Dr. Christine McKinnon

Professor, Philosophy
Dean of Arts and Science
Trent University

 “In any philosophy department, ethics is central; it is one of the mainstays of the philosophical curriculum,” says Dr. Christine McKinnon, professor of Philosophy and dean of arts and science at Trent University.

The philosophical frameworks within which ethical deliberations are conducted and ethical decisions are made have intrigued Prof. McKinnon since she was an undergraduate student in Philosophy at McGill University. And it is the further study of ethics and its link to human behaviour and society that has kept her interest piqued through the pursuit of a B.Phil. and a D.Phil. in philosophy at Oxford and in her role as professor at Trent University.

For over 18 years, Prof. McKinnon has been one of several faculty in Trent’s Philosophy Department who teach and research in the area of ethics. It is here that she has explored several approaches to the study of ethics, concentrating her research on what she labels, “a conceptual investigation into the types of character traits that contribute to an individual leading a good human life.” It is an approach that has its roots in the virtue ethical approach of the ancient Greeks, particularly Aristotle, who investigated human well-being or human flourishing. And it is an approach which, according to Prof. McKinnon, has enjoyed a resurgence over the last 30 to 40 years.

“I think any living, breathing person wants to be a better person – wants to know what’s involved in leading a better human life,” Prof. McKinnon says, explaining in part the renewed interest in virtue theories. Consequentialist and deontological ethical theories focus on what one should do, rather than on what kind of person one should be, and they therefore often fail to motivate agents. “’Why should I want to maximize outcomes?’ and ‘Why should I want to do only those things that I can will that everyone else likewise be permitted to do?’ are questions that make sense. The question, ‘Why should I want to lead a flourishing human life?’ makes no more sense than the question, ‘Why should I want to be healthy?’”

Prof. McKinnon’s approach to virtue theories, however, is unique because, along with studying the good character traits that contribute to being a good person, she also explores the role various vices can play in frustrating the pursuit of a good life.

“Humans are unlike any other animal,” Prof. McKinnon explains. “We can be self-conscious about our actions, and about our reasons for acting. We can ask ourselves why we are doing what we are doing, and whether we approve of the reasons we have for acting. We can be self critical. And we are capable of refining – within limits – our dispositions, traits and motivations. It’s a part of being human that one is self-reflective and curious about one’s traits and about how they contribute to or detract from one’s well-being.”

In 1999 Prof. McKinnon published her theoretical investigations in the book Character, Virtue Theories, and the Vices. She has since published several articles on cruelty, hypocrisy, insincerity, and the role that character plays in human flourishing. Today, as she continues her career at Trent, she is working towards another book, tentatively entitled Character, Responsibility, and Luck, in which she is exploring what role luck plays in character-development and whether the presence of luck compromises moral responsibility in serious ways.

In addition to her role as researcher, Prof. McKinnon is currently an administrator at Trent, where she has been serving as dean of arts and science since 2006. She is also a well-respected and enthusiastic teacher who enjoys sharing her knowledge and ideas with a new generation of students. In fact, it is seeing new students gain insight into ways of thinking about themselves and others, their reasons for acting, and their motivations that Prof. McKinnon finds one of the most satisfying aspects of her career.

“These young people are just beginning to think critically about themselves and their lives. To be able to provide a structure and framework to help them think through some of the questions they struggle with is very rewarding,” she says.