CoursesPhilosophical Methods
Forthcoming... Intro to Philosophy Intro to Philosophy focuses on examining some of the big questions of philosophy. These include, is there a god? What (if anything) do our perceptions tell us about the external world? What (if anything) can we know? Do we have free will? What (if anything) makes someone the same person over time? We will also look a smattering of other topics including the philosophy of education, migration, dating, and time travel. The readings have been organized topically and focus primarily on issues in metaphysics (questions about being, or what things are) and epistemology (questions about what we know). The class also contains a unit on applied ethics and political philosophy that raise questions about how we ought to treat each other and how we ought to live together in political communities. Throughout, the readings reflect multiple perspectives on a topic, or defend surprising or counterintuitive conclusions (ideally, both). My hope is that, by the end of the course, students will not only master the course material and assessments, but also find something to enjoy. Ethics and Society I This class aims to introduce students to systematic ethical thinking as well as to a wide range of contemporary moral issues. The class begins with a brief overview of cultural relativism, utilitarianism, and deontology. Within the framework provided by these ethical systems, students are led to consider a wide range of issues including free speech, beneficence, dating, climate change, and more. This is a writing-intensive class designed for non-majors, so in addition to covering course content, the class focuses on introducing students to the skills they need to develop as critical writers and readers. Intro to Ethics This class is a survey of major ethical theories. Each week covers a different theory and introduces students to both old and new readings. Each theory is introduced with an excerpt from a major historical author, followed up with a reading from a contemporary author. This way students get a clearer sense of the breadth and depth of philosophy as a discipline, and get to see the ongoing importance of texts from the history of philosophy. Because this is an introductory-level course, the class also includes significant explicit instruction on critical reading and writing. Professional DevelopmentI have worked closely with UCSD’s Engaged Teaching Hub to develop pedagogical techniques grounded in the Science of Teaching and Learning. I was nominated and selected to participate in the Summer Graduate Teaching Scholar program, a ten-week intensive course in which I learned to develop a new course from the ground up.
I also have experience teaching in-person and remotely, and have continued to work with educational specialists here at UCSD to design multiple successful courses to be taught remotely. |