Reviews of the Course
Reviews will be posted upon completion of the inaugural course, which will be launched Summer 2026.
Reviews of (Most of) Rob Lovering’s Books
God and Evidence: Problems for Theistic Philosophers (Bloomsbury Academic)
“Lovering's book is a welcome addition to the literature. His arguments are novel and forceful. The problems he discusses deserve careful consideration.... While Lovering’s arguments might not conclusively refute the theistic views he considers, they do show that these positions will be incredibly difficult to defend. And that is no small achievement.” (Clayton Littlejohn, King's College London)
”As the title would lead one to expect, this is a book in analytic philosophy of religion written with a view to pushing several arguments against the rational acceptability of theism, arguments arising from how belief in it may be viewed as relating to evidence ... The main body of the book provides a very good introduction to the problems that theists have to face in understanding the relationship of their theism to evidence: the problems are nicely set up; the questions Lovering poses are the right ones to pose; the criticisms he levels against the variety of answers he considers are cogent ... Like all good books, then, it gets one thinking.” (T. J. Mawson, St. Peter's College, Oxford University)
”In God and Evidence, Rob Lovering promises readers ‘a new set of problems’ for those who believe in God. Given the wide range of current objections to a belief in God, this is an ambitious project - but it is one which he successfully fulfils. In a discussion which is throughout admirably clear, accessible, persuasive, careful and well-informed, he is scrupulously fair to his opponents. While always relating his discussions to contemporary lines of argument, his own contribution is readily intelligible independently of them.” (Nicholas Everitt is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia, UK. He is the author of The Non-Existence of God.)
”Rob Lovering's God and Evidence is wonderfully concise and describes the options open to defenders and opponents of theism at various junctures at an effective and exciting pace. This book brings together a range of positions in the philosophy of religion which are not often linked: the consequence of not linking them is that theists and atheists let each other escape potential checkmates by focusing too narrowly on certain well-established 'clash points'. Lovering exposes some evasive maneuvers popular among advocates of theism as inadequate by showing the unacceptability of their wider deleterious effects on our knowledge of God. This canter through the philosophy of religion at the turn of the 21st Century covers a lot of country while always keeping the fox in sight.” (Hugh Burling, University of Cambridge Reviews in Religion & Theology, Vol 21, Issue 3)
On the Moral Right to Get High (Palgrave Macmillan)
“Lovering presents a sophisticated but readable defense of the moral permissibility of recreational drug use. Many authors have argued that laws against drug use are unjust. But Lovering offers persuasive reasons to reject the more basic claim that drug use is wrongful. Academics and laypersons will benefit greatly from his comprehensive and careful analysis.” (Douglas Husak, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy (Emeritus), Rutgers University, USA)
“The book is a rigorous and thought-provoking detailed philosophical treatment of an important but rarely discussed moral issue. Building on his previous work, Lovering brings out the analytic philosopher’s full toolkit to address a wide range of arguments in a powerful essay that will appeal to a wide readership.” (Federico Burdman, Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy, Alberto Hurtado University, Chile)
“In On the Moral Right to Get High, Rob Lovering provides an extraordinarily comprehensive and detailed defense of the claim that recreational drug use is morally permissible. After reading this book, few will be able to disagree.” (Peter de Marneffe, Professor of Philosophy, Arizona State University, USA)
“In this highly informative and well-argued book, Rob Lovering provides a complete and systematic analysis of the morality of recreational drug use, including a convincing argument for the moral permissibility of getting high and a thorough take down of virtually every argument to the contrary.” (Chris Meyers, author of Drug Legalization: A Philosophical Analysis)
“In On the Moral Right to Get High, Lovering delivers a meticulous masterclass in philosophical reasoning by dissecting dozens of arguments on the ethics of drug use. By defining concepts carefully and anticipating objections, he avoids the pitfalls common to other work on this topic. This book moves beyond policy debates and public health concerns to ask a deeper question: Is drug use itself morally wrong? Fans of either side of the argument will relish the depth and precision. In addition, scholars in ethics, law, religion, and philosophy will appreciate the work as a prime example of how to think with rigor and clarity on any topic. Casual readers will admire the accessibility, too. Anyone willing to approach the text with an open mind is bound to learn something new here.” (Mitch Earleywine, Professor of Psychology, SUNY - Albany and author of Understanding Marijuana)
A Moral Defense of Prostitution (Palgrave Macmillan)
"The enjoyment of sexual pleasure can contribute greatly to a person's happiness. Prostitution, in providing opportunities for such pleasure, should therefore be viewed as an admirable profession that makes a very welcome contribution to human society. Instead, prostitutes are looked down upon, and prostitution is illegal in many countries and most of the United States. Why is this the case? The reason is that many people are in the grip of unsound arguments that lead them to think that prostitution is morally wrong. Rob Lovering's book is a welcome correction. Not only is it the first book to survey the wide variety of arguments for the immorality of prostitution, it also sets out—in an admirably clear and accurate fashion—each of the important arguments that have been offered for this view, and then shows convincingly in each case why the argument in question is unsound." (Michael Tooley, former president of The Australasian Association of Philosophy and President and The American Philosophical Association - Pacific Division)
"The view that prostitution is immoral is taken for granted by most people worldwide. Scholars, policy makers, and the media rarely question prostitution's moral status, even if they support attempts to legalize it. In his unique book, Rob Lovering offers a tour-de-force analysis of this question. By systematically critiquing the conventional arguments and assumptions, he provides nothing short of a paradigm shift in how we conceptualize prostitution. A ground-breaking book that will help to destigmatize sex work." (Ronald Weitzer, author of Sex for Sale: Prostitution, Pornography, and the Sex Industry)
"Morality politics are wedded to debates about prostitution. This book tackles the arguments against prostitution head on, delving deeply into the intricate yet everyday contestations. Logical arguments that interrogate the moral status of prostitution are important for the sex worker rights movement, and ultimately speaks against the stigmatization of sex workers. This book provides fresh analysis, powerful persuasion and a suite of armor against claims that immorality is intrinsic to prostitution. Useful for activists, policymakers and scholars alike, this extensive coverage of age-old arguments enables critical engagement with ideas which are too often taken for granted." (Teela Sanders, author of Sex Work: A Risky Business)
"Lovering's book is an important examination of the moral status of prostitution, apart from its legal or prudential profile. This matters. Social perfectionist arguments are used to advance a range of political agendas. History is rife with examples of moral arguments about prostitution being deployed in the service of temperance, eugenics, and nativism. Lovering elucidates the weaknesses of such arguments." (Jessica Spector, author of Prostitution and Pornography: Philosophical Debate about the Sex Industry)
A Moral Defense of Recreational Drug Use (Palgrave Macmillan)
"Anyone who still believes that the moderate use of recreational drugs is morally wrongful should read Lovering's thorough argument to the contrary." (Doug Husak, Rutgers University, USA)
"This book fills a void. Lovering lays out the most important arguments for the view that recreational drug use is morally wrong. He then argues, in a philosophically sophisticated and empirically informed way, that none of those arguments is successful. This is a most impressive book, and any future attempt to argue that recreational drug use is morally wrong will have to involve an attempt to answer Lovering's contentions." (Michael Tooley, University of Colorado at Boulder, USA)
"Rob Lovering's new book is a masterpiece. This is one of the most accessible, thoughtful, delightful additions to the war on the war on drugs that I've seen in years. This book really turned my head around." (Mitch Earleywine, State University of New York, Albany, USA, and host of Cannabis Radio's Burning Issues)
