Teaching

While I specialize in the philosophy of biology, I’ve taught courses across a wide variety of philosophical topics. Some of my courses include Philosophy of Biology, Happiness, Environmental Ethics, Bioethics, and Plato on Eros, Poetry and Philosophy. The institutions where I’ve taught include Duke University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Hartwick College, Marist College, the University at Albany, and the University of Alaska.

My general approach to teaching is to do what I consider “philosophical storytelling”. In essence, I aim to make each component of a course have the appeal of a well told story. This happens when there’s a synergy between the topics covered in a course, the teaching style, and rapport between students and the instructor. When it’s achieved, students engage with the material and retain the concepts they encounter. I also employ team-based teaching techniques and writing exercises developed by the Bard College Writing and Thinking Institute in my courses. Ultimately, my goal in teaching philosophy is to assure that students develop the skills to evaluate the merits of an argument, the capacity to recognize arguments in whatever forms they take, and to see the value of education for its own sake.

Please email me if you would like a more detailed teaching statement, or for copies of my student evaluations.

Duke University

Life’s Purpose [cross-registered in biology] [graduate/upper level] (Fall 2023)

Full-time Lecturer, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Philosophy of Biology (Fall 2022, Spring 2023)
Great Ideas in Philosophy [two sections] (Fall 2022)
Moral Dilemmas [two sections] (Spring 2023)

Instructor, Bard Early College, Hudson

First Year Seminar (Fall/Spring 2021/22)

Instructor, Bard College at Simon’s Rock

Philosophical Problems (Fall 2021)
First Year Seminar (Fall 2021)
Writing & Thinking Workshop (Summer 2021)

Instructor, Hartwick College:

Plato on Eros, Poetry and Philosophy [upper division] (Spring 2019, Spring 2020)

Propaganda and Democracy [cross-registered in political science] (Fall 2020)

Puzzles & Paradoxes: Philosophy and Science Fiction (Fall 2019)

Experimental Philosophy [cross-registered in psychology] (Fall 2019)

Environmental Ethics (Spring 2019)

Happiness (Fall 2018, Spring 2020, Fall 2020)

Bioethics (Fall 2018)

Instructor, Marist College:

Philosophical Perspectives [two sections, intro M&E] (Fall 2019)

Instructor, University at Albany, State University of New York:

Moral Dilemmas (Spring 2018)

Philosophical Problems [intro M&E] (Fall 2017)

Instructor, Matanuska-Susitna College, University of Alaska:

Introduction to Logic (Fall/Spring 2011-2)

Introduction to Philosophy (Spring/Fall 2012)

Teaching Assistant, University at Albany, State University of New York:

Philosophical Problems (Spring 2015)

Introduction to Ethical Theory (Spring 2016)

Ancient Philosophy (Fall 2016)

The Mind and the World (Spring 2014 & 2015, Fall 2016)

Moral Choices (Fall 2015)

Morals and Society (Fall 2014)