Mark Dooley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Dooley
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Mark Dooley in 2013, giving a lecture in France
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| Born | 12 January 1970 Dublin, Ireland
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| Alma mater | University College Dublin, (BA, MA, PhD) |
| Awards | John Henry Newman Scholar in Theology 1999–2002 |
| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
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Main interests
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Philosophy, theology, religion |
Mark Dooley (born 12 January 1970) is an Irish philosopher, writer, and newspaper columnist. He is an expert in philosophy, theology, and the philosophy of religion. He has written several books, including The Politics of Exodus (2001) and Why Be a Catholic? (2011).
Dooley has appeared on Irish radio. He has also written for newspapers like The Irish Times and the Daily Mail.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mark Dooley grew up in Dublin, Ireland. He went to Synge Street CBS for school. He studied history and philosophy at University College Dublin (UCD). He earned his first degree (BA) in 1991.
He then got his master's degree (MA) in philosophy in 1993. In 1997, he completed his PhD in philosophy at UCD. His PhD focused on the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. This work was later published as a book. During his research, he received a special fellowship at St Olaf College in Minnesota.
Career Highlights
Teaching Philosophy
From 1993, Dooley taught philosophy and theology at University College Dublin (UCD). He was also a John Henry Newman Scholar in theology there. He taught philosophy at Maynooth University in 1998 and 1999. He returned to teach there again from 2006 to 2011.
Writing and Media Work
Mark Dooley is a regular guest on Ireland's national radio stations. These include RTÉ, Newstalk, and Today FM. Since 2002, he has written for many newspapers. These include The Irish Times and The Irish Independent.
From 2003 to 2006, he wrote a column about world events for the Sunday Independent. This column covered important international news. Since 2006, Dooley has been a writer for the Irish Daily Mail. He writes a weekly column called 'Moral Matters'. He also writes occasional 'Saturday Essays'.
Dooley lives in County Dublin with his wife and their three children.
Key Books and Ideas
Understanding Kierkegaard
In his book The Politics of Exodus: Kierkegaard's Ethics of Responsibility (2001), Dooley shares new ideas about Søren Kierkegaard. He suggests that Kierkegaard's ideas are similar to those of another philosopher, Jacques Derrida. Dooley argues that Kierkegaard believed in a kind of open community. This idea influenced Derrida's work later on.
Ethics and Christianity
Dooley co-edited Questioning Ethics: Contemporary Debates in Philosophy (1999). This book looks at modern ideas about ethics in Europe. It includes essays from many famous philosophers. The book discusses current ethical issues. These include memory, responsibility, and justice. It also covers democracy and multiculturalism.
Questioning God (2001) is another book Dooley co-edited. It contains essays about modern thoughts on God. It pays special attention to the idea of forgiveness. Many well-known thinkers contributed to this book.
A Passion for the Impossible: John D. Caputo in Focus (2002) is the first detailed study of John D. Caputo's work. It includes writings from several important philosophers. The book also features an interview with Jacques Derrida. In this interview, Derrida shares his clear views on religion.
Exploring Jacques Derrida
In 2007, Dooley co-wrote The Philosophy of Derrida. This book explains the main ideas of Jacques Derrida. It also looks at how these ideas have made an impact. The book shows Derrida as a thoughtful writer. He had respect for traditions and a certain kind of conservatism.
Dooley's letters with Derrida are kept in a large collection. This collection is at the Institut mémoires de l'édition contemporaine in France.
The Philosophy of Roger Scruton
Roger Scruton. The Philosopher of Dover Beach (2009) is the first full look at Roger Scruton's ideas. Dooley explains the main thoughts from Scruton's many books. He also provides the background to understand how these ideas developed. The book is designed to help readers learn step-by-step. It explores Scruton's ideas on topics like personhood and art. It also covers his views on conservatism and the nation state.
The Roger Scruton Reader is a companion book. Dooley chose and edited texts by Scruton for this collection. The texts are grouped into categories like conservatism and culture. It also includes an article by Scruton about architecture.
In Conversations with Roger Scruton (2016), Dooley shares new insights. He looks at parts of Scruton's life and ideas that were not well known before.
Challenges in the Irish Catholic Church
Dooley wrote about important challenges facing the Irish Catholic Church. He was asked by priests and the Irish Daily Mail to write a book. This book, Why be a Catholic? (2011), suggests ways forward for the Church.
In November 2013, he was invited to the University of Caen Lower Normandy in France. He gave a main lecture there. His talk was called "Reclaiming the Irish Church."
Technology and Our World
Moral Matters. A Philosophy of Homecoming (2015) is based on Dooley's newspaper column. It is a philosophical book about home and belonging. It also explores memory, identity, loss, and love. Dooley discusses how people can feel disconnected from their community. He shows how they can reconnect to their place and time. This helps them feel fully human, even in our online world.
