Bertha Manninen
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Phone: 602-543-3433
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FAB N261 PHOENIX, AZ 85069-3051
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Mail code: 2151Campus: West
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Bertha Alvarez Manninen is a professor of philosophy in the School of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies in ASU's New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. She was awarded her doctorate in philosophy from Purdue University in 2006 after winning a Purdue University Foundation Dissertation grant, as well as a university doctoral-level fellowship. Manninen earned her master's degree in philosophy in 2001 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she was granted an advanced opportunity fellowship. She received a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Florida International University in 1999. She joined the faculty at ASU's West campus in 2006.
Born in Miami and of Cuban heritage, Manninen lists as her scholarly interests applied ethics, biomedical ethics, normative and meta-ethics, philosophy of religion, social and political philosophy. Her work has been chronicled in such prestigious peer-reviewed professional publications as the American Journal of Bioethics, Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, Hypatia, Journal of Social Philosophy, International Journal of Applied Philosophy, and the Journal of Medical Ethics.
Among the New College subjects she teaches are biomedical ethics, applied ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophy and film. She also regularly teaches the Human Event course, and Special Topic courses for the Barrett the Honors College.
- Ph.D. Philosophy, Purdue University 2006
- M.A. Philosophy, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 2001
- B.A. Philosophy and B.A. in English Literature; minors: Psychology and Religious Studies, Florida International University 1999
Books
Manninen, Bertha Alvarez and Jack Mulder Jr. Civil Dialogue on Abortion. Routledge: New York, 2018.
Manninen, Bertha, Shari Collins, Jackie Gately, and Eric Comerford (editors). Being Ethical: Classic and New Voices on Contemporary Issues. Broadview Press: Ontario, 2017.
Manninen, Bertha Alvarez. Pro-Life, Pro-Choice: Shared Values in the Abortion Debate. Vanderbilt University Press: Nashville, 2014.
Book Chapters
Manninen, Bertha Alvarez. “Weak Analogy.” In Bad Arguments: 100 of the Most Important Fallacies in Western Philosophy, edited by Robert Arp, Steven Barbone, and Michael Bruce, 2019: 234-237.
________. “Equivocation.” In Bad Arguments: 100 of the Most Important Fallacies in Western Philosophy, edited by Robert Arp, Steven Barbone, and Michael Bruce, 2019: 261-265.
________. “False Cause.” In Bad Arguments: 100 of the Most Important Fallacies in Western Philosophy, edited by Robert Arp, Steven Barbone, and Michael Bruce, 2019: 335-345.
______. “Fathers and Abortion.” In Abortion in the United States, 2nd edition, edited by Dorothy E. McBride and Jennifer L. Keys. ABC-CLIO, LLC: Santa Barbara, 2018: 157-163.
———. “Confession of a Struggling Philosopher: Why I Want to Believe in Heaven (but Reluctantly Don’t).” In Heaven and Philosophy, edited by Simon Cushing. Lexington Books: London, 2018: 1-28.
———. “Teaching Philosophy to First-Generation College Students.” In Philosophers in the Classroom: Essays on Teaching, edited by Steven M. Cahn, Alexandra Bradner, and Andrew Mills. Hackett Publishing Company: Indianapolis, 2018: 187-201.
———. “No Kind of Sneetch is Best: Bigotry, Dehumanization, and Rehumanization in the Stories of Dr. Seuss.” In More Dr. Seuss and Philosophy: Additional Hunches and Bunches, edited by Jacob Held. Rowman and Littlefield: Landham, 2018: 139-154.
______. “A Conversation on the Ethics of Abortion.” In Macmillan Interdisciplinary Handbooks, Philosophy: Medical Ethics edited by Criag H. Klugman. Macmillian Reference USA: Farmington Hills, 2016: 41-67.
———. “Stephen King and Aristotelian Friendship: An Analysis of The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. In Stephen King and Philosophy: Great Authors and Philosophy Book Series, edited by Jacob Held. Rowman and Littlefield: Landham, 2016: 113- 130.
