Faculty

Jan-Erik Jones

Professor of Philosophy; Humanities Division Chair; Philosophy Program Coordinator

“Philosophy is the rational search for fundamental truths and asks the foundational questions about the nature of knowledge, reality, and values. Some of the specific topics of philosophical inquiry concern the nature of truth, rationality, science, language, ontology, causation, morality, justice, beauty, art, identity, space, time, law, minds, and personhood. Philosophy establishes the foundations for every other discipline and is the most important subject one could study in college. In my classes, we carefully examine the key arguments and influential thinkers in the core subject areas of philosophy.”

Education

  • Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of California at Irvine, 2002
  • M.A. in Philosophy, Arizona State University, 1997
  • B.A. in Philosophy, Brigham Young University, 1995

Courses

  • Core:
    • Reason and the Self
    • Introduction to Logic
  • Philosophy Major:
    • Epistemology
    • Metaphysics
    • The Rationalists
    • The Empiricists
    • Philosophy of Religion
  • Travel Study:
    • Past trips to England, Ireland, and Washington D.C.

Teaching Positions & Professional Experience

  • Faculty Member, Southern Virginia University, 2002-present

Scholarship & Creative Work

Awards, Leadership & Service

  • Philosophy Program Coordinator, Southern Virginia University, 2017–present
  • Invited to National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminars, 2003, 2010