University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Bio

David L. Hildebrand is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Denver. Prior to coming UCD he taught at Rice University, The University of Memphis, and the University of Houston, among other schools. Before undertaking graduate study in philosophy, he was a Director of Education and Public Relations at a non-profit arts organization in Washington, D.C.

In addition to teaching and advising students, Professor Hildebrand is an active researcher and presenter in philosophy, and serves numerous academic societies and journals. He's also responsible for creating and maintaining a number of philosophical websites (including his own davidhildebrand.org), and that of University of Colorado Denver's Philosophy department website. He's an avid fan of the jazz guitar and classical piano.

Professor Hildebrand's primary research areas include American Philosophy, Pragmatism & Neopragmatism, and epistemology. He is particularly interested in the application of pragmatism to areas outside of philosophy, such as teaching and public administration. Besides authoring articles on John Dewey, Kenneth Burke, Charles Peirce, and other figures in American philosophy, he is the author of Beyond Realism and Antirealism: John Dewey and the Neopragmatists, a book Richard Rorty called "intelligent, well informed and well argued." His latest book is entitled Dewey (Oxford: Oneworld Press, 2008).

Select Publications

2008 John Dewey: A Beginner's Guide. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Press, 2008. (Book)

2003 Beyond Realism and Antirealism: John Dewey and the Neopragmatists. Vanderbilt University Press, 2003. (Book)

2006 "Does Every Theory Deserve A Hearing? Evolution, Creationism, and the Limits of Democratic Inquiry." Southern Journal of Philosophy XLIV: June 2006, pp. 217-236.

2005 "Academics Are Intellectual Entrepreneurs." Peer Review, Association of American Colleges and Universities, Spring 2005, pp. 30-31.

2005 "Pragmatism, Neopragmatism, and Public Administration." Administration & Society, 37:3, July 2005, pp. 345-359.

2000 "Putnam, Pragmatism, and Dewey." Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society. 36:1, 2000, pp. 109-132.

1999 "Philosophy's Relevance and the Pattern of Inquiry." Teaching Philosophy 22:4, 1999, pp. 375-387.

1996 "Genuine Doubt and the Community in Peirce’s Theory of Inquiry." Southwest Philosophy Review 12:1, 1996, pp. 33-43.

1995 "Was Kenneth Burke a Pragmatist?" Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society. 31:3, 1995, pp. 632-658.

1993 "Kimball on Whitehead on Perception." Process Studies 22:1, 1993, pp. 13-20.

Courses Taught

PHIL 1012: Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 1020: Ethics and Society
PHIL 4101/5101: Pragmatism: Classical American Philosophy
PHIL 4740/5740: Empiricism
PHIL ST: 4220/5220: Philosophy of Art
PHIL ST: 4812/5812: Philosophy of Media and Technology