Everything

Early Career Introduction

The Philosophy of Action

Long before he became President of the NCAA, Myles Brand was first and foremost a philosopher. In 1964, Brand graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in Philosophy and then earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Rochester only three years later in 1967. After initially attending college to be a mechanical engineer, Brand discovered a genuine love for arguing about ideas, gravitating towards the analytical side of philosophy and metaphysics.

In his studies, Brand’s main focus was action theory—an area of metaphysics that examines human behavior by analyzing motivation and intention. He believed that the field had stagnated in recent years and hoped to usher in a new era of action theory that incorporated cognitive science and psychological studies.

In Brand’s words:

“Applied philosophy is not a recent innovation. Its practical objective is echoed in a passage by Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics: ‘We are inquiring not in order to know what virtue is, but to become good.’ Theoretical inquiry has an essential place in the total enterprise, but the ultimate concern is with the implications for human action” (Action and Responsibility, 1980).

Brand was always concerned about the practical applications of philosophical theory. Alongside his writings, Brand served in administrative roles that afforded him the opportunity to accomplish change for students and faculty alike. He worked in philosophy departments across the country before becoming Provost at The Ohio State University in 1986 and eventually becoming President of the University of Oregon in 1989.

Early Career Publications

• The Nature of Human Action, edited by Myles Brand. (Scott-Foresman and Company. Glenview, 1970.) He wrote the annotated bibliography as well as three essays within the publication: “Action and Behavior,” “The Logic of Action,” and “Ability, Possibility and Power.”
• The Nature of Causation, edited by Myles Brand. (University of Illinois Press. Urbana, 1976.)
He wrote one essay within the publication entitled “On Defining ‘Causes.’”
• Action Theory: Proceedings of the Winnipeg Conference, co-edited by Myles Brand and Douglas Walton. (Synthese Library Series. D. Reidel Publishing Co. Dordrecht, 1976.) Brand wrote the introductory essay for the publication.
• Action and Responsibility, co-edited by Myles Brand and Michael Brodie. (Bowling Green Studies in Applied Philosophy. Bowling Green, Ohio, 1980.)
• Intending and Acting: Toward a Naturalized Action Theory. (MIT Press/Bradford Books. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1984.) The preface of this book is included in the archive below.
• The Representation of Knowledge and Belief, co-edited by Myles Brand and Robert Harnish. (University of Arizona Press. Tucson, 1986.) Brand wrote the introductory essay for the publication.

A list of everything

“Preface,” Intending and Acting: Toward a Naturalized Action Theory (The MIT Press, 1984)

January 1, 1984


“Remarks by Myles Brand to Statewide Conference on Retention of Minority Students,” given at The Ohio State University

January 11, 1989


“Undergraduate Education: Seeking the Golden Mean,” Educational Record: The Magazine of Higher Education, 73:4, pp. 18-26

November 9, 1992


“Higher Education and Obligations to the Future: The Inaugural Address of Myles Brand,” delivered at Indiana University during his ceremonial inauguration

January 19, 1995


“Lifting Up Our World: How Moral Values Affect the Way We Educate Our Young People,” published in Vital Speeches of the Day; delivered to the Buchanan Counseling Center at Clarion Health Partners, Indianapolis, Indiana

November 19, 1998


“Why Tenure Is Indispensable,” Chronicle of Higher Education, Point of View section, 45:30, pp. A64

April 2, 1999


Indiana University News Conference on Coach Bob Knight Sanctions, including “Sanctions and Directives Resulting from the Conditions for Review” and the agreement signed by Knight

May 15, 2000


Indiana University Press Conference on the Results of the Investigation into Coach Bob Knight; introductions by IU Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations Christopher Simpson; IU President Myles Brand; Vice President of the IU Board of Trustees Frederich Eichorn; and IU Trustee John Walda

May 15, 2000



“When the Going Gets Tough,” The Presidency, 3:3, pp. 14-16

September 1, 2000


Coach Bob Knight Termination Press Conference; introductions by IU Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations Christopher Simpson; IU President Myles Brand; and Vice President of the IU Board of Trustees Frederich Eichorn

September 10, 2000