———. “Stem-Cell Research Utilizing Embryonic Tissue Should Not Be Conducted.” In Contemporary Debates in Bioethics, edited by Arthur Caplan and Robert Arp. Wiley-Blackwell: Walden, 2014: 248-260.
_____. “The Pro-Choice Pro-Lifer: Battling the False Dichotomy. In Coming To Life: Philosophies of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Mothering, edited by Sarah LaChance Adams and Caroline R. Lundquist. Fordham University Press: New York, 2013: 171-192.
———. “Pro-choice Philosopher has Baby: Reflections on Fetal Life.” In Motherhood, Philosophy for Everyone: The Birth of Wisdom, edited by Sheila Lintott. Wiley-Blackwell: Malden, 2011: 41-51.
———. “Can Whiskers Have More than Nine Lives? Feline and Human Cloning.” In What Philosophy Can Tell You About Your Cat, edited by Steven D. Hales. Open Court Press: Chicgao, 2008: 191-204.
———. “Why There is No Either/Or in Works of Love: A Kantian Defense of Kierkegaardian (Christian) Unconditional Love.” In Transforming Philosophy and Religion: Love’s Wisdom, edited by Norman Wirzba and Bruce Ellis Benson. Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 2008: 84-102.
Refereed Journal Articles
Manninen, Bertha Alvarez. “Philosophical Responses to Dehumanization.” Civil American, 3.2 (2018). https://www.philosophersinamerica.com/2018/02/23/dehumanization/
——. “Sustaining a Pregnant Cadaver for the Purpose of Gestating a Fetus: A Limited Defense.” Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 26. 4 (2017): 399-430.
——. “David’s Need for Mutual Recognition: A Social Personhood Defense of Steven Spielberg’s A.I.: Artificial Intelligence.” Film-Philosophy, 20.2-3 (2016): 339-356 (co-authored with Tuomas William Manninen).
——. “Virtue Ethics, Sex, and Reality TV: If Aristotle Had Watched Snooki.” Think: Philosophy for Everyone, 15.44 (2016): 47-68.
——. “Suffering and Soul-Making in Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out.” 2016. Journal of Religion and Film, 20.22 (2016). http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol20/iss2/37/
——. “Mutual Scorn within the Abortion Debate: Some Parallels with Race Relations.” Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 12.2 (2015): 295-311.
——. “The Replaceable Fetus: A Reflection on Abortion and Disability. Disability Studies Quarterly, 35.1 (2015) http://dsq-sds.org/article/view/3239/3831
——. “The Value of Choice and the Choice to Value: Expanding the Discussion about Fetal Life within Pro-choice Advocacy.” Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy, 28.3 (2013): 663-683.
Article Reprinted In: Applying Ethics: A Text with Readings, 11th edition, edited by Julie C. Van Camp, Jeffrey Olen, and Vincent Barry. Cengage Learning: Stamford, 2015: 157-172.
Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, 9th edition, edited by Barbara McKinnon and Andrew Fiala. Cengage Learning: Stamford, 2018: 261-274.
——. “Yes, the Baby Should Live: A Pro-choice Response to Giubilini and Minerva.” Journal of Medical Ethics, 39.5 (2013): 330-335.
——. “The Problem of Evil and Humans’ Relationship with God in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life.” Journal of Religion and Film, 17.1 (2013) http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol17/iss1/34
——. “Cloning and Individuality: Why Kass and Callahan are Wrong (but Maybe a Little Right).” .Monash Bioethics Review, 30.1 (2012): 65-88.
——. “Beyond Abortion: The Implications of Human Life Amendments.” Journal of Social Philosophy, 43.2 (2012): 140-160.
——. “Rethinking Roe v. Wade: Defending the Abortion Right in the Face of Contemporary Opposition.” American Journal of Bioethics, 10.12 (2010): 33-36.
——. “Defending my ‘Rethinking’ of Roe.” American Journal of Bioethics, 10.12 (2010): W3-W5.
——. “Defining Death: An Intersection of Bioethics and Metaphysics.” Reviews in the Neurosciences, 20. 3-4 (2009): 283 – 292.
