Paul Thompson came to Michigan State in 2003 to assume a position in the Philosophy Department, with partial appointments in the Agricultural Economics and Resource Development Departments. Previously he held positions as Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Director, Center for Food Animal Productivity and Well-Being, at Purdue University, and prior to that positions as Professor of Philosophy and Agricultural Economics and Director, Center for Science and Technology Policy and Ethics, at Texas A&M University.

Professional Interests

• American pragmatist approaches in practical ethics
• Environmental ethics
• Risks and ethics of agricultural and food biotechnology
• Science policy
• Philosophy of technology
• Philosophy of economics

Selected Publications

Thompson, P. B. “The Environmental Ethics Case for Crop Biotechnology: Putting Science Back into Environmental Practice,” in Moral and Political Reasoning in Environmental Practice. A. Light and A. de-Shalit, Eds. Cambridge, MA: 2003, The MIT Press, pp. 187-217.

Thompson, P. B. “Value Judgments and Risk Comparisons: The Case of Genetically Engineered Crops,” Plant Physiology 132(2003): 10-16.

Thompson, P. B. 1995. The Spirit of the Soil: Agriculture and Environmental Ethics. New York and London: Routledge Publishing Co.

Funded Research Projects

• Ethics and Agricultural Intensification: Contract with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.