In all my teaching, my primary aim is to bring out the best in students through discussion, assessment, and participation. I am guided by three objectives: develop students’ ability to think analytically and critically, facilitate meaningful discussions, and foster curiosity and creativity. It is wonderful when students decide to continue with philosophy, but of course many are just curious about what some of the best proposed answers to some of life’s most difficult questions are. I hope to nurture this curiosity in all students and to encourage and to help students think through some of these perplexing questions in a clear and careful manner. I'm delight when students finish the course or module with a clear sense of the transferable skills they have learned and desire to learn more philosophy.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS THE HISTORY OF ETHICS
Description: The module will introduce students to the ethical theories of past and contemporary moral philosophers, and will explain their significance for modern ethical theory, including debates about a range of ethical questions, such as the nature of moral rationality, moral objectivity, moral virtue, and moral obligation.
Level: 2nd year module in philosophy
THE MORALITY OF ABORTION
Description: In this module we will look at both sides of the debate over the morality of abortion. We will consider different approaches to the issue of the moral permissibility of abortion, e.g., rights-based, value-based, reasons-based, feminist arguments, etc, read the core literature for each approach, and assess the various arguments. Authors to be considered include Boonin, Marquis, Tooley, Thomson, Greasley, Kamm and McMahan. Assessing these arguments will not only take us into more general issues, such as what makes killing (innocent) adult humans wrong, the conditions of having rights, but also certain issues outside of moral philosophy, such as the nature of personhood, personal identity, the identity conditions of organisms, philosophy of mind, philosophy of biology, and metaphysics.
Level: 3rd year module in philosophy
HAPPY, GOOD AND MEANINGFUL LIVES
Happiness and well-being are not only important from the agent’s point of view, but are essential to many moral debates. In this module we will analyse the key notions of happiness, a good life, and a meaningful life to gain a better understanding of each. We will also consider various views on what things make for a happy life, a good life, and a meaningful life. The module will look at both historical and current views on these issues. Level: 3rd year module in philosophy
THE RIGHT AND THE GOOD
Description: In this module we will go through the arguments and positions of W. D. Ross’s The Right and the Good. This will involve a close reading of Ross’s seminal book to get clear on what Ross’s view was, and how defensible it is. This will cover areas such as first order normative theory, moral epistemology, and moral realism. We will assess his methodology, the historical context of the book, and its philosophical reception.
Level: 1st year in philosophy
OPPRESSION, INEQUALITY, AND THE ENEMIES OF DEMOCRACY
Description: In this wide-ranging module, with an emphasis on contemporary political philosophy, we will explore some of the most important concerns for society. We will ask questions such as: Do existing accounts of justice need to be amended to acknowledge, explicitly, the concerns arising from race, gender, and disability? How should political philosophy respond to intersecting oppressions? What aspects of modern life threaten democracy? What is the best method by which to develop theories of justice? Is justice a local or global concern? How should we balance loyalty to our own state with concerns for global justice?