Biography:

Keith Cooper has been teaching at PLU since 1984. His graduate degrees in philosophy are from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; he also has a master's degree in theology. His main areas of interest are the philosophy of religion and the philosophy of science, especially the question of methodological parallels between metaphysical inquiry and scientific theorizing (e.g., abductive reasoning). Favorite courses, in addition to those areas, include Formal Logic and The Examined Life. He has served as department chair and as dean of the Division of Humanities, as well as on many university committees.

Education:

• B.A., Gordon College, 1976
• MTS, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 1979
• M.A., University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1981
• Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1988

Biography:

Teaching I regularly teach courses in the areas of ethics, existentialism, and political philosophy. * PHIL 125 introduces the history of moral philosophy, highlighting both the historical development and contemporary treatments of foundational theories. With an eye toward understanding the way the discourse of moral philosophy has evolved, the goal is to provide students an occasion to think philosophically that becomes existentially relevant. This course is also offered as a First year Inquiry Seminar (PHIL 190). PHIL 125 Travel Course. During the January term, I teach the Philosophy 125 course abroad. We begin by going to England where we spend time in Cambridge and London. We then move to Berlin, Germany and finally to Greece. In each place we read appropriate philosophers (both historical and contemporary), yet we also experience the cultural and social dimensions that provide a glimpse into the settings from which Western moral theory has emerged. * PHIL 238 is an advanced introduction to existentialism. Beginning with the question of whether there is such a tradition, we take up themes in a variety of thinkers associated with the existentialist tradition (including those who refused the very label). Accordingly, we treat key historical figures of the 19th century (Kierkegaard, Nietzsche), 20th century (Sartre, Camus) and ways this tradition might be thought forward into the 21st century (Vattimo, Rorty). We also take seriously those often known as religious existentialists (Marcel, Buber and Tillich), along with feminist assessments and extensions of this tradition (Beauvoir and Arendt). * Other courses I teach are PHIL 228: Social and Political philosophy, which focuses historically and/or topically on key ideas and thinkers such as the course “Politics, Violence and War,” that I will be teaching Fall 2009. Research My research has been preoccupied with question of the of utopian in contemporary ethical and political practices. I have developed a non-conventional understanding of the utopian within the Continental traditions of phenomenology and hermeneutics. My book on this subject, Elements of the Utopian, will be published in 2010. I have two projects underway. First, I am developing a notion of vocation and wisdom that begins with Goethe’s notion of Tätigkeit (restless activity), is taken up by the Early German Romantics (especially Friedrich Schlegel and Novalis) in the understanding of Bildung and Poesy, and that which culminates in existentialism of the 19th and 20th century. The result is a notion of wisdom and philosophical vocation that gives us courage to face a world responsibly in spite of the loss of ultimate meaning. Second, I am beginning work on an idea of political ethics that is more realistic to the lived experiences that constitute ethical and political life. In this project I draw on the work of Paul Ricoeur, Bernard Williams and Raymond Geuss to fashion an alternative understanding of practical philosophy. As with all of my work, these projects are variations on the Ancient philosophical understanding of philosophy as a way of life.

Education:

• B.A., Carson-Newman College, 1986
• M.Div, Southern Seminary, 1991
• Th.M, Southern Seminary, 1994
• Ph.D, The University of Oregon, 1999

Biography:

Pauline Kaurin came to PLU in 1997, having received a B.A. in Philosophy and International Relations at Concordia College (Moorhead), an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg) and a Ph.D at Temple University in Philadelphia. She regularly teaches classes in Business Ethics, Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Law, as well as International Core and Writing seminars on war. Her areas of scholarly interest are Just War Theory, Military Ethics (especially the questions of non-combatant immunity and moral education), Religious Toleration, the philosophies of 18th century Scottish philosopher David Hume and 19th century German philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche. She resides in Tacoma with her husband, Gregory, (who is a Lutheran pastor) two cats (Tigger and Mr Hobbes) and a dog (Katy Luther.) She dabbles in gourmet cooking, gardening, traveling, being a pop-culture 'junkie' and country music.

Education:

• B.A., Concordia College, Moorhead, 1991
• M.A., University of Manitoba, 1993
• Ph.D., Temple University, 1997

Biography:

Hannah Love arrived at PLU in the fall of 2007, with her MA and PhD from the University of Virginia. She teaches several applied ethics courses, among them Family Ethics, Business Ethics, and Biomedical Ethics. Her primary research interests include the nature of emotion and its relationship to reason and moral action: specifically, how our patterns of emotion shape the way in which we reason.

Education:

• B.A., Philosophy, University of the South (Sewanee), 1999
• M.A., Philosophy, University of Virginia, 2005
• Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Virginia, 2007

Biography:

Erin McKenna is a Professor of Philosophy, former Chair of Philosophy and former chair of Women's Studies. She specializes in feminist theory and American Pragmatism, focusing on issues of social and political philosophy. Her book, The Task of Utopia: A Pragmatist and Feminist Perspective (Rowman and Littlefield, 2001) focuses on the work of John Dewey. She has recently co-edited a volume titled Animal Pragmatism which came out in the spring of 2004 from Indiana University Press. Some of her articles include "Pragmatism and Primates," “Women, Power, and Meat,” “Feminism and Vegetarianism,” “ The Occupied West Bank,” and “Some Reflections Concerning Feminist Pedagogy.” Erin McKenna has also co-edited Jimmy Buffett and Philosophy for Open Court in 2009. She regularly teaches courses on Women and Philosophy every fall: Philosophy, Animals, and the Environment, every spring; Ethics and the Good Life; Social and Political Philosophy; and Pragmatism and American Philosophy. McKenna has been teaching at PLU since 1992. She joins us with her PhD from Purdue University in Indiana.

Education:

• B.A., Claremont McKenna College, 1987
• M.A., Purdue University, 1990
• Ph.D., Purdue University, 1992

Biography:

Paul Menzel has taught philosophy at Pacific Lutheran University since 1971, having been educated at Wooster, Yale, and Vanderbilt. Teaching widely in philosophy and cross-disciplinary curricula, he has also published specialized scholarly work in health care ethics and two books on moral questions in health care economics. His courses since 2002, when he resumed full-time teaching after administrative service, have been Biomedical Ethics, Business Ethics, a course on Human Rights in the International Core curriculum, and in the fall 2006 the Philosophy Advanced Seminar on “The Nature of Human Well-Being.” He regularly chose to teach one of his courses as an Inquiry Seminar in the First-Year Experience Program. He has served the university in various administrative positions, including Provost 1994-2002. From 2003 to 2007 he directed the campus project on the theological exploration of vocation, The Wild Hope Project, that continues with its longstanding support of the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Paul entered phased retirement in 2008, teaching one class a year in January Term until 2012 (in January of 2009 the course will be an advanced biomedical ethics course on questions about human identity as they relate to bioethics). He was married to Susan Blank, an artist and junior high school art teacher, from 1984 until her untimely death in September 2007. His family includes four stepchildren and an increasing number of grandchildren. His avocational interests include political issues, cooking, art and architecture, and travel. Since 2004 Susan and Paul’s permanent home, which Paul continues to keep, has been near Coupeville, Whidbey Island, WA.

Education:

• B.A., College of Wooster, 1964
• B.D., Yale University, 1967
• Ph.D., Philosophy, Vanderbilt University, 1971

Education:

• B.A, Philosophy & History, Gonzaga University, 1993
• M.A., Philosophy, Fordham University, 1998
• Ph.D., Philosophy, Fordham University, 2004