Philosophy Faculty

Bob Corbett

is thinking more now in retirement than he did when he taught full-time. Of special interest to him is Existentialism, especially the areas of authenticity and the creation of meaning. He is especially interested in individualism, and worries a good deal about the levels of paternalism in our society. He spends hours each day on-line running the most active internet site for things that concern Haiti. He also teaches philosophy courses and Haitian related subjects 100% on-line. Bob is a St. Louis native and is becoming the world's leading authority on its "Dogtown" neighborhood. Besides his Internet activities and infrequent campus visits, he often teaches at Webster's Vienna campus.

James Evans

came to Webster University in 1972 to teach history of philosophy and aesthetics. Since 1985 he has been out of the country more often than in, as director of Webster's programs in Leiden, London, and Geneva. He is currently Associate Vice President for International Programs, but still keeps a hand in the department, most recently by developing (well, it is still a work in progress) a website on the history of ancient and medieval philosophy.

Don Morse

specializes in 19th and 20th century European philosophy—especially Existentialism—and in American Pragmatism, with interests in political philosophy and aesthetics too. He is currently at work on several papers that explore the relationship between American and European thought. Don’s courses are interdisciplinary, combining philosophy with art, literature, and film in an effort to render abstract ideas concrete and vital. Don joined the faculty in 2001.

Kate Parsons

is a capable skier but a poor excuse for a gambler—both being traceable to her roots in Reno, Nevada. She directs Webster’s Center for Ethics and teaches a variety of ethics courses, including medical ethics and environmental ethics. Her research concentrates on identity issues, particularly in relation to gender and race, and her work in philosophies of the body is inspired by her own passion for dance. Kate came to Webster in 2000.

Art Sandler

grew up in the Bronx, earned a BA in Mathematics from the City College of New York and an MA in philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh. He reads and thinks about every horror reported by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and just about everything written about the New York Knicks. Each is a relief from the other. These tend to influence his teaching. He is currently directing the human rights portion of Webster's Title VIA grant from the United States Department of Education. Art has been at Webster University since 1970.

Britt-Marie Schiller

is especially interested in exploring issues concerning value and meaning in interdisciplinary contexts. She has served as Coordinator for the Women's Studies Program and Director of Freshman Seminars at Webster. Her current research focuses on philosophy and psychoanalysis, as well as feminist epistemology, especially in the intersection of American and French feminisms. Britt-Marie was Project Director for the Department's National Endowment for the Humanities "Ethics Across the Curriculum" grant. She is a candidate at the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute and also enjoys cooking, listening to music, and cross-country skiing as soon as there is snow on the ground. Britt-Marie came to Webster in 1990, and was recognized for her excellence as a teacher when she received the University's Kemper award in 2000. Whenever possible, she returns to her native Sweden for part of the summer.

Bruce Umbaugh

writes, thinks, and teaches about computing and other technologies. He maintains the X-Ray Net mailing list and the weblog, A blog doesn't need a clever name, and administers the Arts and Sciences Web conferencing system. He also teaches critical thinking, epistemology, history of philosophy, and philosophy of science, as well as serving as Chair of the Department. Bruce is convinced that there are considerable educational and community-building possibilities for networked virtual environments, and regularly teaches philosophy classes online. His research focuses on virtual community and ethics for cyberspace. His new book is On Berkeley, in the Wadsworth Philosophers Series. Bruce came to Webster in 1994. Blame him for the Department's Web pages.