Faculty

Biography

I’m a philosopher who loves teaching. For nearly a decade now I’ve enjoyed being part of the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program where biologists, literary experts, historians and many others come together to learn and teach about writing and argument at the intersection of theory and practice. I’m fascinated by the complexity of communication, especially in our increasingly digital world and my current primary fields of focus are argumentation theory, philosophy of technology, and writing studies. Like the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program, these fields are interdisciplinary and benefit from investigating similar questions from different viewpoints rather than siloing ideas within a single disciplinary field. As an instructional track faculty member focused on teaching, I enjoy testing out various ways to engage with research and writing in my classes such as journal clubs, collaborating with community organizations, co-creating assignments with students, investigating the real world writing practices that motivate the work we do in class, and playing with the idea of audience to understand more about our various purposes as writers.

In my spare time I play with dogs, ride bikes, and work during the summer at Full Moon Vista.

Areas of teaching focus

• Argumentation/Ethics of Argumentation
• Philosophy of Communication and Technology
• Community-Engagement
• First-year Writing
• Professional Communications

Projects of Note

I regularly run reading groups for students, staff, and faculty that center around learning about argumentation and emerging technologies. Some recent examples include a community that came together to read Reality+ by David Chalmers, and a metaverse reading group that culminated in the Roc Rainbow Rally, a four day celebration and experiential educational opportunity, as well the creation of the Roc Rainbow Experience.

Selected Publications

• Kathryn Phillips (forthcoming), “Patience and Argumentation,” invited paper for a volume on patience edited by Matthew Pianalto and Sarah Schnitker. This volume is part of a larger series on under examined virtues edited by Nancy Snow and published by the Oxford University Press
• Kathryn Phillips (2021), “Deep Disagreement and Patience as an Argumentative Virtue,” Informal Logic, Special Issue on Argumentation and Social Justice. https://informallogic.ca/index.php/informal_logic/article/view/6689
• Kathryn Phillips and Katherine L. Schaefer, (2019), “Annihilation of Desire in Jain Ethics as a Challenge to Western, Subjectivist Notions of Well-being,” Journal of Science, Culture & Religion: Special Issue focusing on Cross-cultural Studies in Well-Being; call for papers asked for collaborations between philosophers and scientists.http://researcherslinks.com/current-issues/Annihilation-of-Desire-in-Jain/9/26/2144/html
• Kathryn Phillips, (2019), “Patience, Temperance, and Politics,” in Arthur, J. (Ed.), Virtues in the Public Sphere, London: Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429998874