The Catholic University for Independent Thinkers
Professor
Department of Philosophy
Location: Augustine Hall 103
Office Phone: 972-721-5005
Email: wfrank@udallas.edu
Bill Frank, professor of philosophy, has taught at the University of Dallas since fall 1986. Among his special interests and competencies he counts the history of medieval philosophy, Duns Scotus, metaphysics, the philosophy of education, and contemporary Catholic philosophy.
As for his education, after attending primary and secondary schools in Hampton, Virginia, Bill attended Hampton Institute, a prominent historically black college, from which he received a B.A. with a major in philosophy and a minor in mathematics. It was at The Catholic University of America that he subsequently received his M.A. in philosophy with a thesis on Robert Grosseteste's commentary on the Posterior Analytics, under the direction of William A. Wallace, O.P., and the Ph.D. with a dissertation on John Duns Scotus's doctrine of the will, under the direction of Allan B. Wolter, O.F.M.
During his time at the University of Dallas, Bill has twice served as chair of the Philosophy of Department. For a brief period he was director of the Institute of Philosophical Studies and dean of Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts. It was his great privilege to serve three tours of duty on UD's Rome campuses, 1988–89, 1996–99, and 2003–05. For five of those 12 semesters he served as Academic Director.
Prior to his appointment at UD, he taught philosophy at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas for nine years. He counts it a blessing that before establishing himself in the academy he had briefly taught in both elementary (5th grade) and secondary schools (mathematics in a Washington D. C. inner-city high school). In tougher economic times, the need for moonlight income led to some of his more memorable teaching experiences in the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth and the U.S. Military's Disciplinary Barrack at Fort Leavenworth.
Bill is married to Therese Chicherio, together they've raised five children, four of whom are alums of the University of Dallas.
Phi 1301 Philosophy & the Ethical Life
Phi 2323 Philosophy of Man
Phi 3311 Philosophy of Being
Phi 3326 Medieval Philosophy
Phi 3335 Philosophy of Education
Phi 4141 Senior Thesis
Phi 4341 Senior Seminar
Phi 5359 Phenomenological Tradition
Phi 5360 St. Augustine's Confessions
Phi 6321 ST/Augustine's Confessions
Phi 6332 Studies in Phenomenological Thought
Phi 6332 Duns Scotus
Phi 7333 Scotus/Will/Morality
Phi 7333 Text Seminar: Duns Scotus
Phi 8345 Philosophical Anthropology
Phl 3105/7333 Logic
Edu 3335 Philosophy of Education
Phi 1301-04 Philosophy and the Ethical Life
Phi 3326/5306-01 Medieval Philosophy
Phi 3326-02 Medieval Philosophy
Tuesday 3:30–4:30 p.m.
Wednesday 9:30 –10:30 a.m.
Books:
The Anti-Emile: Reflections on the Theory and Practice of Education against the Principles of Rousseau by Hyacinth Sigismond Gerdil. An English Translation, with Introduction and Notes by William A. Frank (South Bend, Ind.: St Augustine Press, 2011).
Duns Scotus, Metaphysician. Co-authored with Allan B. Wolter. Purdue University Press Series in the History of Philosophy. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 1995.
Edited, with Preface to, Translation Edition of Duns Scotus on the Will and Morality by Allan B. Wolter. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1997.
Articles:
"Cicero's Civic Metaphysics As a Basis for Responsibility." In Verantwortung in einer komplexen Gesellschaft – Responsibility: Recognition and Limits. Berlin: Duncker & Humbolt, 2010: 175–91.
"Authority and the Common Good in Democratic Governance." Review of Metaphysics 60 (June 2007): 813–32.
"Western Irreligion and Resources for Culture in Catholic Religion." Logos 7:1 (2004): 17–44.
"The Catholic Mind: Culture, Philosophy, and Responsibility in Higher Education." Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice 4 (2000): 205–17.
"Duns Scotus on Autonomous Freedom and Divine Co-Causality." In Medieval Philosophy and Theology. Vol 2. Ed. By Norman Kretzmann, et al. Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1992. Pp. 142–64.
"Authority as Nurse of Freedom and the Common Good." Faith and Reason 4 (1990): 371–86.
"Duns Scotus' Concept of Willing Freely: What Divine Freedom Beyond Choice Teaches Us." Franciscan Studies 42 (1982): 68–89.
