Teaching

Social and Political Philosophy (Spring 2022, CU Boulder)
Introduces students to an in-depth examination and analysis of central operational ideas in social and political philosophy, such as power, freedom, equality, democracy, justice, rights, community, individuality, civil disobedience, and law. A thorough treatment of any of these ideas may call for some cross-cultural and/or comparative political and social analysis. (Syllabus)

History of Ancient Philosophy (Fall 2021, CU Boulder)
Surveys developments in metaphysics, ethics, logic, and philosophy of mind from the Pre-Socratics through Hellenistic philosophy, focusing primarily on the arguments of the philosophers. Topics may include: Zeno’s paradoxes of time and motion; Democritean atomism; Plato on knowledge, reality, ethics, and politics; Aristotle on logic and natural philosophy; Epicurus on pleasure and friendship; Epicurean atomism; the Stoics on materialism, determinism, and vagueness; and the coherence and practicality of global skepticism. (Syllabus)

Philosophy of Law (Spring 2021, UC Davis)
Philosophical theories of the nature of law, legal obligation, the relation of law and morals. Problems for law involving liberty and justice: freedom of expression, privacy, rights, discrimination and fairness, responsibility, and punishment. (Syllabus)

History of Ethics (Spring 2021, CSU, Sacramento)
Investigation of the main approaches to ethics in Western moral philosophy. Emphasis on Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, and Mill. (Syllabus)

Foundations of Ethics (Winter 2021, UC Davis)
Advanced investigation of questions about the nature and foundations of morality. Among the topics that may be discussed are moral realism and anti-realism, cognitivism and non-cognitivism, types of relativism, moral skepticism, normative language and normative belief. (Syllabus)

Contemporary Ethical Theory (Fall 2020, CSU, Sacramento)
Major topics in ethical theory with attention to their contemporary formulation, including such topics as utilitarianism vs. right-based theories and the dispute over the objectivity of ethics. (Syllabus)

Contemporary Ethical Theory (Spring 2020, CSU, Sacramento)
Major topics in ethical theory with attention to their contemporary formulation, including such topics as utilitarianism vs. right-based theories and the dispute over the objectivity of ethics. (Syllabus)

History of Ethics (Fall 2020, UC Davis)
Study of some classic tests from the history of philosophical writing on central problems of ethics, taking the former either of a survey or concentrated examination of selected historical figures. Readings from such philosophers as Aristotle, Butler, Hume, Kant, Mill. (Syllabus)

Personal and Professional Ethics (Summer 2020, Golden Gate University)
Introduction to ethical theory and its applications to business and other professional fields. (Syllabus)

Introduction to Philosophy (Spring 2020, Cosumnes River College)
Focused study of four classic texts: Plato’s Early Dialogues, Descartes’ Meditations, Mill’s On Liberty, and Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. (Syllabus)

Introduction to Ethics (Spring 2020, Cosumnes River College)
The application of theories developed by traditional and contemporary moral philosophy to the ethical problems, dilemmas, and issues of today. (Syllabus)

History of Ethics (Fall 2019, CSU, Sacramento)
Investigation of the main approaches to ethics in Western moral philosophy. Emphasis on Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, and Mill. (Syllabus)

Bioethics (Fall 2018 and Spring 2019, CSU, East Bay)
Topics in medical ethics from a virtue ethics perspective, including informed consent, issues of life and death, abortion, euthanasia, and medical research/technology. (Syllabus)

Critical Thinking (Fall 2018 and Spring 2019, CSU, East Bay)
Three-part course: 1) psychological obstacles to critical thinking, 2) deductive arguments, 3) inductive arguments. Topics include identifying arguments, validity, soundness, logical fallacies, inductive reasoning, and moral/legal reasoning. (Syllabus)

Introduction to Philosophy (Fall 2018, CSU, Stanislaus)
Focused study of four classic texts: Plato’s Early Dialogues, Descartes’ Meditations, Mill’s On Liberty, and Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. (Syllabus)

Contemporary Moral Issues (Fall 2018, CSU, Stanislaus)
Three-part course: 1) the ethical theories of Aristotle, Aquinas, Mill, and Kant, 2) the psychology of moral disagreement, 3) moral problems: abortion, immigration, racism, sexism, free speech, and gun control. (Syllabus)

Introduction to Ethical Conflicts (Spring 2018, Iowa Central)
Topics in normative ethics and applied ethics including consequentialism, non-consequentialism, virtue ethics; euthanasia, abortion, sexual morality, and promising. (Syllabus)

Introduction to Philosophy (Spring 2018, Iowa Central)
Survey of the major areas of philosophy from a historical perspective from the Pre-Socratics to 20^th Century philosophy. (Syllabus)

Law and Morality (Spring and Summer 2017, University of Arizona)
Topics in the philosophy of law including paternalism, legal moralism, freedom of speech, punishment, and civil disobedience. (Syllabus)

Business Ethics (Fall 2016, University of Arizona)
Topics in business ethics including the morality of markets, sweatshop labor, sexual harassment, social responsibility, and price-gouging. (Syllabus)

Medical Ethics (Spring 2016, University of Arizona)
Topics in medical ethics including the ethics of abortion, justice in healthcare, informed consent, paternalism, and euthanasia. (Syllabus)

The Ethics and Economics of Wealth Creation
(Winter 2016, University of Arizona)
A course in political economy focusing on ethics. Issues discussed included the nature of wealth creation, opportunity costs, prices, and property rights. (Syllabus)       

The Social Contract (Summer 2015, University of Arizona)
A survey course of the major social contract philosophers and their critics, including Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Rawls, Hume, and Nussbaum. (Syllabus)

Contemporary Moral Problems
(Winter 2013 and Summer 2012, University of Arizona)
Topics in applied ethics including the legalization of drugs, abortion, sexual harassment, affirmative action, and animal ethics. (Syllabus)