Robert Charles ("Rob") Koons () (born February 22, 1957) is an American philosopher. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas (UT), noted for his contribution to metaphysics and

philosophical logic Understood in a narrow sense, philosophical logic is the area of logic that studies the application of logical methods to philosophical problems, often in the form of extended logical systems like modal logic. Some theorists conceive philosophical ...

. Koons has also advocated for academic freedom and courses on Western civilization. Koons was born in St. Paul. Son of Charles Bruce and Margaret Constance (Suter) Koons. Bachelor in Philosophy, Michigan State University, 1979. Master of Arts in Philosophy and Theology, Oxford University, England, 1981. Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy, University of California at Los Angeles, 1987. Koons was Assistant professor philosophy University Texas, Austin, 1987-1993, associate professor, 1993-2000, professor, since 2000. Koons was faculty affiliate Christian Leadership Ministries, Dallas, 1987. Member American Philosophical Association, Association Symbolic Logic, Society Christian Philosophers. He was named Claude R. Lambe fellow, Institute Humane Studies, 1986; recipient Gustave O. Arlt prize in humanities Council Graduate Schools, 1992; Richard Weaver fellow Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 1985, Danforth fellow, Danforth Foundation, 1979, Marshall scholar, 1979.

Educational activities

Koons has been involved in debates over issues of academic freedom and has advocated for college exit exams as he believes the measures used currently don't measure how well students learn. He led an effort at UT to create a concentration in Western Civilization and American Institutions. The goal of the program was to promote the study of the "Great Books" of the Western tradition, especially the American founding. Koons stated that the program transcended political differences. Koons is a national Senator of the

Phi Beta Kappa Society The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ar ...

, as well as a member of the executive committee of the

Society of Christian Philosophers The Society of Christian Philosophers (SCP) was founded in 1978. The society is open to anyone interested in philosophy who considers himself or herself a Christian. Membership is not restricted to any particular "school" of philosophy or to any ...

Contemporary metaphysics

Koons is co-editor, with

George Bealer George Bealer is an American philosopher and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Yale University. He is known for his works on philosophy of mind and epistemology. Books * ''The Waning of Materialism: New Essays on the Mind-body Problem'', Oxfor ...

, of ''The Waning of Materialism: New Essays in the Philosophy of Mind'' (Oxford University Press, 2010), a collection of articles by leading analytic philosophers critical of

physicalism In philosophy, physicalism is the metaphysical thesis that "everything is physical", that there is "nothing over and above" the physical, or that everything supervenes on the physical. Physicalism is a form of ontological monism—a "one substanc ...

and

materialism Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materiali ...

. He is engaged in contributing to contemporary metaphysics and the philosophy of religion, including ''Metaphysics: The Fundamentals'' (with co-author Timothy Pickavance; Wiley-Blackwell, 2015) and ''The Atlas of Reality: A Comprehensive Guide to Reality'' (with co-author Timothy Pickavance; Wiley-Blackwell, 2017). .

Works

*''Paradoxes of Belief and Strategic Rationality'' ( Cambridge University Press, 1992) *''Realism Regained: An Exact Theory of Causation, Teleology, and the Mind'' ( Oxford University Press, 2000) *''The Waning of Materialism: New Essays'' (with George Bealer) ( Oxford University Press, 2010) *''Metaphysics: The Fundamentals'' (with Timothy Pickavance), ( Wiley-Blackwell, 2015) *''The Atlas of Reality: A Complete Guide to Metaphysics'' (with Timothy Pickavance), ( Wiley-Blackwell, 2017) *’’Neo-Aristotelian Perspectives on Contemporary Science’’ (with William Simpson and Nicholas Teh), ( Routledge, 2018)

References

External links

Robert Koons' faculty page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koons, Robert C. Living people Philosophy academics American philosophers Analytic philosophers Catholic philosophers Metaphysicians Philosophers of mind Philosophers of religion Philosophers of education Critics of atheism 1957 births