For me, the ‘teaching bullseye’ of teaching philosophy is sparking philosophical curiosity. It is my desire that students have a deep but wide understanding of philosophical perspectives, arguments, and figures, and that their understanding instills in them an intense curiosity for the world. This manifests itself in a variety of ways, from the “aha!” expression to desires to engage further with academic philosophy. It is to provoke, as J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, “questions that need answering,” and to equip their natural curiosity with philosophical rigor.
You can view my teaching philosophy here. You can read about my experiences teaching philosophy in prison here. Click here for my Teaching Portfolio. I'm currently Co-Chair of the Curriculum Committee in my department at UMass Lowell.
Below are the courses I’ve taught, along with some further information about my teaching experiences and pedagogy. Included in the PDF for each course (where available) are the syllabus and the course evaluation. In cases where I didn't design the course, I have excluded the syllabus. I have taught courses in philosophy of race/gender, bioethics/medical ethics, public health ethics, ethical theory, applied ethics, existentialism, logic/practical reasoning, political philosophy, human nature, and the ethics of technology.
GRADUATE
For my efforts in teaching, I was awarded the 2019 Graduate Teaching Award by the University of Washington's philosophy department and the 2014 Vernon Teaching Award by the University of Arkansas' philosophy department. The American Philosophical Association featured one of my syllabi, "The Rainbowed Divine: Diverse Voices in Philosophy of Religion," on their blog.
You can view my teaching philosophy here. You can read about my experiences teaching philosophy in prison here. Click here for my Teaching Portfolio. I'm currently Co-Chair of the Curriculum Committee in my department at UMass Lowell.
Below are the courses I’ve taught, along with some further information about my teaching experiences and pedagogy. Included in the PDF for each course (where available) are the syllabus and the course evaluation. In cases where I didn't design the course, I have excluded the syllabus. I have taught courses in philosophy of race/gender, bioethics/medical ethics, public health ethics, ethical theory, applied ethics, existentialism, logic/practical reasoning, political philosophy, human nature, and the ethics of technology.
GRADUATE
- Graduate Readings: "Personhood" (Summer 2021)
- Philosophy of Race and Gender (Spring 2021, Spring 2020)
- Bioethics Amid a Pandemic (Fall 2020)
- Graduate Seminar on the Ethics of Self-Defense (Fall 2019)
- Public Health Ethics (Spring 2023)
- Trolleys, Torture, and Terror (Summer 2019)
- Ethics of Harming and Killing (Fall 2014)
- Medical Ethics (Summer 2018, Spring 2017)
- Contemporary Ethical Problems (Fall 2018, Spring 2016, Spring 2015)
- Introduction to Ethics (Fall 2016)
- Introduction to Philosophy (Fall 2022, Summer 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2020, Summer 2020, etc.)
- Existentialism and Film (Spring 2019)
- Practical Reasoning (Winter 2019)
- Human Nature (Spring 2015)
For my efforts in teaching, I was awarded the 2019 Graduate Teaching Award by the University of Washington's philosophy department and the 2014 Vernon Teaching Award by the University of Arkansas' philosophy department. The American Philosophical Association featured one of my syllabi, "The Rainbowed Divine: Diverse Voices in Philosophy of Religion," on their blog.