Philosophy

Education

• PhD, Philosophy, University of Iowa, 2014
• MA, Philosophy, University of Iowa, 2010
• MA, Philosophy, Western Michigan University, 2007
• BS, Philosophy, Central Michigan University, 2003

Interests and Expertise

Professor Phillips is editor of the journal Precollege Philosophy and Public Practice. His research seeks to expand the boundaries of the philosophy discipline. As a trained modernist, Kris’s work on Descartes, Cavendish, and Shepherd all work to expand the canon by incorporating traditionally underrepresented voices and narratives to the scholarly discussions. He is particularly interested in pursuing metaphilosophical themes in early modern European thought. Additionally, Kris has projects in philosophy for/with children (P4/wC), public philosophy, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the philosophy of education. 

Kris’ teaching interests are quite broad, but in particular he enjoys teaching modern philosophy, ancient philosophy, epistemology, the philosophy of religion, philosophy of education, and modal metaphysics. 

Courses

• PHIL 100 Introduction to Philosophy
• PHIL 223 Medical Ethics
• PHIL 331W Modern Philosophy
• PHIL 602 Teaching Seminar and Practicum

Publications and Presentations

Book (scholarly)

Metaphilosophical and Pedagogical Lessons from Early Modern Philosophy: Recentering Philosophy and the Life Well Lived, Lexington Books (under contract)

Articles and Book Chapters (scholarly)

• “Dialogue, Virtue and Assessment: Teaching for More than Technical Proficiency” in The Art of Teaching Philosophy, ed. Welch. Bloomsbury Academic. Forthcoming.
• “Via Transformativa: Reading Descartes’ Meditations as a Mystical Text” (with Griffioen, A.) in Transformation and the History of Philosophy, eds. Bruno & Vlasits. Routledge. Forthcoming.
• “Two Dogmas of Enlightenment Scholarship” (with Jones, S.) in Pluralizing Philosophy’s Past – New Reflections in the History of Philosophy, eds. Griffioen & Backmann. Palgrave Macmillan (2023), 133-147. 
• “Arrested Development as Philosophy: Family First? What We Owe Our Parents” in The Palgrave Handbook of Popular Culture as Philosophy, ed. Johnson. Palgrave Macmillan (published online 2022, forthcoming in print).
• “Teaching Dance and Philosophy to Non-Majors: The Integration of Movement Practices and Thought Experiments to Articulate Big Ideas” (with Brunsvold Mercedes, M.) in The Bloomsbury Handbook of Dance and Philosophy, eds. Farinas & Van Camp. Bloomsbury Press (2021), 20-35.
• “The Utah Lyceum: Cultivating ‘Reasonablness’ in Southwest Utah” (with Allen, G.) in Growing up with Philosophy Camp, ed. Katz. Rowman and Littlefield (2020), 111-120.
• “The Kids are Alright: Philosophical Dialogue and the Utah Lyceum.” Precollege Philosophy and Public Practice, 1 (1), 2019, 42-57. 
• “Is Philosophy Impractical? Yes, and No, but That is Precisely Why We Need It” in Why the Humanities Matter Today: In Defense of Liberal Education, ed. Trepanier, Lexington Books (2017), 37-64. 
• “Mind and Brain: Toward an Understanding of Dualism” (with Beretta, A. and Whitaker, H.) in Brain, Mind and Consciousness in the History of Neuroscience, eds. Smith & Whitaker. Springer (2014), 355-369. 

Book Reviews

• Review of Heter and Greene’s Punk Rock and Philosophy: Research and Destroy (Open Universe, 2022) in Popular Music (forthcoming).
• Review of Douglas Edwards’ Philosophy Smackdown (Polity Books, 2020) in Pro Wrestling Studies Journal, 2 (1), 2021, 75-77.
• Review of Ariew, Des Chene, Jesseph, Schmaltz, and Verbeek’s Historical Dictionary of Descartes and Cartesian Philosophy (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015) in British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 25 (1) 2016, 209-211. 
• Review of Ariew’s Descartes and the First Cartesians (Oxford 2014) in British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 24 (1) 2015, 178-181

Edited Volume (popular philosophy)

• Arrested Development and Philosophy: They’ve Made a Huge Mistake (with Wisnewski, J.). John Wiley and Sons, 2011.

