Kevin McCain, Ph.D., has been named the chair of the Department of Philosophy in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences.

McCain has been a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy since 2012 and is an accomplished researcher with areas of specialization in epistemology and philosophy of science.

He earned B.A. and B.S. degrees at Southeast Missouri State University, then conducted his graduate studies in philosophy at the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Rochester where he earned his Ph.D.

During his time at UAB, McCain has been both a productive scholar and an innovative teacher. He has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and authored six books, three of which were published within the past three years: Epistemology: Fifty Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments (2021); Appearance and Explanation: Phenomenal Explanationism in Epistemology (2021); and Understanding How Science Explains the World (2022). In addition, last year, he co-edited Seemings: New Arguments, New Angles with Scott Stapleford and Matthias Steup.

Through his teaching, McCain has developed a range of new courses for the department, including “Meaning of Life: Perspectives,” “Wisdom and the Good Life,” and “Philosophy in Film.” McCain also served as an Honors Faculty Fellow and was the recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Humanities Grant in 2019.

“It’s an honor to become the new chair of the Department of Philosophy. Faculty members consistently produce high quality scholarly work while teaching exceptional courses,” said McCain. “On top of that there is a collective sense that we are on the cusp of great things as a department. UAB Philosophy is poised to grow with purpose by offering valuable new courses and programs.”

"Over the past 12 years, Dr. McCain has made significant contributions to the Department of Philosophy, both in his research and teaching. Now, I am looking forward to supporting his leadership as he and his colleagues grow the department’s academic programs and footprint at UAB," said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kecia M. Thomas. "I also want to express my appreciation to Dr. David Chan for serving as chair of the department for the past five years."

McCain will begin his tenure as chair in August 2024.