Dr. Aaron Yarmel is the Associate Director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values at The Ohio State University. In addition to overseeing all CEHV programs, Aaron leads its efforts on dialogue facilitation and skill building, outreach, and the ETHOS Fellows program as part of the University's Shared Values Initiative. Aaron also teaches Conversations on Morality, Politics, and Society (ARTSSCI 2400/2400E) as well as ethics courses through the Department of Philosophy. Outside of his role with CEHV, he is the Founding Director of Philosophy Counseling and Consulting: an organization that offers dialogue facilitation training and philosophical counseling in the Logic-Based Therapy tradition. 

 

Aaron’s research focuses on philosophy for children, AI ethics, social change, and two-level utilitarianism. He offers Philosophy for Children workshops through the Philosophy, Learning, and Teaching Organization (PLATO) and in collaboration with the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children. He serves on the board of directors and executive board (as treasurer) of PLATO and on the editorial board of Analytic Teaching and Philosophical Praxis. Aaron holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MSc in Philosophy of Science from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music. 

 

Outside of his academic work, Aaron is passionate about advocating for the interests of animals and has been a vegan for 12 years. He frequently gives talks and workshops about animal ethics, social movement theory, and dialogue facilitation at activist conferences, universities, and festivals. Aaron is also an accomplished classical musician who has performed with a variety of orchestras and music festivals in the United States and Europe. His most recent music-related passion is building and collecting effects pedals and using them with his collection of electric mandolins.