Karen J. Warren

Karen J. Warren (September 10, 1947 – August 21, 2020) was an American author, scholar, and former professor and chair of philosophy at Macalester College. She received her B.A. in philosophy from the University of Minnesota and her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Before her tenure at Macalester, she was a Professor of Philosophy at St. Olaf College. Warren served as the Ecofeminist-Scholar-in-Residence at Murdoch University and was an Oxford University Round Table Scholar. She spoke internationally on environmental issues, feminism, and critical thinking. Diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) in 2016, she became an advocate for end-of-life options. Warren believed in public access to philosophy, describing herself as a "street philosopher," and taught in various community settings. Her work, translated into multiple languages, includes "Ecofeminist Philosophy: A Western Perspective on What It Is and Why It Matters" and "An Unconventional History of Western Philosophy: Conversations Between Men and Women Philosophers." She was passionate about gardening, painting, nature, and animals.