Articles and Book Chapters (popular and public)

• “Educating Professionals” Prindle Post, (June 2021).
• “An Asynchronous Student Philosophy Conference” (with Stoutenburg, G.) Blog of the American Philosophical Association (July, 2020).
• “A Matter of Taste” Standart Magazine, Issue 13 (November 2018). Translated for Standart Japan, Issue 8 (April 2019).
• “Albert Among the Chowder-head Yokels and Blithering Hayseeds” (with Phillips, J.) in Twin Peaks and Philosophy, eds. Green and Robison-Greene. Open Court Publishing (2018)
• “Diane, I am Now Upside Down” (with McMullen, V.) in Twin Peaks and Philosophy, eds. Green and Robison-Greene. Open Court Publishing (2018).
• “Non-Canonical Texts and Teaching the History of Philosophy Part II” Blog of the American Philosophical Association (Feb, 2017) 
• “Non-Canonical Texts and Teaching the History of Philosophy Part I” Blog of the American Philosophical Association (Jan, 2017)
• “Bojack Horseman and the Danger of the Partially Examined Life” (with Brunnenmeyer, T.) for the AndPhilosophy – Blackwell Pop Culture and Philosophy Blog (July, 2016)
• “I’m Oscar (.com): The Problem(s) of Personal Identity in Arrested Development” in Arrested Development and Philosophy, eds. Phillips and Wisnewksi. John Wiley and Sons (2011).
• “Is Justified True Bluth Belief Knowledge?” (with Coppenger, B.) in Arrested Development and Philosophy, eds. Phillips and Wisnewski. John Wiley and Sons (2011).
• “The Unexamined Cup is not Worth Drinking” in Coffee: Grounds for Debate, eds. Parker and Austin. John Wiley and Sons (2011).

Selected Conference Presentations

• Comments on Thomas Holden’s “Hume on Probability and Necessity,” 49th Meeting of The International Hume Society, Brigham Young University, 2023.
• “Margaret Cavendish’s Defense of (the History of) Philosophy: Scientism Then and Now,” The Cavendish Collective Virtual Workshop, 2023.
• “The Lyceum Programs: Dialogue, Virtue, Reasonableness, and the Ever-Fragile Exercise of Wisdom” Invited Workshop, California State University Northridge, 2023.
• “Dialogue, Virtue, and Assessment: Teaching for More than Technical Proficiency” Association for Philosophy of Education Panel, Pacific APA, 2023.
• “Metaphilosophy for Teaching” Keynote Address: Intermountain Philosophy Conference, Weber State University, 2023.
• “Faculty and Students Together: AFT as a Friendly Face in Southern Utah" (w/ Lindsey Roper) AAUP/AFT Symposium on Shared Governance, Utah Valley University, March 2023.
• Comments on Olivia Branscum’s Symposium “Panpsychism and its Transformational Potential: Revisiting Margaret Cavendish on Gender,” Eastern APA, 2023.
• “Metaphilosophy for Teaching,” North American Association for Philosophy & Education, 2022.
• “Via Transformativa: Reading Descartes’ Meditations as Mystagogy” (w/ Amber Griffioen), 6th International Conference for the European Society for Early Modern Philosophy, University of Copenhagen, 2022.
• “Public Philosophy as Proper Philosophy,” Public Philosophy Network Panel, Public Philosophy as Scholarship, Pacific APA, 2022.
• “Philosophers and Pulp Fiction” Panel presentation – Cogtweeto: CogWeirdo, October 2021.
• Comments on Neal Hebert’s “Metaphysics of Movement: Professional Wrestling as Paradigm for the Globalization in Dance as a Mass Art,” Cogtweeto Online Workshop, 2021.
• “Reasonableness, Logic, and ‘Critical Thinking’ in the Utah Lyceum” APA/AAPT Teaching Hub, Central APA, 2021.
• Comments on Cassie Finley’s “Aristotle and McTaggart on Time,” Cogtweeto Online Workshop, 2021.  
• “Reason in Enlightenment Europe: What Margaret Cavendish can Teach us about Higher Education,” Grace A. Tanner Distinguished Faculty Lecture, Southern Utah University, January 2021
• “Lady Mary Shepherd’s Philosophy of Time,” Intermountain Philosophy Conference, Southern Utah University, 2020.
• “Two Dogmas of Enlightenment: What Margaret Cavendish can Teach Us About Early Modern Philosophy” Invited Philosophy Colloquium, Utah Valley University, 2020.
• Comments on Melanie Tate’s “Considering Oneself as Part of a Whole in Descartes’ Philosophy,” Pacific APA, Vancouver, BC, 2019.

Dissertation

• Cartesian Modality: God’s Nature and the Creation of Eternal and Contingent Truth

Grants, Honors and Awards

• SUU College of Humanities and Social Sciences Outstanding Scholarship Award, 2023
• Finalist: APA/AAPT Prize for Excellence in Philosophy Teaching, 2022
• Finalist: APA/AAPT Prize for Excellence in Philosophy Teaching, 2021
• SUU Grace A. Tanner Distinguished Faculty Lecture, 2021
• Finalist: CMU College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Award, 2020
• SUU Distinguished Educator Award, 2019
• SUU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Curriculum Innovation Grant, 2019
• SUU College of Humanities and Social Sciences Innovative Pedagogy Award, 2018
• SUU College of Humanities and Social Sciences Early Career Award, 2017
• SUU Center or Excellence in Teaching and Learning Curriculum Innovation Grant, 2017
• SUU Athletics Most Valuable Professor, 2016 

Additional Information

Professional Website