معرفی
Mitch Clearfield is a Senior Lecturer of Philosophy and General Studies at Whitman College. His academic work centers on the philosophy of language, pragmatism, and the intersection of philosophy with criminal justice and applied ethics.
- Education: M.A. from University of Notre Dame, B.A. from University of Pennsylvania
Clearfield's research explores how language connects the mind and external world, drawing heavily on Ludwig Wittgenstein's early 20th-century philosophy. He also investigates contemporary pragmatism through the works of Donald Davidson, Richard Rorty, and Robert Brandom. Since relocating to Walla Walla, his interests expanded to include the philosophy of criminal justice, leading to courses and collaborations with local prison reform initiatives.
His teaching includes courses like Contemporary Pragmatism, Wittgenstein, and Case Studies in Applied Ethics, the latter conducted inside the Washington State Penitentiary with both campus and incarcerated students. He contributes to Whitman's Prison Research Group and volunteers with criminal justice-related non-profits.
Outside academia, Clearfield enjoys cooking, hiking, card games, and has a newfound freedom to pursue cat ownership without allergy concerns.
