Joshua Paschal

Hello! I am a Ph.D. candidate and Second-Time Nelson Dissertation Fellow in Philosophy at Indiana University Bloomington, where I also completed a doctoral minor at the Maurer School of Law. My research primarily focuses on the intersection of Legal and Political Philosophy and Ethics, with additional expertise in environmental and technology ethics.

My dissertation, The Criminal Law and the Setting of Standards, investigates and challenges the “minimalist” trend in legal theory that seeks to significantly narrow the scope of criminal law. I argue that these views often fail to account for the complex moral commitments inherent in our social practices. Instead, I develop an account of the criminal law as a vital system for setting and maintaining fair standards—ranging from role-specific responsibilities in negligence cases to the symbolic collective commitments represented by hate crime statutes.

Throughout my time at IU, I have served in several leadership roles, including President of the Graduate Association of Students in Philosophy and as a representative and organizer for the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition. As part of my service, I have sat on hiring committees for philosophy faculty and helped author now-standing campus policy for graduate work grievances.

As an educator, I have had the privilege of designing and teaching courses such as Philosophy & the Environment and Business & Morality, while also assisting in various introductory ethics and philosophy classes. Beyond the classroom, I am active in public philosophy, contributing to the Blog of the APA and presenting on topics ranging from AI in education to the political causes of the American Civil War.

Outside of philosophy: I am an amateur music critic, mediocre guitarist and keyboardist, and karaoke fiend.