Faculty Profiles

Megan Zwart

Megan Zwart

Associate Professor
Department Chair
Philosophy
158 Spes Unica Hall

Phone 

Megan teaches classes in the history of philosophy, ethics, and applied ethics. Megan’s research argues that philosophy should be accessible to all, and widely practiced in its most ancient form: as a transformative way of life in which intellectual and practical exercises help one pursue consistency between her beliefs and her actions. In the classroom, Megan models this approach to philosophy in experiential learning classes, including Medical Ethics, Social Justice (a class on the ethics of food production and distribution), and Dialogue and Civil Discourse (a course that equips students to engage with others across ideological difference). Megan is the founding director of The Dialogue Project at Saint Mary's and directs Dialogue and Democracy, a summer academic institute for high school girls.

Education 

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame (2010)
BA, Calvin College (2000)

Areas of Expertise 

  • Phenomenology and Hermeneutics
  • Ethics of Eating
  • Hellenistic Philosophy
  • Philosophical Pedagogy

Research Interests 

  • Dialogue Across Difference
  • Philosophical Pedagogy
  • Ethics of Eating

Courses Recently Taught 

  • Phil 110: Introductory
  • Philosophy Phil 255: Medical Ethics
  • Phil 254: Social Justice
  • Phil 233: Philosophy of Gender
  • Phil 291: Dialogue and Civil Discourse
  • Phil 354: Ethics

Creative and Scholarly Work 

  • Case Study of PHIL 291: Dialogue and Civil Discourse. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Special Edition: Pedagogy of the Polarized. December 2021
  • "Forget Plato’s Philosopher Kings. We need Philosopher Folks." America Magazine. July 9, 2021 (https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/07/09/philosopher-folks-conve...)
  • "Reimagining our Kinship with Animals." Co-authored with Matthew C. Halteman. Beyond Stewardship, eds. David Paul Warners and Matthew Kuperus Heun. Calvin Press 2019
  • "Philosophy as Therapy for Recovering (Unrestrained) Omnivores." Co-authored with Matthew C. Halteman. Philosophy Comes to Dinner, eds. Andrew Chignell, Terence Cuneo and Matthew C. Halteman. Routledge 2015
  • "Philosophy as Transformative Experience: The Case Study of Philosophy 254: Social Justice.’" Philosophy Without Walls, eds. Ramona Ilea and Julinna Oxley. Routledge 2015

Professional Memberships 

  • American Philosophical Association
  • The Heidegger Circle