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Edwin McCann

Professor of Philosophy and English
Edwin McCann
Email mccann@usc.edu Office MHP 113 Office Phone (213) 740-5169

Research & Practice Areas

Early Modern Philosophy, Wittgenstein, Philosophy of Mind

Biography

Born in Ventura, Calif. and grew up in San Fernando Valley. B.A. in Philosophy from UC Santa Cruz 1971, and Ph.D. in Philosophy University of Pennsylvania 1975. Asst. Prof. of Philosophy at Harvard University 1975-78; Asst. Prof. of Philosophy at MIT 1978-83; from 1983, Asst., Assoc., and full Prof. at USC. Visiting professorial appointments at UCLA, UCI, Claremont Graduate University, Harvard (2000-1), UC Berkeley (2004-5). President of Academic Senate, 2003-4; Faculty Master of North Residential College 2008-; Vice Dean for Faculty, USC College, 2007-8: USC Associates Award in Teaching, 1997. Research specialty: history of early modern philosophy (especially Locke, Kant, Descartes, Hume, Leibniz, Newton, Boyle,and Galileo; also interested in the later philosophy of Wittgenstein and in contemporary philosophy of mind. Teaching: a wide variety of courses in philosophy, as well as in Thematic Option (where I have taught CORE 101, CORE 102, CORE 103, and CORE 104 at various times.)

Education

  • Ph.D. Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania, 8/1975
  • B.A. Philosophy, University of California, Santa Cruz, 6/1971

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    Professor McCann studies the history of modern philosophy, especially Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, Newton, and Kant. He is also currently exploring the philosophy of Wittgenstein, and contemporary philosophy of mind and action.

    • USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award, 2012-2013
    • USC Associates Award For Excellence In Teaching, 1997
    • Mortar Board Faculty of the Month, 1993/01

  • Other Service to the University

    • President of Academic Senate, 2003-2004
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