Nicholas (Nick) Colgrove currently teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in bioethics, philosophy, and religion at Wake Forest University and will be working as a postdoctoral researcher, alongside members of the Honesty Project, during the upcoming academic year. He and his wife Bethany (pictured above) have been happily married for almost 11 years and spend their days scrambling to keep up with their four children: Caia, Desmond, Dominic, and Solomon.
What are you working on right now?
I usually write about philosophical or bioethical issues that are directly connected to my everyday life. I wrote on artificial womb technology while sitting in the parents’ lounge of the NICU where my son, Dominic, spent several weeks. I wrote on the role of religion in clinical ethics surrounding the time I spent in a clinical ethics fellowship. I wrote on the privation theory of evil and the “mere-difference” view of disability when trying to formulate my own thoughts about my daughter Caia’s disabilities; the paper wrestles with how to align what seems like a very plausible view of disability with my deeper metaphysical and theological commitments about evil. I wrote on the emotional struggles that result from encounters with evil after seeing many friends struggle with theistic belief in the face of tragedy. Looking ahead, I’ll be focusing on questions about honesty—how it relates to other virtues (such as epistemic humility) and how it relates to bioethical issues (like informed consent, therapeutic privilege, etc.)—as these issues have arisen in the course of my work in clinical ethics.
What is your favorite thing that you’ve written?
Probably the first half of my dissertation. There, I developed a conceptual analysis of resistance and several principles that (should) allow us to distinguish reasonable resistance from unreasonable resistance. These principles were designed to work like rules of logic; operating independently of any deep moral commitments, and so, these principles would open up space for people of all different political, moral, and religious views to discuss and assess acts of resistance in a non-moral way. The project needs some fine-tuning, but its relevance to ongoing social and political issues only seems to be increasing with time.
Which books have changed your life? In what ways?
A short story, The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono. As a bonus, the story is beautifully animated here by FrédéricBack and Lina Gagnon. It was included in one of my courses during my freshman year at Huntington University, and it provided me with a clear and vivid illustration of the type of person I wanted to be. This was exactly the kind of guidance I needed at the time. The story follows Elzéard Bouffier, who endeavored to plant one hundred oak trees per day in a completely barren region of southern France. He displays a kind commitment to his work—work in a broad sense, well beyond the content of one’s career—a tireless, unceasing, and yet quiet devotion to his tasks that I can only hope to emulate in my own life. Decades pass, wars come and go, the world continues to change, and yet Bouffier never ceases his life-giving work. Even when storms destroy large portions of his progress, he continues his daily planting. At last, when life fully returns to what was once a desolate wasteland, Bouffier is nowhere to be found. While crowds gather to celebrate the “forest that has grown of its own accord,” Bouffier is miles away, continuing his work.
What cause or charity do you care about most?
I don’t know that I could identify one in particular. I hope to raise awareness regarding genetic variations associated with what are called “Orphan Diseases.” This is connected to the fact that I have a daughter with Primrose Syndrome and a son with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Primrose Syndrome seems especially rare; there were something like 12 cases in the medical literature as of 2014. In actuality, it is probably just significantly underdiagnosed, since testing isn’t widely available. Long term, I hope to contribute towards improving access to postnatal genetic testing, therapies, services, and other community-based support systems that would benefit families. As another example, I am deeply concerned for the mental health of undergraduate students. For that reason, I begin each semester by sharing data on the matter—which allows students who are struggling to see that they are not alone—and I provide them with a range of resources to ensure that they get whatever support they need throughout the semester.
What topic do you think is under explored in philosophy?
Miscarriage (or spontaneous abortion or early pregnancy loss). In recent discussions at Journal of Medical Ethics and Bioethics, for example, the conversation about miscarriage seems to center on a single question: Whether or not opponents of abortion are “doing enough” to prevent miscarriage. Now, I have some problems with these arguments (problems for both sides of the debate), as discussed here and here. But more importantly, when reflecting on this debate—including my own contributions to it—I find myself wondering: “Is this the best philosophers can offer to people on this topic? Is this it?” I’m afraid I don’t see how this discussion changes any minds. And I certainly don’t see how it would help anyone who has experienced the loss of a child. In fact, I’ve pretty much only seen the discussion make things worse for them. As such, I’m organizing a special issue on the topic of miscarriage at The Journal of Medicine & Philosophy, with an emphasis on moving the debate beyond this limited “pro-life/pro-choice” conversation and (I hope) into a discussion of ways in which we (philosophers) can actually help and serve those who have suffered such a loss.
What are your goals and aspirations outside work?
To be an excellent and loving husband and father (though there are many days where even reaching the level of “adequate” seems like an impossibility). No matter where we end up or what we end up doing, I want my children to develop a deep love and appreciation for what is virtuous—what is Good and what is True—and I aspire to live in such a way that my wife knows that I will always be at her side, no matter what challenges we may face.
What’s your poison? (Favorite drink.)
I’m absolutely addicted to Dr Pepper and must have one whenever I’m teaching. Or whenever I’m working on research. I’m drinking one now, as I type this sentence. This is also part of why doing my graduate work at Baylor University—in Waco, TX, where Dr Pepper originated—was a no-brainer. So, if there are any higher-ups from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group reading this and you’re looking for a philosopher to sponsor, call me!
This section of the APA Blog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers a little better. We’re including profiles of APA members that spotlight what captures their interest not only inside the office, but also outside of it. We’d love for you to be a part of it, so please contact us via the interview nomination form here to nominate yourself or a friend.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
