Dean A. Kowalski

Dean Kowalski is Professor of Philosophy and the inaugural chairperson of the Arts & Humanities Department in the College of General Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a graduate of Ripon College, earning undergraduate degrees in philosophy and history. He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from UW-Madison. He has authored, edited, or co-edited nine books, each with some connection to popular culture and philosophy: Classic Questions and Contemporary Film (2nd edition in 2015), The Philosophy of The X-Files (2nd edition in 2009), The Philosophy of Steven Spielberg, The Philosophy of Joss Whedon, Moral Theory at the Movies, The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy, Joss Whedon as Philosopher, Indiana Jones and Philosophy, and The Palgrave Handbook of Popular Culture as Philosophy. He was born and raised in Wisconsin, and is a life-long Green Bay Packers fan. He is married and has two children. When he is not busy "Muldering-out" the truth--which *is* out there--he enjoys exercising, going to the movies, quiet nights with his wife, sampling craft IPAs (having yet to discover Mudder's Milk), and dropping well-placed pop culture references. Although he hasn't sent Rupert Murdoch 30 pieces of silverware, he agrees with Sheldon Cooper that Friday evenings aren't the same without his beloved Firefly. Murdoch!...Murrr-doch!!!