Maria Josefa Alcaraz Leon

María José Alcaraz León is a Full Professor of Philosophy at the University of Murcia, Spain, specializing in aesthetics and the philosophy of art. She earned her PhD in 2006 from the same institution under Dr. Francisca Pérez Carreño, with a thesis on Arthur Danto's theory of art. She has held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Sheffield and the University of Barcelona (UAB). Currently, she is Vice-President of the Spanish Society of Analytic Philosophy (SEFA) and serves on the editorial board of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Her research focuses on aesthetic theory, environmental aesthetics, and the cognitive and moral dimensions of art.

• Education:
  • Bachelor's in Philosophy, University of Murcia (1999)
  • PhD in Philosophy, University of Murcia (2006)
• Research Interests:
  • Aesthetic judgment and rationality
  • Art and environmental degradation
  • Morality in artistic expression
  • Fiction and imagination
  • Philosophy of music
  • Interdisciplinary aesthetics

Her recent work addresses climate change impacts on aesthetic environments, the role of empathy in performance art, and normative aspects of aesthetic appreciation. She leads or co-leads major research projects funded by Spain's Ministry of Science and international grants like the Templeton Religious Trust. Notable awards include the John Fisher Memorial Prize (2007) and the Young Researchers Award (2012).

Alcaraz León contributes to academic societies and editorial roles, including co-editing The Arts and Philosophy (2016) and serving on SEFA's encyclopedia. Her lab/affiliation is the Phrónesis: Analytic Philosophy Group at the University of Murcia, with ongoing collaborations in Mexico, Sweden, and the U.S.