Chris W. Surprenant, Ph.D.
Education
Ph.D. Boston University (Philosophy, 2009)
About
Chris W. Surprenant (PhD Boston University, 2009) is the Director of the University of New Orleans Urban Entrepreneurship & Policy Institute.
His work focuses on current issues in ethics and public policy, including the connection between entrepreneurship and human well-being; the importance of free exchange to the proper functioning of a free society, both in academic institutions and the community as a whole; and the role of financial incentives in shaping institutions and influencing public policy.
His most recent book, Injustice for All: How Financial Incentives Corrupted and Can Fix the US Criminal Justice System (co-authored with Jason Brennan), argues that meaningful criminal justice reform requires recognizing the existing profit incentives connected to much of our current approach to justice and punishment, and then realigning these incentives so that they better aim at just outcomes.
He has received a handful of awards for his academic work. They include being recognized by Princeton Review in 2012 as one of the "Best 300 Professors" in the US; recognized by Cengage Learning in 2014 as one of their "Most Valuable Professors" for the year, awarded to three professors in the US who "have made lasting impressions on the education and lives of their students;" and selected by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 2018 as an ATLAS award recipient for his book project: Injustice for All.
During 2023-2026, he'll will leading a project to examine the efficacy of high school financial education programs. This project is supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
Courses Taught
PHIL 1000: Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 1101: Introduction to Logic
ECON 1330: Financial Literacy
PHIL 2201: Ethics
PHIL 2207: Philosophy of Law
PHIL 2215: Social & Political Philosophy
PHIL 2311: Ancient & Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 3030: Individual Senior Seminar
A&S 3099: Honors Colloquium
BA 3200: Leadership and Entrepreneurship
PHIL 3201: Advanced Ethics
PHIL 3301: The Philosophy of Plato
PHIL 3302: The Philosophy of Aristotle
PPEL 3910: Policy, Ethics, and Law
PHIL 4200: Health Promotion Ethics
PHIL 4205: Environmental Ethics
PHIL 4215: Advanced Social & Political Philosophy
Research Interests
My work focuses on current issues in ethics and public policy, including the connection between entrepreneurship and human well-being; the importance of free exchange to the proper functioning of a free society, both in academic institutions and the community as a whole; and the role of financial incentives in shaping institutions and influencing public policy. Specific topics include issues related to criminal justice and criminal justice reform, business ethics, the business and aims of higher education, and the role of government regulations on communities and community development.