Bruce R Reichenbach
Professor
reichen@augsburg.edu


"My passion for teaching and the rewards I receive come from the students I teach. I enjoy seeing students discover and learn, grow in their appreciation of what they read and study, mature in their critical thinking skills, and come to a greater self-understanding. Philosophy provides the perfect context for these tasks when it explores the history of both Western and Eastern ideas and asks students to discern the meaning, truth, justification, and significance of those ideas. Philosophy also prompts us to ask very personal questions about the meaning and significance of life and about our individual vocation, which is in diverse ways to serve others on behalf of God. Since each of us has to be convinced about his or her own perspective on the truth, I see my role to stimulate ideas. In class and conversation I challenge students to think, not only about the positions they hold, but the reasoning they use to support their views. Through this dialogue and with lots of support, students blossom into careful and creative thinkers, and I hope, into persons of faith.

My interests extend beyond the classroom to my family, racquetball, canoeing, camping, and travel. I have spent time in almost every state, 57 countries, and on all the continents, including living and volunteer teaching for 1 ½ years in Lesotho and Kenya. I have participated in seminars in China, Korea, India, Pakistan, and Russia. I have lectured in Slovenia, and have taken students and faculty to Central America and Namibia. Travel makes it possible to meet persons from different cultures, and to experience the richness and diversity of cultures, geography, flora and fauna.

If you are exploring coming to Augsburg, whether or not you pursue philosophy, I would welcome your inquiry."

Education
B.A. Wheaton College
M.A. Northwestern University
Ph.D. Northwestern University

Current research interests
Currently I am writing invited chapters for books in the philosophy of religion. One addresses arguments for God’s existence, a second the concept of revelation, a third a theory of atonement that focuses on healing, and a fourth on the law of karma in Asian philosophy. A chapter in a fifth book will address the phenomenology of denial of the Armenian and Jewish genocides.

Publications

• My published books include
  • Introduction to Critical Thinking (McGraw-Hill, 2001).
  • Reason and Religious Belief. (Oxford, 1991, 2nd ed. 1998, 3rd ed. 2003). co-author.
  • Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings. (Oxford, 1996, 2nd edition 2001) co-author.
  • On Behalf of God: A Christian Ethic for Biology. (Eerdmans, 1995) co-author.
  • The Law of Karma: A Philosophical Study. (Macmillan, 1990).
  • Evil and a Good God. (Fordham, 1982).
  • Is Man the Phoenix? A Study of Immortality. (Eerdmans, 1978).
  • The Cosmological Argument: A Reassessment. (Charles Thomas, 1972).
    
• I also have published more than sixty articles or chapters in vairous journals and books. A complete list can be found in "Publications" below.

Areas of Teaching at Augsburg College

• In addition to courses in Introduction to Philosophy, Logic, and Critical Thinking, I teach specialized courses.
  • History of Philosophy from Descartes to Nietzsche
  • Twentieth Century Philosophy
  • Philosophy of Religion
  • Asian Philosophy
  • Ethics of Medicine and Health Care

Areas of Involvement in College and Community
Beyond my involvement in committee work, I organize the annual Augsburg Convocation series and Batalden Ethics Seminar, and am responsible for helping students find competitive scholarships for graduate school.

Professors also have a life outside the college. I serve on an Institutional Review Board of Allina Hospitals and am active in my church.

Publications