Prof. Dr. Gregg Caruso | Arts and Humanities | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Gregg D. Caruso is a distinguished philosopher and professor of applied ethics, currently serving as Director of the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics at Fairfield University and Honorary Professor at Macquarie University. Renowned for his expertise in free will, moral responsibility, punishment, and neurolaw, Caruso has authored numerous influential books, including Rejecting Retributivism and Neurolaw, and co-authored works with leading figures like Daniel Dennett. He has received prestigious honors such as the American Philosophical Association’s Gittler Award and the SUNY Distinguished Professor title, underscoring his national and international impact. Caruso’s work bridges philosophy, law, and neuroscience, advancing a public health-oriented model of justice. He also demonstrates academic leadership through center directorships, research networks, and international collaborations. His scholarship, marked by intellectual rigor and societal relevance, makes him a leading voice in contemporary applied ethics and an outstanding candidate for recognition in research excellence.

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Education

Dr. Gregg D. Caruso holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Philosophy from the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center, where he developed his foundational expertise in free will, ethics, and consciousness. He earned his B.A. in Philosophy from William Paterson University and an A.A.S. in Music from Nassau Community College. His academic journey reflects a multidisciplinary background that combines the humanities and the arts, shaping his unique perspective in philosophy and ethics. Caruso’s education at CUNY, a leading public research institution, provided a rigorous grounding in both analytic and applied philosophy, allowing him to explore topics at the intersection of law, neuroscience, and moral responsibility. This solid academic preparation laid the foundation for a distinguished career as a scholar and educator, enabling him to critically engage with some of the most challenging ethical and philosophical questions of our time.

Professional Experience

Dr. Caruso has held a variety of academic positions, reflecting both depth and versatility in teaching and research. He currently serves as Professor of Applied Ethics and Director of the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics at Fairfield University. Prior to this, he was SUNY Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at SUNY Corning Community College, where he also served as Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences Department. Caruso has held honorary and visiting appointments at prestigious institutions, including Macquarie University in Australia and Northeastern University London. His career spans over two decades of university-level teaching and leadership, covering roles such as department chair, ethics center director, and research network organizer. Through these roles, Caruso has demonstrated excellence in academic administration, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing the impact of applied ethics in diverse academic and social contexts.

Research Interest

Dr. Caruso’s research interests focus on free will, moral responsibility, punishment, and the intersection of philosophy with neuroscience and law. He is a leading advocate of free will skepticism and has developed the “public health-quarantine model” as an ethical alternative to retributive justice. His work bridges applied ethics, moral psychology, philosophy of law, and neuroethics, and he engages with contemporary debates on consciousness, determinism, and social justice. Caruso’s interdisciplinary approach allows him to explore how empirical findings in neuroscience and psychology can inform normative ethical theories and public policy. His recent interests also extend into business ethics and public health, as seen in his forthcoming book Putting People Before Profit. Caruso’s scholarship aims to reframe how society understands agency, culpability, and justice, making significant contributions to both academic philosophy and practical reform in criminal justice and ethical governance.

Award and Honor

Dr. Gregg D. Caruso has received numerous awards and distinctions recognizing his scholarly excellence and thought leadership. Notably, he was named a SUNY Distinguished Professor in 2024, one of the highest honors in the SUNY system, awarded for national and international prominence in research. In 2022, he won the American Philosophical Association’s Joseph B. Gittler Award for his groundbreaking book Rejecting Retributivism, which explores the implications of free will skepticism for criminal justice. He has received several research grants from institutions like Cornell University and the University of Aberdeen and has twice been awarded sabbaticals to work on major book projects. Additional honors include the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and multiple teaching excellence awards. These accolades highlight Caruso’s sustained contributions to philosophy, his impact on interdisciplinary research, and his commitment to bridging theory with ethical and social applications.

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