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Kent E. Johnson
In Memoriam

Kent E. Johnson

Professor of Logic & Philosophy of Science

UC Irvine
1970-2017

UCI Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science, Kent Johnson has passed away. He was 47.

Johnson was hired at UCI in 2001 after earning his Ph.D. in philosophy from Rutgers University. He was a leader in the philosophy of linguistics, as well as in the philosophy of psychology and cognitive science. He was widely noted for his expertise in statistical methodology, modeling, and probabilistic inference. His research appeared in noted publications including Nous, Mind and Language, Philosophical Psychology, Language Sciences and Philosophy of Science. He regularly gave talks on statistical applications in the field of philosophy, most recently at the Society for Exact Philosophy in Ontario.

Johnson was a dedicated teacher both in his LPS courses and those he generously taught for other departments within the School of Social Sciences. His courses were known for their rigor, precision, and clarity. He served in a number of important service capacities for both the School and the Department, including acting as equity advisor for the School and as Director of Graduate Recruitment for LPS. He also contributed substantial service to the profession itself, including service on the editorial board of the journal Philosophy of Science and as a review editor for Frontiers in Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology.

He received his B.A. in philosophy and ancient languages from St. Olaf College in Minnesota (1994) and his M.A. in philosophy from the University of Florida (1996). He earned a certificate in cognitive science from Rutgers University while completing his Ph.D. in philosophy there in 2001. He had extensive knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin.

Johnson was a valued colleague, friend, and mentor to many faculty and students alike across the campus. He is survived by his mother, Kathleen Sernak; his father, Tom Johnson; and his sister, Kim Johnson.

Memorial donations may be made to the Kent Johnson Memorial fund in his honor

Kyle Stanford
Professor and Chair, Logic & Philosophy of Science