Faculty Bio

Dr. Timothy Harvie

Professor, Philosophy and Ethics. Program Coordinator, Liberal Studies, General Studies, and Social Justice and Catholic Studies

Phone: 403-254-3742
Email: timothy.harvie@stmu.ca

After completing an Masters in Arts and Religion at what is now Ambrose University where my thesis developed a metaphysics of symbolic speech in dialogue with the philosophers Paul Ricoeur and Martin Buber, I journey to Scotland for doctoral studies at the University of Aberdeen. There I researched and wrote on the political and eschatological ethics of the mid-twentieth century German theologian, Jürgen Moltmann. This work became the basis of my first book, titled Jürgen Moltmann’s Ethics of Hope: Eschatological Possibilities for Moral Action (Routledge). I proceeded with further studies at the University of Wales in Lampeter where I received a postdoctoral license writing on the intersections of religion and science.

Since returning to Calgary, I have taught at St. Mary’s University and my research interests have expanded to political philosophy, economic ethics, but more prominently ecotheology and ecophilosophy. These latter interests have occupied much of my recent writing and has lead me to investigate diverse thinkers such as the French phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty and the 17th century thinker Benedict Spinoza. Topics such as our response to non-human animals, the ecological crisis, and human engagement with the more-than-human world have become central in my thinking. These questions are formed at the intersections of history, science, philosophy, religion, and politics. I have published several articles on various aspects of these subjects with an eye to social justice.

Teaching undergraduate students is a passion of mine and I engage in a dialogical and Socratic style, encouraging students to reflect deeply and critically on questions both topical and perennial. Nurturing curious and critical minds alongside compassionate hearts has been central to my approach in the classroom. I am excited to see students discover and explore their intellectual interests and become more themselves.

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Specialization/Research Interest

History of philosophy; ecology; ecotheology/ecophilosophy; social ethics; religion and science; economic ethics

Education

LicDD, University of Wales (Religion and Science)
PhD, University of Aberdeen (Theology and Ethics)
MAR, Ambrose University (Philosophy and Theology)
BTh, Ambrose University