——. “The Metaphysical Foundations of Reproductive Ethics.” Journal of Applied Philosophy, 26.2 (2009): 190-204.
——. “Revisiting Justified Non-voluntary Euthanasia.” American Journal of Bioethics, 8.11(2008): 33-35.
——. “Are Human Embryos Kantian Persons?: Kantian Considerations in Favor of Stem Cell Research.” Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, 3:4 (2008).
http://www.peh-med.com/content/3/1/4
——. “Pleading Men and Virtuous Women: Considering the Role of the Father in the Abortion Debate.” International Journal of Applied Philosophy, 21.1 (2007): 1-24.
Article Reprinted In: Being Ethical: Classic and New Voices, edited by Bertha Alvarez Manninen, Shari Collins, Jackie Gately, and Eric Comerford. Broadview Press: Ontario, 2017: 411-423.
——. “Revisiting the argument of fetal potential.” Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, 2:17 (2007). https://peh-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1747-5341-2-7
Article Reprinted In: Potentiality, edited by John P. Lizza. John Hopkins University Press: Baltimore, 2014: 191- 221.
——. “Respecting Embryos within Stem Cell Research: Seeking Harmony.” Metaphilosophy, 38.2-3 (2007): 226–244.
Article Reprinted In: Stem Cell Research: The Ethical Issues, edited by Lori Gruen, Laura Grabel, and Peter Singer. Blackwell Publishing: Malden, 2007: 86-104.
——. “A Case for Justified Non-voluntary Active Euthanasia: Exploring the Ethics of the Groningen Protocol.” Journal of Medical Ethics, 32.11 (2006): 643-651.
_____. “Medicating the Mind: A Kantian Analysis of Overprescribing Psychoactive Drugs.” Journal of Medical Ethics, 32.2 (2006): 100-105.
_____. “How the Problem of Evil Poses an Obstacle to the Belief in God.” Dialogue: Journal of Phi Sigma Tau – International Honor Society in Philosophy, 41.1 (1998): 20-25.
Invited Articles
Manninen, Bertha Alvarez. “A Kantian Defense of Abortion Rights with Respect for Intrauterine Life.” Diametros, 39 (2014): 70-92.
_____. “A Metaphysical and Ethical Defense of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research.” Ethics in Biology, Engineering, and Medicine, 3.4 (2012): 209-225.
_____. “Human Identity and Bioethics.” Journal of Value Inquiry, 43.4 (2009): 537-546.
Courses
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 101 | Introduction to Philosophy |
| PHI 306 | Applied Ethics |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
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| PHI 318 | Philosophy of Religion |
| PHI 306 | Applied Ethics |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
| PHI 318 | Philosophy of Religion |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| IAS 480 | Capstone/Practices/Approaches |
| PHI 318 | Philosophy of Religion |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
| PHI 415 | Philosophy & Film |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 318 | Philosophy of Religion |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 306 | Applied Ethics |
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 306 | Applied Ethics |
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 599 | Thesis |
| IAS 340 | Bioethics |
| PHI 320 | Bioethics |
| PHI 306 | Applied Ethics |
2020 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 306 | Applied Ethics |
| PHI 415 | Philosophy & Film |
| MAS 598 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| PHI 493 | Honors Thesis |
2019 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHI 318 | Philosophy of Religion |
| MAS 585 | Capstone Course |
| PHI 599 | Thesis |
| PHI 415 | Philosophy & Film |
| PHI 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| MAS 598 | Special Topics |
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Pro-Life, Pro-Choice: Finding Common Ground. Southwest Minnesota State University, Spring Philosophy Speaker Series (Mar 2015).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Mutual Scorn in the Abortion Debate: The Parallels with Race Relations. Dean's Lecture Series at George Washington University (Dec 2014).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. A Philosophical Analysis of the Phenomenology of Child Abuse. Dean's Lecture Series at George Washington University (Dec 2014).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. A Philosophical Analysis of the Phenomenology of Child Abuse. Central States Philosophical Association (Oct 2014).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Notes From A College Professor - Who Wasn't Suppose To Go To College. SOPHIA (The Society of Philosophers in America) Annual Symposium: Should Everyone Go to College? (Nov 2013).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Notes From A College Professor - Who Wasn't Suppose To Go To College. SOPHIA (The Society of Philosophers in America) Annual Symposium: Should Everyone Go to College? (Nov 2013).