Patricia Kitcher

Patricia W. Kitcher (born 1948) is an American philosopher and the Roberta and William Campbell Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University. She is widely recognized for her significant contributions to the philosophy of psychology and her in-depth analyses of the works of Immanuel Kant. Throughout her career, Kitcher has held faculty positions at several universities, including the University of Vermont, the University of Minnesota, and the University of California, San Diego. She also held a visiting position at the University of Michigan before joining Columbia University in 1998. At Columbia, she became the Mark van Doren Professor of the Humanities and chaired the philosophy department. Kitcher's scholarly work has focused on crucial areas such as cognition, Kantian ethics, and the intricacies of self-consciousness. Her doctoral dissertation explored the psychological continuity criterion for personal identity, extending its scope to include broader cognitive characteristics. Her work on Kant has challenged traditional interpretations, particularly concerning his *Critique of Pure Reason*, offering new perspectives on synthetic a priori knowledge and the unity of the self. She has authored two notable books, *Kant's Transcendental Psychology* and *Kant's Thinker*, which have been acclaimed for their depth and innovative approaches. Additionally, Kitcher has explored themes in the philosophy of mind and science, and her work on Sigmund Freud posits him as an early cognitive scientist. She has also contributed significantly to the understanding of Kant's ethical philosophy, including his categorical imperative. Kitcher has been recognized for her contributions to education, receiving the Society of Columbia Graduates' Great Teacher Award in 2017. She has served in leadership roles in professional organizations, including as president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology and the North American Kant Society, and has been on the editorial board of the Journal of Philosophy.