Oscar Barragan

Dr. Oscar Barragán is a Teaching Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Penn State Berks. He joined the Division of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in the Fall 2021, after working for different institutions across the country. He comes to Berks with a wealth of experience teaching undergraduate courses in ethics, introduction to philosophy, aesthetics, modern philosophy, and philosophy of mind. His interest in ethics and aesthetics is closely linked to questions concerning the nature of material objects, culture, and the evolution of the human mind. The goal of his current research is to establish a framework for understanding how physical objects come into existence and cease to exist. He received a doctorate in Philosophy from Temple University and a Master of Liberal Arts in Philosophy and Cognitive Science from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Barragán grew up in Venezuela and moved to the US to pursue studies in Philosophy.

Dr. Barragán believes that education should be the means for the moral development of citizens. His courses emphasize analytical thinking and the understanding of democratic citizenship as a living practice of rational questioning. Accordingly, his aim is to prepare students for success in a competitive labor market, by nurturing their understanding of logic and arguments. He encourages students’ use of philosophical analysis to address the ethical, political, economic, and existential challenges that we face today.