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Virtue Ethics, Sex, and Reality TV: If Aristotle Had Watched Snooki. Reality Gendervision: A Conference on Sexuality and Gender on Reality TV (Apr 2013).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Abortion and Civil Discourse. American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Meeting (Dec 2012).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Religious Superficiality and the Problem of Evil in Malick’s Tree of Life. Faith and Reason Institute’s conference on Faith, Film, and Philosophy (Oct 2012).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Glenn Beck vs. WK Clifford: Philosophy and the Ethics of Belief. American Philosophical Association 2011 Eastern Division Conference Washington, D.C (Dec 2011).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. The Pro-Life Pro-Choicer: Battling the False Dichotomy. Hope College’s Philosophy Speaker Series (Nov 2011).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Why Fetal Potential Matters. American Philosophical Association 2011 Central Division Meeting. Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN (Mar 2011).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. What Did Octomom Do Wrong? Exploring the Ethics of Fertility Treatments. American Philosophical Association 2011 Central Division Meeting. Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN (Mar 2011).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. The Replaceable Fetus: Abortion and Disability. SOPHIA (The Society of Philosophers in America) Annual Symposium: Disability, Civic Responsibility (Feb 2011).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. "Cloning and the challenges of uniqueness.". 62nd Annual Northwest Philosophy Conference (Oct 2010).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. "What did ‘Octomom’ Do Wrong?: Exploring the ethics of fertility treatments.". Central States Philosophical Association 2010 Annual Meeting (Sep 2010).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. "Cloning, Genetic Duplication, and the Compromise of Identity: Why Kass and Callahan are Wrong (but maybe a little right)." . Genetics and Ethics in the 21st Century (Jul 2010).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. The Pro-Life Pro-Choicer: Battling the False Dichotomy. 61st Annual Northwest Philosophy Conference. Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR (Oct 2009).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. On Jennifer Kling’s "Becoming Virtuous" A How-To Guide. 61st Annual Northwest Philosophy Conference. Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR (Oct 2009).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. The Pregnant and Parenting Philosopher. Philosophical Inquiry into Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Mothering (May 2009).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. A New Mother’s Reflections on Abortion. Philosophical Inquiry into Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Mothering Conference. University of Oregon. Eu (May 2009).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Rethinking Roe v. Wade: Why the reproductive autonomy argument fails. Mississippi Philosophical Association Medical Ethics Conference (Nov 2008).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. In Defense of Fetal Viability. Central States Philosophical Association Annual Conference (Sep 2008).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. Religion and Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Seeking Harmony Through Healing. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix (Aug 2008).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. The definition of death and questions of personal identity: The intersection of bioethics and metaphysics. 5th International Symposium of the Definition of Death Network (May 2008).
- Bertha Alvarez Manninen. On Kurt Liebegott’s "Why the Responsibility Objection to Thomson’s Abortion Argument Must Fail.". American Philosophical Association 2008 Central Division Meeting (Apr 2008).
- Manninen, Bertha. “Metaphysics as applied philosophy: The metaphysical foundations of bioethics.”. Society for Applied Philosophy Annual National Conference 2007 (Oct 2007).
- Manninen, Bertha. 'On Samantha Brennan’s “The Intrinsic Goods of Childhood.” '. Society for Applied Philosophy Annual International Conference (Jun 2007).
- Manninen, Bertha. Pleading men and virtuous women: Consider the role of the father in the abortion debate. Society for Applied Philosophy Annual International Conference 2007 (Jun 2007).
- Manninen, Bertha. “The human embryo as neighbor: A Christian argument in favor of embryonic stem cell research. Society of Christian Philosophers 2007 Eastern Regional Meeting (Apr 2007).
