Charles Lowney

Biography

Charles Lowney received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston University and his MA from Boston College. His work focuses primarily on the limits of understanding and expression in the analytic tradition and on meta-ethics. His primary interest is bringing his theoretic work in epistemology and moral theory into engagement with moral, social and political action. In teaching, he carries his scholarly work into the practical areas of applied ethics by offering courses such as Ethics and the Environment, Poverty and Human Capability, and Art and Authenticity.

Professor Lowney has also owned and managed several businesses. As the president and chief instructor of a self-defense company he has helped empower the victims of abuse, and as the owner and operator of a motel he often sheltered the working poor and homeless. His limited experience in the practice of law came from waging a battle against the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. After a series of appeals, he successfully argued that long term tenants should not be charged a luxury occupancy tax of 9.7% (Lowney v. Commissioner of Revenue, 2006).

Professor Lowney is a director and treasurer of the Polanyi Society. Michael Polanyi was very influential in shaping the legal theory of Lon Fuller and the social and economic theory of F. A. Hayek. Lowney’s articles on Polanyi include, “From Science to Morality: A Polanyian Perspective on the Letter and Spirit of the Law (Tradition and Discovery, 36:1, Fall 2009, 42-54).