Adam Graves

Adam J. Graves, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at Metropolitan State University of Denver. His areas of expertise encompass philosophy of religion, history of philosophy, hermeneutics and phenomenology with a focus on the philosophical dimensions of religion and the modern development of autonomy.  

In addition to teaching, Graves serves as the primary advisor for MSU Denver’s religious studies minor and is the co-founder of the Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry (Dphi). He also hosts the podcast “The Human Context”, which explores philosophical and humanistic themes. 

Graves has delivered scholarly presentations across the United States, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, and Russia, and has published work on Paul Ricoeur’s philosophy of religion. He is currently editing a volume on Ricoeur’s philosophy of religion for Northwestern University Press and developing a project tracing the religious sources of modern conceptions of autonomy. He is a member of multiple professional organizations, such as International Network in Philosophy of Religion, the Society for Ricoeur Studies, and the American Philosophical Association. 

Graves’ passion for exploring the intersection of philosophy and film has led him to co-write, direct, and edit the Oscar-nominated short film “Anuja”. 

Before joining MSU Denver, Graves taught Comparative World Religions at the University of Virginia’s Semester at Sea program and Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania

Graves earned both his doctorate in Religious Studies and bachelor’s in South Asia Regional Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.