Colleague, teacher, scholar and friend, Dr. Stephen Leighton retired from the Philosophy Department at the end of December, 2020. Dr. Leighton made invaluable contributions to the Department throughout his distinguished career and will be much missed.
Dr. Leighton graduated magna cum laude from the University of Alberta in 1973 and went on to do his doctorate in philosophy at the University of Texas. He began his teaching career at the Florida International University, arriving at Queen’s in 1986. Dr. Leighton was promoted to Full Professor in 1998.
Dr. Leighton has had a distinguished career as a scholar and teacher. He was honoured with the distinguished Review of Metaphysics Dissertation Essay Prize and grants from the American Council of Learned Societies and other funding bodies, such as SSHRC. Dr. Leighton is a renowned authority on Aristotle and the emotions, and he has contributed many canonical essays -- notably his well-known article, ‘On Feeling Angry or Elated’, in the Journal of Philosophy -- as well as writings in go-to reference works, such as Blackwell’s Companion to Aristotle. Dr. Leighton’s edited collection, Philosophy in the Emotions (Broadview 2003), is also a key reference work on the subject.
Dr. Leighton is a very gifted teacher, whose gentle, probing, conversational pedagogical style has long attracted a loyal following of students, some of whom have gone on to academic careers themselves, holding Dr. Leighton’s example as a model. Dr. Leighton’s contributions to the teaching of ancient philosophy and moral philosophy at Queen’s have been vital to our undergraduates’ philosophical education. Truly dedicated to the wellbeing of the Philosophy Department, Dr. Leighton served as Undergraduate Chair a number of times and has long been a treasured advisor and source of kind and wise counsel for students and colleagues. After a splendid career at the university spanning almost 35 years, we are pleased that Queen’s will mark Dr. Leighton’s retirement with the honour of Emeritus Professor.