United States Air Force Academy

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Dr. Carlos Bertha

Professor of Philosophy

Department of Philosophy

Carlos Bertha
Contact Information

(719) 333-8655

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Bio

Dr. Carlos Bertha is a Professor of Philosophy at the US Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Florida (USF) in 1989. After working at the Savannah District Corps of Engineers for 5 years, he returned to USF, this time to study philosophy. He has been at USAFA since June of 2000, teaching Ethics, Analytic Philosophy, Symbolic Logic and Philosophy of Science. He also serves as the Faculty Advisor for the Secular Cadet Alliance. Carlos holds the rank of Colonel in the US Army Reserve. He served a combat tour with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Gardez, Afghanistan. Carlos was an instructor for the Command and General Staff Officers Course, focusing on organizational leadership, joint doctrine, and professional ethics. He currently serves as the Deputy Commander of the Army EPLO Group, under the 76th Operational Response Command. Carlos serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF).

Education

PhD, Philosophy (2000)

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering (1989)

Professional Experience

Professor of Philosophy, U.S. Air Force Academy (2018-present)

Associate Professor of Philosophy, U.S. Air Force Academy (2006-2018)

Assistant Professor of Philosophy, U.S. Air Force Academy (2000-2006)

Mechanical Engineer, US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District (1985-1994)

Honors & Awards

Bronze Star Medal (2008)

Academy Outstanding Educator (2006)

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (1995)

Research and Scholarly Interests

Professional and applied ethics (especially engineering and military ethics)

Ethical theory

Critical thinking

Philosophy of science

Formal logic

Skepticism

Social and political philosophy

Publications

Engineering Ethics: Real World Case Studies, coauthored with Steve Starrett and Amy Lara, American Society of Civil Engineers Press, May 2017

“The Socratic Durkheim,” coauthored with Stephen Turner, in Using the Elementary Forms in Teaching, Terry Godlove, ed., American Academy of Religion, Teaching Religious Studies Series, Oxford University Press, 2004

“Teaching Military Ethics to ROTC Cadets” in Academic Exchange Quarterly, Volume 8, Issue 2, Summer 2004

“Obeying an Outlaw Order” in Globalism and the Obsolescence of the State, Yeager Hudson, ed. (Studies in Social and Political Theory Series, Number 20), Edwin Mellen Press, 1999