grant, $60,669, 2011-2014. Project: Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic World.
  • University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, Outstanding Performance Award, for outstanding contribution in research and teaching, 2009, 2016.

Selected supervisions

  • Philosophy of EconomicsÌý
  • Sex, Dementia, and Consent
  • The Ethics of Deception in Caregiving: A Patient-Centered Approach

Contact information

pmarino@uwaterloo.ca
519-888-4567Ìý x42779
Office: HH 329