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Pacific Lutheran University

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Keith J. Cooper, Ph.D.

I have taught at PLU since 1984, and am past chair of the Department of Philosophy as well as former dean of the Division of Humanities.  I will be on sabbatical leave for academic year 2006-07.

My office is Hauge 206-B ("Admin."); the phone number is (253) 535-7234, or x7234 from on campus.  E-mail me here.  Click here to go to the Philosophy department's web page.




Personal information

Brdiget   1024x768   88.7K Born in upstate New York, raised in the Boston area, and educated in Massachusetts and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (M.A., Ph.D.), I have lived within walking distance of PLU since moving to the area in 1984.  I am happily married with two grown daughters, each of whom graduated from college in just four years and whom I remember fondly each month as I make student-loan payments.  Bridget (above) costs me much less than they do, but is not as good a conversationalist and has no plans to support me in my old age.

Teaching interests

The majority of my teaching is for non-majors.  I offer a basic introduction to philosophy course most semesters and summers, teach symbolic logic each fall, and lately have been teaching a course called "Creation and Evolution" in our four-week January term.  I also frequently teach upper-division courses in philosophy of religion and philosophy of science, and have experience teaching early modern philosophy and 20th-century analytic philosophy.  Many of my courses are informed by my graduate minor in the history of science and my master's degree in theology.

Philosophical Interests

My main areas of specialization are the philosophy of religion and the philosophy of science.  I am especially interested in questions about methodology in both areas - how one goes about acquiring reasonable beliefs.  My firm conviction is that both scientific and religious theorizing involve what is often called abductive reasoning:  "arguments to the best explanation".

Another focus of interest is in questions of science & religion.  My sabbatical project involves exploration of various questions concerning Intelligent Design.

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