List includes Carrie Underwood, other country music stars

Philosophy professor Caleb Clanton never expected to be named one of Nashville's finest-looking residents.

"Philosophers aren't exactly known to be the best looking people," he said.

But to his surprise and embarrassment, Nashville Lifestyle Magazine's "25 Most Beautiful People" contacted him last fall based on a nomination put forth, most likely, by his own students.

The magazine offers a picture of Clanton standing in front of Kirkland Hall and a brief biography. Other honorees include Nashville country music stars such as Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley. Vanderbilt alumnus M.J. Garrett, of "Real World: Philadelphia," also made the list.

Originally from Alabama, Clanton has resided in Nashville for six years since coming to Vanderbilt for graduate school, eventually receiving a doctorate on "The Problem of Religion in the American Public Square" at Vanderbilt.

Clanton admits he has received e-mails from friends and random women around the world as a result of the magazine feature.

When asked if the feature might have affected class enrollment for the spring semester, Clanton said, "If it did, then it already had."

This semester 125 people signed up for his General Logic section, and 95 students were bumped from the course.

While taking class with one of Nashville's most beautiful people may seem appealing to students, Clanton said he would not dare think the two were related.

Clanton plans to stay at Vanderbilt for as long as he can. He is currently working on research projects in issues of applied ethics, technology and management and deliberative democracy.

In addition, Clanton will soon release his book "Religion and Democratic Citizenship" in which he explores differing views in relation to the reasoning for the justification of public policy.

He is also scheduled to teach a Maymester course entitled "Religion and the Democratic Public Square," which will discuss the tension between religion and democratic politics.