The doctoral dissertation completed at New York University by Noël Carroll provided an in-depth analysis of The General, a foundational work by Buster Keaton. Born in Far Rockaway, New York, in 1947, Carroll emerged as a central figure in contemporary aesthetics, specializing in the cognitive study of cinema, television, and the broader intersection of philosophy and popular culture.
Academic Foundations
Carroll earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University in 1969. His graduate training was extensive, encompassing Master of Arts degrees in philosophy, cinema studies, and further philosophical training from the University of Pittsburgh, New York University, and the University of Illinois Chicago. He subsequently obtained two distinct PhDs, one focused on cinema studies and another in philosophy, with the latter completed at the University of Illinois Chicago in 1983.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Journalism and Early Criticism
Between 1972 and 1988, Carroll worked as a journalist covering theater, film, dance, and fine art. His professional contributions appeared in publications such as The Village Voice, Artforum, Dance Magazine, SoHo Weekly News, In These Times, and the Chicago Reader. Much of his reportage from this era, which preceded his formal tenure as a distinguished professor, was later compiled in his 2011 book, Living in an Artworld.
Philosophical Contributions
Carroll is noted for his defense of cognitive theories regarding the moving image and his critique of Marxist or psychoanalytic film theories, most notably in his 1988 work Mystifying Movies: Fads and Fallacies in Contemporary Film Theory. His broader philosophical inquiry covers the definition of art, moderate intentionalism, and the aesthetics of horror, as explored in his 1990 book, The Philosophy of Horror, or Paradoxes of the Heart.
Teaching and Institutional Recognition
Since 2007, Carroll has served as a distinguished professor in the philosophy program at the CUNY Graduate Center. Throughout his career, he has held professorships at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Temple University, while also teaching at Columbia, Wesleyan, and Cornell. In 2025, he was inducted as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, having previously received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2002.
Fast facts
- Born: 1947, Far Rockaway, United States
- Education: Hofstra University, NYU, University of Pittsburgh, University of Illinois
- Current Position: Distinguished Professor, CUNY Graduate Center
- Notable Book: The Philosophy of Horror, or Paradoxes of the Heart (1990)
- Professional Membership: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Award: Guggenheim Fellowship (2002)
- Fields of Work: Philosophy, Aesthetics, Cinema Studies
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Carroll's work on cinema?
He is a prominent proponent of cognitive theories of the moving image and has written extensively on film genres, suspense, point-of-view editing, and the documentary.
Has Carroll written about art forms other than film?
Yes, his research includes the philosophies of literature, painting, theater, dance, and television, as well as general theories of media and criticism.
Achievements
- Held posts at CUNY Graduate School and University Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison and Temple University
- Fields: philosophy