- Manninen, Bertha. On Garrett Merriam's "Virtue, Vice, and Vivisection.". APA Eastern Division Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ethics and Animals (Dec 2006).
- Provost Teaching Academy, Fellow (2015 - Present)
- Journal of Applied Philosophy, Peer Referee (2015 - Present)
- Center for Teaching Innovation and Excellence, Co-Chair (along with Dr. Pamela Marshall) (2014 - Present)
- Ethics, Peer Referee (2014 - Present)
- Ethics, Peer Referee (2014 - Present)
- Teaching Innovation and Excellence Initiative, Co-Director (along with Dr. Pamela Marshall) (2014 - Present)
- Journal of Social Philosophy, Peer Referee (2012 - Present)
- Journal of Social Philosophy, Peer Referee (2012 - Present)
- Philosophy ATF, Member (2012 - Present)
- American Journal of Bioethics, Peer Referee (2009 - Present)
- American Journal of Bioethics, Peer Referee (2009 - Present)
- American Journal of Bioethics, Peer Referee (2009 - Present)
- Martin Luther King Jr. March on West, Member and Presenter (2008 - Present)
- Martin Luther King Jr. March on West, Member (2008 - Present)
- Martin Luther King Jr. March on West, Member (2008 - Present)
- Martin Luther King Jr. March on West, Member (2008 - Present)
- Martin Luther King Jr. March on West, Member (2008 - Present)
- Central States Philosophical Association, Chair (2008 - Present)
- 5th International Symposium of the Definition of Death Network, Chair (2008 - Present)
- Search Committee for the Lincoln Chair in Applied Ethics, Committee Member (2008 - Present)
- College Standards Committee and Academic Dishonesty Committe for New College, Member (2007 - Present)
- College Standards Committee and Academic Dishonesty Committee for New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Member (2007 - Present)
- College Standards and Academic Dishonesty Committee for NCIAS, Chair (2007 - Present)
- College Standards and Academic Dishonesty Committee for NCIAS, Chair (2007 - Present)
- College Standards and Academic Dishonesty Committee for NCIAS, Chair (2007 - Present)
- Praxis; Journal of Philosophy, Peer Referee (2007 - Present)
- Praxis; Journal of Philosophy, Peer Referee (2007 - Present)
- Praxis; Journal of Philosophy, Referee (2007 - Present)
- TRIO, Mentor of student Shawn Worden (2007 - Present)
- Hispanic Honor Society, Faculty Advisor (2007 - Present)
- Hispanic Honor Society, Faculty Advisor (2007 - Present)
- Hispanic Honor Society, Faculty Advisor (2007 - Present)
- American Philosophical Society, Chair (2007 - Present)
- Religion and Applied Ethical Studies, Committee Member (2006 - Present)
- Journal of Medical Ethics, Peer Referee (2005 - Present)
- Journal of Medical Ethics, Peer Referee (2005 - Present)
- Journal of Medical Ethics, Peer Referee (2005 - Present)
- Journal of Medical Ethics, Peer Referee (2005 - Present)
- Journal of Medical Ethics, Referee (2005 - Present)
- Routledge, Reviewer for book manuscript proposal (2015 - 2015)
- General Studies Council, Member (2014 - 2015)
- Faculty Annual Report (FAR), Committee Member (2014 - 2014)
- College Standards and Academic Dishonesty Committee for NCIAS, Chair (2007 - 2013)
- Hiring committee for a new director for the School of Humanities, Arts, and Culture Studies., Committee Member (2013 - 2013)
- Applied Ethics ad hoc committee, Committee Member (2013 - 2013)
- Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies, Representative (2010 - 2010)
- Arizona Humanities Council, Grant and Conference Organizer (2010 - 2010)
- Society for Applied Philosophy, Chair (2007 - 2007)
- Society of Christian Philosophers, Chair (2007 - 2007)
- Boss, Judith A. Ethics for Life. 3rd edition. McGraw Hill Publishing, Invited Appraisal (2006 - 2006)
- Adjunct Faculty Advisory Committee for the department of Arts and Humanities at Kirkwood Community College, Representative (2005 - 2006)