Alan Baker

Alan R. Baker is an American philosopher and a professor of philosophy at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. His academic specializations include the philosophy of mathematics and the philosophy of science. Baker earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Cambridge in 1991, followed by a master's degree and Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University in 1995 and 1999, respectively. His doctoral advisors were Paul Benacerraf and Gideon Rosen. After a stint as an assistant professor at Xavier University, he joined Swarthmore College in 2003. Philosophically, Baker is a mathematical realist who has explored the role of mathematics in scientific reasoning. In 2005, *The New York Times* featured an excerpt from his "Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology" course exam in its "pop quiz" column. Beyond his academic career, Baker is a notable figure in the shogi community. He founded a shogi club at Swarthmore College in 2005 and is a former U.S. shogi champion, having won the 13th U.S. Shogi Championship in 2008. He has also competed internationally, achieving high rankings and tournament victories. In 2015, Baker was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.