Glenn “Boomer” Trujillo
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Dr. Trujillo is an award-winning professor and writer. He wonders what it means to live a good life and be a good person. To investigate this, he applies ancient Greek and Hellenistic philosophy to contemporary problems and tries to get historical figures to weigh in on contemporary ethical issues. Dr. Trujillo has worked to diversify the philosophy curriculum and to connect underserved students with organizations that help them complete their college degrees. Dr. Trujillo is originally from Dumas, Texas, a small town near Amarillo. He is the first in his immediate family to graduate from college, and he is excited to work with UTEP students, faculty, and staff to build an intellectual community.
Education
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Fulbright Fellowship, Germany
M.A., University of Houston
B.A., St. Edward's University
Selected Publications
Books
- The Virtue of Playfulness: Why Happy People are Playful (Routledge, forthcoming)
Articles
- "When the Dog Bites the Subaltern: On Diogenes' Mistreatment of the Marginalized," Epoché, vol. 28, iss. 2 (Online first, 2024). Co-authored with Scott F. Aikin.
- "Dio Chrysostom's Ancient Arguments against Owning Slaves: How Cynic Contrarianism Resists Injustice," Journal of Value Inquiry (Online first, 2023).
- "Possessed: The Cynics on Wealth and Pleasure," Southwest Philosophy Review, vol. 38, iss. 1 (Jan. 2022): pp. 17-29.
- “The Benefits of Being a Suicidal Curmudgeon: Emil Cioran on Killing Yourself,” Southwest Philosophy Review, vol. 37, iss. 1 (Jan. 2021): pp. 219-28.
- “Friendship for the Flawed: A Cynical and Pessimistic Theory of Friendship,” Southwest Philosophy Review, vol. 36, no. 1 (Jan. 2020), pp. 199-209.
- “What Race Terms Do: Du Bois, Biology, and Psychology on the Meanings of ‘Race’,” Southwest Philosophy Review, vol. 34, no. 1 (Jan. 2018): pp. 235-47.
- “From Taquería to Medical School: Juan Carlos, Aristotle, Cognitive Enhancements, and the Good Life,” Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology, vol. 22, iss. 1 (2018): pp. 1-27.
Essays
- “Risking Death over Debt: The Moral Distress of EMTs Treating Patients Afraid of Medical Bills,” bioethics today: Blog of the American Journal of Bioethics (23 June 2023). Co-authored with Yedid Fernandez.
- “AI Art Is Art,” Aesthetics for Birds (2 Nov. 2022).
- “The Friends of Sisyphus: Or, the Meanings Relationships Give Us,” 3 Quarks Daily (27 Nov. 2017).
Introductory Articles
- “Ancient Cynicism: Rejecting Civilization and Returning to Nature,” 1000-Word Philosophy (26 July 2023).
- “Aristotle on Friendship: What Does It Take to Be a Good Friend?” 1000-Word Philosophy (30 May 2023).
- “Principlism in Biomedical Ethics: Respect for Autonomy, Non-Maleficence, Beneficence, and Justice,” 1000-Word Philosophy (16 February 2021).
Courses Taught
- PHIL 2306: Ethics
- PHIL 3314: Ancient Philosophy
- PHIL 4352/5352: Problems in Philosophy Seminar (Ancient Ethics and Contemporary Adversity)
- PHIL 4352: Problems in Philosophy Seminar (Minority Disparities in Healthcare)
- PHIL 4351/5351: Great Philosophers (Diogenes of Sinope)
Areas of Research Specialization:
Ethics, Moral Psychology, Ancient Philosophy
Office:
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts
University of Texas at El Paso
Worrell Hall 306
El Paso, TX 79968
Phone:
915/747-5180
Email:
gmtrujillo@utep.edu