Faculty and Staff
Fall 2026 Office Hours will be posted at the start of the semester.
Front Office
Janet D. Stemwedel
Chair
Ph.D., Philosophy, Stanford
Ph.D., Chemistry, Stanford
janet.stemwedel@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Science (esp. Chemical Theory and Practice), Metaphysics (esp. Causation),
Ethics of Science, History of Science, Feminist Philosophy of Science
Kristine Adams
Administrative Analyst
kristine.adams@sjsu.edu
Anna Weber
Department Support Coordinator
anna.weber@sjsu.edu
Full-Time Faculty
Jason Aleksander
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
jason.aleksander@sjsu.edu
Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Dante Studies
Riana Betzler
Ph.D., History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge
riana.betzler@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Science (esp. biomedical, social, and psychological sciences), Ethics
(esp. biomedical), Moral Psychology
Karin Brown
Ph.D., Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York
karin.brown@sjsu.edu
Ethics and Political Theory, Feminist Philosophy, Buddhist Philosophy
Rebecca Chan
Undergraduate Advisor | Pre-Law Advisor
Ph.D., University of Notre Dame
J.D., University of Colorado Boulder
rebecca.s.chan@sjsu.edu
Metaphysics, Metaethics, Philosophy of Law, Philosophy of Religion
Noah Friedman-Biglin
Graduate Advisor
Ph.D., Joint Programme in Philosophy at the University of St Andrews and the University
of Stirling
noah.friedman-biglin@sjsu.edu
History of Analytic Philosophy, Philosophy of Logic, Philosophy of Mathematics
Farhan Lakhany
Ph.D., University of Iowa
farhan.lakhany@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Technology (esp. AI), Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Jordan Liz
Undergraduate Advisor
Ph.D., University of Memphis
jordan.liz@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Race, Philosophy of Medicine, Bioethics
Emmie Malone
Ph.D., University at Albany, SUNY
emmie.malone@sjsu.edu
Aesthetics, Philosophy of Art, Philosophy of Gender (esp. Queer Theory & Trans Philosophy),
Global History of Philosophy, Applied Ethics (esp. AI Ethics)
Bo Mou
Ph.D., University of Rochester
bo.mou@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Language, Metaphysics, Chinese Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy (through
cross-tradition engagement toward world philosophy)
Carlos Alberto Sanchez
Graduate Advisor
Ph.D., University of New Mexico
carlos.sanchez@sjsu.edu
History of Mexican Philosophy, Phenomenology
Lecturer Faculty
Fern Alberts
M.A., San José State University
fern.alberts@sjsu.edu
Lisa Bernasconi
M.A., San José State University
lisa.bernasconi@sjsu.edu
Ethics, Political Philosophy, Metaphysics
Javier Cardoza-Kon
M.A. (Great Books), St. John's College
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz
javier.cardoza-kon@sjsu.edu
20th Century Continental/European Philosophy, Technology and Politics, Deconstruction,
Indigenous Science, Native American Philosophy
Andrew Delunas
M.A., Philosophy, University of Missouri-St. Louis
andrew.delunas@sjsu.edu
Early Modern Philosophy (esp. Hume), Pragmatism, Consciousness
Janet Giddings
M.A., Philosophy, San José State University
M.A., Theology, University of San Francisco
janet.giddings@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, Gambling
Trevor Gullion
M.A., Philosophy, San José State University
trevor.gullion@sjsu.edu
Tim Johnston
Ph.D., Stony Brook University
timothy.johnston@sjsu.edu
Philosophy and Aging, Feminist and Queer Theory, 20th Century French Philosophy, Care
Ethics
Michael Jordan
M.A., San José State University
michael.jordan@sjsu.edu
Ethics, Phenomenology, Existentialism
Deena Lin
Ph.D., Claremont Graduate University
deena.lin@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Religion, Comparative Religion, Poststructuralist Philosophy, Feminist
Philosophy
Harlan McGhan
M.A., Philosophy, Princeton University
harlan.mcghan@sjsu.edu
History and Logic of Science, Epistemology, Ethics
David McReynolds
M.A., Philosophy, San José State University
david.mcreynolds@sjsu.edu
Raymond Noriega
M.A., Philosophy, San José State University
raymond.noriega@sjsu.edu
Nathan Osborne
M.A., San José State University
nathan.osborne@sjsu.edu
Existentialism and Critical Theory
Krupa Patel
Ph.D., University of New Mexico
krupa.patel@sjsu.edu
Epistemology (esp. perception)
George J. Pinto
M.A., London School of Economics
M.A., San José State University
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
george.pinto@sjsu.edu
Business and Professional Ethics
Iman Roohnavaz
M.A. Philosophy, San Francisco State University
M.A. Philosophy, Shahid Beheshti University (Tehran, Iran)
iman.roohnavaz@sjsu.edu
By Era: Ancient Greek Philosophy, Contemporary Continental Philosophy, Islamic Philosophy
By Topic: Ethics, Political Philosophy, Aesthetics
Casey Smith
M.A., San José State University
casey.smith@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Expertise, Experimental Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology,
Philosophy of Religion, Logic
Kyle Sugar
M.A., Philosophy, San José State University
kyle.hertsch@sjsu.edu
John C. Wilhelmsson
M.A., San José State University
john.wilhelmsson@sjsu.edu
Ethics, Phenomenology, Edith Stein
Kyle Yrigoyen
M.A., San José State University
kyle.yrigoyen@sjsu.edu
Philosophy of Technology, General Philosophy of Science, Ethics
Emeritus Faculty
Phil Davis
Thomas W. Leddy
Jim Lindahl
Joe Waterhouse
In Memoriam
- Carolyn Black (1936-2010)
- Jarrett Brock (1936-2016)
- Lucius R. Eastman (1937-2011)
- Doug Henslee (1948-2010)
- Ruth Manor (1944-2005)
- Mike Newkirk (d. 2008)
- Barbara Scholz (1947-2011)
- Richard Tieszen (1951-2017)
- Dan C. Williamson (1950-2023)
- Anand Jayprakash Vaidya (1976-2024)
- Elizabeth Sonnier (1953-2024)
- Peter Koestenbaum (1928-2024)
