Ken Howarth has been teaching at Mercer since 2004, first as an adjunct assistant professor, then fulltime beginning in 2009.

He has three graduate degrees: one in the Western Liberal Arts classics from St. John’s College in Maryland, another in Eastern (Asian) Classics from St. John’s College in New Mexico, and the third in contemporary philosophy from Claremont in California, as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science from Davidson in North Carolina. His dissertation research, under Professor Charles Young at Claremont, centers around virtue ethics and epistemology, specifically with respect to the relationship between ends/goals, rational intuition and practical reasoning.

Professor Howarth received specific training in the scholarship of teaching. He completed Claremont's longstanding Philosophy Teaching Practica Certificate program and competed for two selective programs, Preparing Future Faculty Fellowss and Professional Teacher Training Program Scholars,. Both of these programs are coordinated and modeled with other PFF programs across the country, with classes run by Dr. Laurie Richlin with weekly seminars, guest speakers, faculty-reviewed teaching and conference presentations providing a well-rounded practical introduction to three key faculty performance areas: teaching, scholarship and service—all with respect to sound student outcomes and tenure issues.

His area of specialty is ethics and practical reasoning, especially character/virtue-based ethics, with the history of philosophy, comparative philosophy/ethics,

American philosophy and process philosophy being other key concentrations. Aristotle, Whitehead and Zhuangzi are chief influences on his thought.

Besides Mercer, he has taught philosophy, religion and humanities courses at The College of New Jersey, Rutgers University at Camden, Montclair State University, Rowan University, Rider University, Bucks County College, Felician College, Burlington County College, California State University at San Bernardino, LaVerne University and Cerritos College.

He is a member of the American Philosophical Association (APA) and the American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT).

Ken is a former army officer, business owner, company division and department head working in operations, sales, production, transportation and accounting, store manager, as well as a community center director.

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He grew up in Mercer County, moved away then (eventually) married his 7th grade love and has two boys.