About Us
Honors Faculty Benjamin Scott Young
Philosophy | Ethics | Interdisciplinary Learning
Dr. Benjamin Scott Young is passionate about exploring big questions — how we experience the world, how we understand ourselves and others, and what it means to live a good life. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of South Florida and his B.A. in psychology and philosophy from Eckerd College.
Academic Interests
Dr. Young’s research focuses on ethics, moral psychology, and how our personal experiences shape the way we interact with the world. He also explores topics like ecological ethics, the philosophy of art and architecture, and how different cultures approach philosophical questions. His current work examines the ways perception, emotion, and moral intuition unfold over time and how they connect to our communities and environments. At the heart of it all, his goal is to deepen our understanding of human flourishing — what it means to thrive as individuals, in relationships, and within society.
Honors Programs & Global Experiences
Dr. Young is deeply involved in shaping transformative academic experiences for Honors students. He coordinates the first-year seminar Acquisition of Knowledge: Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Practical Wisdom, helping students build critical thinking skills that will serve them throughout college and beyond. He also leads two incredible study abroad program — the Honors Semester in Exeter each spring and the Honors London program each summer — offering students immersive opportunities to engage with global ideas and cultures.
Courses & Teaching Philosophy
Dr. Young’s classes invite students to engage deeply with thought-provoking topics, often blending philosophy, psychology, ethics, and the arts. Whether discussing human flourishing, the philosophy of love, or even bioethics through Doctor Who, his courses are designed to be dynamic, discussion-driven, and personally meaningful.
Some of the courses he has taught include:
- Flourishing: Cultivating Persons, Cultures & Environments of Well-being
- Physicians of the Soul: Philosophy, Medicine & the Good Life
- Body Ethic: Practice, Place & Community
- Philosophy of Love and Desire
- Doctor Who? Bioethics, Medicine & the Human Condition
- Media Ethics: Politics, Persuasion & Communication Technology
- Phenomenology & Existentialism
If you're curious about philosophy, ethics, or how ideas shape the world, Dr. Young’s courses will challenge and inspire you to think in new ways.
Contact Dr. Benjamin Young.