A Sample of Courses Taught

Human Situation (University of Houston; Fall 2023)

This is the first course in a two-semester great books style sequence taught to first years in the University of Houston’s honors program. (A full description of the program can be found here.) This course begins with Descartes and ends with Murdoch.

The reading schedule we used is here.

19th Century Philosophy (University of Houston; frequently)

This is an advanced undergraduate philosophy course. A recent syllabus can be found here.

19th Century Philosophy (University of Houston; frequently)

This is an advanced undergraduate philosophy course. A recent syllabus can be found here.

Directed Studies: Philosophy (Yale University; frequently)

This is the second course in an accelerated two-semester sequence on the history of Western philosophy as a part of Yale University's Directed Studies program for first year students. (A full description of the program can be found here.) This course begins with Descartes and ends with Murdoch.

The syllabus we used is here; it is designed by the Yale Philosophy department in consultation with the Directed Studies program.

Directed Studies: Philosophy (Yale University; frequently)

This is the first course in an accelerated two-semester sequence on the history of Western philosophy as a part of Yale University's Directed Studies program for first year students. (A full description of the program can be found here.) This course begins with Plato and ends with Anselm.

The syllabus we used is here; it is designed by the Yale Philosophy department in consultation with the Directed Studies program.

Early Modern Philosophy (Amherst College; Spring 2019)

This course cover the philosophical tradition initiated by Descartes and coming to an end in Kant. Thematically, the focus of the course is on the different attempts made by thinkers in this tradition to examine anew, from the ground up, our capacity to know the world.

The syllabus can be found here.

Philosophical Questions (Amherst College; Fall 2018)

This course is designed as an introduction to philosophy. The course focuses on questions about the meaning of life and death, the nature and significance of emotions (especially anger), and the problem of skepticism.

The syllabus can be found here.

20th Century French Philosophy: On Time (Yale University; Fall 2017)

This course is designed as an introduction to and survey of some of the most important philosophies of twentieth century French philosophy. The course is thematically organized around the topic of temporality, and in particular questions about our finitude: Is it essential to us that we can (or will) die? What does it mean for understanding our nature that our past is in some sense behind us and that our future is in some sense up to us? What effects if any does the fact that we exist in time have on our knowledge of the world?

A revised syllabus can be found here.

Introduction to Ethics (School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Fall 2016)

This course is designed as an introduction to philosophy organized around readings in the history of ethics. This course had a significant writing component, and we conducted many writing exercises throughout the semester - I would be happy to share these exercises on request.

A revised syllabus can be found here.

Gilles Deleuze's Difference and Repetition (The University of Chicago; Spring 2015)

This course is an advanced undergraduate seminar in which we slowly read through Deleuze's masterpiece Difference and Repetition. 

The syllabus can be found here.

Adventures in Thinking

In 2021, I started the non-profit Adventures in Thinking with the mission of making philosophy available to high school students, especially those from under-resourced communities. We offer a number of services to high school students and high school teachers. So far, the work has consisted primarily in two things. First, organizing and leading once a week philosophy clubs over Zoom with interested high school students. Last year, I held a year long club on the philosophy of courage; this year, I am hosting a club on the philosophy of emotion and a club on the philosophy of art. (Others in the organization are hosting other clubs which I have organized.) Second, I have taught political philosophy in high school classrooms as an aid to teachers (so far, only to debate coaches). I have done units on Marx, Derrida, Mouffe, de Beauvoir, and Butler.