ABOUT ME

My passion is thinking about the nature of understanding and, in particular, about the kind of understanding that arises in situations where it seems especially difficult to achieve. I study the ways in which language, dialogue, and critical self-reflection play an important role in such situations. My work on these topics is grounded in a deep appreciation of the history of philosophy (careful analysis of texts is a core part of my research) as well as a concern about the problems created when knowing and understanding are conceived of in a reductive way. The latter concern informs work that I have done in medical humanities and the philosophy of education.

EDUCATION

University of Oregon, Philosophy, 2010, PhD
University of Oregon, Philosophy, 2007, MA
Oglethorpe University, Philosophy, 2004, BA

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Philosophical Hermeneutics
Theories of Knowledge and Understanding
Philosophy of Language, Dialogue, and Communication
Twentieth-century Continental Philosophy
Ethics, especially the Ethics of Communication, Bioethics, and Virtue Ethics
Feminist Philosophy

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

I am Professor of Philosophy and Program Coordinator of the Philosophy BA Program at Florida Gulf Coast University. I also serve on the Executive Committee of the North American Society for Philosophical Hermeneutics and as a book series co-editor (with Jeff Malpas and Claude Romano) for the series Contributions to Hermeneutics (Springer Press). Before joining the faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University, I taught as a Visiting Assistant Professor at University of Maine Farmington and Elon University.

CONTACT ME

CONTACT

You can use this form to contact me if you have questions about my courses or my research.

PHONE

1-239-745-4238

ADDRESS

Dept. of Communication & Philosophy

Florida Gulf Coast University

10501 FGCU Blvd S.

Fort Myers, FL 33965

E-MAIL

cculbertson@fgcu.edu