Christen Zimecki, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as a pre-faculty fellow in the Pathway to Faculty program. 

Zimecki earned his doctoral degree in philosophy from Princeton University. 

“I did research on the ancient Greek conception of greed, which is the character trait that someone has when she is disposed to wanting more of something, say, wealth or political power, and aims to take more of it at the expense of others,” he said. “In my dissertation, I examined Plato’s and Aristotle’s moral psychology of greed with a view towards clarifying the connection between having this trait, on the one hand, and committing acts of injustice, on the other hand.”

At Wayne State University, he continues to study the role greed is purported to play in ancient Greek thought. 

“There seems to be an important distinction to be made between vicious acts of taking more, which imply greed, and rectificatory acts of taking more, which implies a desire for justice,” he said. “I am interested in the extent to which the latter kind of acts feature into civil factions and are misdiagnosed as vicious acts of greed.” 

It’s a distinction he finds could also prove relevant in the study of the historical reception of Black Americans engaged in protest in the U.S. 

“In many such cases, Black Americans were described incorrectly as ‘criminal,’ ‘riotous’ and ‘overentitled,’ which shows a failure to distinguish between a greedy desire for gain and a desire for justice. I am also interested in the ways in which Black thinkers have developed or criticized various strategies of protest in response to that uncharitable reception of Black protest.”

The opportunity to be mentored by career experts in his field as he refines his understanding is what appeals most to Zimecki about the Pathway to Faculty program. 

“I still have a lot of growing to do, and admittedly I’m not always convinced that I’m prepared for what will come next.”

As a Detroit native who earned his bachelor’s at Wayne State University, Zimecki said he could not ask for a better place to grow, learn, and give back.