Jack Russell Weinstein

Jack Russell Weinstein (born October 1, 1969) is an American philosopher specializing in the history of philosophy, political philosophy, Adam Smith, and contemporary liberal theory. He is a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of North Dakota, director of The Institute for Philosophy in Public Life, and host of the public radio show *Why? Philosophical discussions about everyday life*. Weinstein was an influential student activist in the 1980s. Born in New York City to painter Joyce Ellen and jazz musician Mark Weinstein, he attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where he majored in Philosophy with a minor in Political Science. He was actively involved in politics as a student organizer. He pursued graduate studies at Boston University, earning his M.A. in 1996 and Ph.D. in 1998, both in Philosophy. Weinstein was a plaintiff in a class-action suit advocating for students' voting rights and led protests against tuition hikes. He is married to Kim Donehower, and they have a daughter, Adina. His academic work focuses on Adam Smith's moral psychology and its connection to contemporary liberal theory. He has authored several books, including *On Adam Smith*, *On MacIntyre*, *Adam Smith's Pluralism: Rationality, Education, and the Moral Sentiments*, and *Israel, Palestine, and the Trolley Problem: On the Futility of the Search for the Moral High Ground*. Weinstein is committed to public philosophy, aiming to make philosophical concepts accessible to the general public. His blog, PQED, has sparked discussions and controversy. He has also written on topics such as the philosophy of education and moral theory, and has called attention to antisemitism. Weinstein's research also includes systematizing public philosophy as a sub-discipline and introducing new philosophical concepts through public mediums.