Elizabeth Baeten

Elizabeth Baeten is a Professor at the Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Studies, Emerson College, with primary teaching responsibilities in the Ethics and Values Perspective curriculum. Her interdisciplinary work bridges philosophy, biology, and cultural studies.

Her educational background includes:

• B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
• Ph.D. from the State University of New York, Stony Brook

Professor Baeten's research examines how narratives—both mythic and scientific—shape human understanding of existence. She investigates evolutionary biology, evolutionary ethics, and evolutionary psychology, exploring how these fields influence conceptions of morality. Her book The Magic Mirror: Myth's Abiding Power analyzes myth as a cultural force, while her essays in Contemporary Pragmatism, Studies in Practical Philosophy, and The Pluralist extend these themes into philosophy of biology. She collaborates with Honors students on evolution's implications for morality, emphasizing interdisciplinary connections between scientific theories and ethical frameworks.