Helen De Cruz (1978-2025)
Helen De Cruz, professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University, has died.
Professor De Cruz specialized in philosophy of religion and cognitive science. They were the author of Wonderstruck: How Wonder and Awe Shape the Way We Think (2024) and Religious Disagreement (2018), and, along with Johan De Smedt, A Natural History of Natural Theology: The Cognitive Science of Theology and Philosophy of Religion (2014) and The Challenge of Evolution to Religion (2020), among other works. You can learn more about their writing here and here.
Professor De Cruz worked to expand the boundaries of philosophy beyond its standard academic formats, extending philosophical thinking into art, literature, and music. They were a talented artist, creating the illustrations for forty-two thought experiments in the popular book Philosophy Illustrated (2021). They wrote philosophical fiction, including The Artistry of Magic (2025), and many short stories (and co-edited a collection philosophical science fiction stories). They produced a video summary of Margaret Cavendish’s The Blazing World, for which they also produced the illustrations and music. De Cruz published many essays in popular media outlets and at their newsletter, Wondering Freely. They were extremely active in the philosophical community on social media, and were a longtime contributor to The Philosophers’ Cocoon. In many ways, they showed how to express philosophical ideas in new forms via new avenues to new audiences.
De Cruz joined the faculty at Saint Louis University in 2019. Prior to that, they taught at Oxford Brookes University and VU Amsterdam. They earned a PhD in philosophy from the University of Groningen, and a PhD in archeology from the Free University of Brussels. You can learn more about them at their website. An autobiographical interview with De Cruz can be found here.
She died on Friday, June 20th, 2025.
by Eric Steinhart
UPDATE 1: A fundraiser has been set up by Marcus Arvan to support Helen’s children.
UPDATE 2: An online event focused on Helen’s philosophical artwork is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24th. See this comment by the event’s organizer, Georgi Gardiner, for details.
Related: “A Manifesto for a Future Philosophy” by Helen De Cruz
Remembrances elsewhere:
- “Helen De Cruz (1978-2025), RIP” by Eric Schliesser
- “Friendship with Helen De Cruz (1978-2025)” by Richard Pettigrew
- “Helen De Cruz 1978-2025” by Kelly James Clark
What a tremendous loss of a wonderful philosopher and (more importantly) a good person.
Helen was a great philosopher and particularly great colleague for the field as a whole. I’ll miss their presence a lot.
I recommend everyone read ‘Can’t Take It With You’, their final Substack post on reflections about being in hospice care.
https://helendecruz.substack.com/p/cant-take-it-with-you
Even when we all knew this was coming, it’s still a punch to the gut. Thinking of their family and students and colleagues and all those who will feel their loss the most.
Heartbreaking. Her friendship meant more to me than I can convey. I know that I’m not the only one feeling this today.
People will gather online on Tuesday to honour Helen’s creative and groundbreaking philosophical contributions.
We will do this by learning about, discussing, and celebrating discussing Helen’s philosophical artworks.
Please join us. All welcome.
Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
11am – 12.20pm Central US Time
(i.e. 5pm BST)
People can stay and chat afterwards. The Zoom room will stay open for as long as people want to chat. (We might create break out rooms, for smaller chats.)
On Zoom: https://tulane.zoom.us/j/6185944474
All welcome. No background knowledge required.
You need not know Helen or her work, or have a background in philosophy.
Information: georgigardiner.com/helen
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1C7rPGEe1k/
Organiser: Georgi Gardiner
Contact: [email protected]
Helen helped design this event, partly by selecting half the expert guests. She very much wanted to be there. She was originally optimistic that she would be.
The five expert guests are processing a lot, and the emphasis may shift a little in light of Helen’s passing. But the gathering will happen on Tuesday.
Thank you so much for organizing this, Georgi.
I had the pleasure of meeting Helen while they were giving a keynote at a conference. Later, at dinner, I got to sit right next to them and talk philosophy, religion, and philosophical fiction. It was a delightful and deep conversation for about two hours. I have followed them and their work for some years afterwards now, and lament the loss of this kind and wise philosopher.
She will always be a great example of what public philosophy can and should be, and an example of the decency and kindness that all of us, philosophers or not, should strive for. Sending a hug to everyone who will miss her.
I’m sorry to learn of her illness and death. She contributed a great deal to the online philosophy community, and I always enjoyed reading her thoughts.
May her memory be a blessing
When Helen told me her prognosis had turned terminal, literally the main thing in her mind was her husband and kids. Just a totally selfless person to the end. I hope they’re doing as well as possible. I will miss our conversations
When Helen and I, and SF editor Rich Horton, met a few weeks ago by Zoom, we all knew it was likely to be the last time. Helen guided us toward joy, focused us on finalizing our choice of great stories for our edited SF collection. We shared the pleasures of work. Helen’s imminent death was a cloud we all saw on the horizon, but its approach did not overwhelm Helen. It made the gift of time seem only sweeter and more precious.
The obit here neglects to mention her climate activism: the APA 2+1 model is another part of her legacy (a small one, given her extravagant achievements, but a meaningful one all the same). She was one of few philosophers I know who cared deeply about the future, and was someone who – to me at least – managed to make being religious cool. She was extraordinary and an absolute inspiration.
I didn’t know them very well, but I was one of so many people to whom they were incredibly, almost miraculously, generous, out of nothing but kindness. An unforgettable encounter with an extraordinary philosopher and human being.
This is very sad. I didn’t know Professor de Cruz at all but from her work and comments she seemed to me to be a wonderful and wise person. I hope that when my time comes I can face death with as much courage and grace.
This is a devastating loss. Helen was a wonderful person.
I genuinely miss her! I met her a couple of years ago on Twitter and exchanged some posts about philosophy and music. Such a refined and beautiful soul! My sincere condolences to her family and friends! May she rest in peace.