Ray Barfield is Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Christian Philosophy at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He received his MD and his PhD (in philosophy) from Emory University. He is a pediatric oncologist with an interest in the intersection of medicine, philosophy, theology and literature. Ray's medical research has focused on immune therapies for childhood cancer (including bone marrow transplantation and antibody therapy), and improvements in the quality of life for children with severe or fatal diseases. His work in philosophy focuses on narrative approaches to philosophical issues that matter to suffering or dying people. He has published a book of poetry called Life In the Blind Spot, as well as a book of philosophy from Cambridge University Presscalled The Ancient Quarrel Between Poetry and Philosophy. His novel The Book of Colors was published in Spring 2015. He has two books forthcoming: a book of philosophy called "Wager: Beauty, Suffering, and Being In the World" and a book-length poem called "Dante's New Moon".
