Teaching

Recent Syllabi

• • PHI 420/540: Kantianism, Utilitarianism, and Applied Ethics - Fall 2024

  • PHI 420/591: Philosophical Puzzles, Problems, and Paradoxes - Spring 2023

  • PHI 300: Philosophical Argument and Exposition - Fall 2022

  • PHI 306: Applied Ethics - Fall 2022

  • PHI 335: History of Ethics - Spring 2022

  • PHI 420/541: Normative Ethics: Themes from Kant - Fall 2021

  • PHI 101: Introduction to Philosophy - Spring 2021

  • PHI 337: Ethical Theory - Fall 2020

  • PHI 420/591: Philosophical Puzzles, Problems, and Paradoxes - Spring 2020

  • PHI 105: Introduction to Ethics - Spring 2019

  • PHI 420/540: Topics in Value Theory: Practical Reasons - Spring 2019

  • PHI 420/570: Topics in Metaphysics: Control and Responsibility - Spring 2018

PHI 300: Philosophical Exposition and Argument

• Syllabus for PHI 300: Philosophical Argument and Exposition - Fall 2023

• Lecture 1 - The Nature and Methods of Philosophy

• Assignment 1 - The Nature and Methods of Philosophy

• Lecture 2 - Basic Logic

• Assignment 2 - Basic Logic

• Lecture 3 - The Role of Intuition, Imagination, and Thought Experiments

• Assignment 3 - The Role of Intuition, Imagination, and Thought Experiments

• Self-Assessment 1

• Lecture 4 - Theory Construction and Evaluation

• Assignment 4 - Theory Construction and Evaluation

• Lecture 5 - Disagreement

• Assignment 5 - Disagreement

• Lecture 6 - Language

• Assignment 6 - Language

• Self-Assessment 2

• Lecture 7 - Belief, Doubt, and Skepticism

• Assignment 7 - Belief, Doubt, and Skepticism

• Lecture 8 - Philosophical Writing and Research

• Assignment 8 - Philosophical Writing and Research

• Lecture 9 - Careful Reading, Exposition, and Interpretation

• Assignment 9 - Careful Reading, Exposition, and Interpretation

• In-Class Reading Assignment

• Self-Assessment 3

Handbooks, Handouts, Advice, and Quizzes

• • Some Common Writing Errors

  • Philosophical Puzzles, Problems, and Paradoxes

  • Four-Sentence Paper Assignment

  • Tips on Writing a Philosophy Paper

  • PHI 101 Course Glossary

  • Meta-Ethics Glossary

  • Meta-Ethics Flowchart

  • Interactive Quiz on Hedonistic Act-Utilitarianism

  • Grading Rubric for Philosophy Papers

  • Cover Sheet for Term Papers

  • Getting the Most out of Graduate School

  • Philosophical Writing and Research

  • Publishing Academic Philosophy

  • ASU Philosophy Placement Data

  • ASU's PhD in Philosophy Handbook

PHI 101: Introduction to Philosophy

• Tutorial on Validity

• PHI 101 Syllabus

• Lecture 1: Introduction to Philosophy

• Study Guide 1: Introduction to Philosophy

• Assignment 1: Raising Philosophical Questions

• Lecture 2: Are There Moral Facts? And Are There Any Universal Moral Norms?

• Study Guide 2: Are There Moral Facts? And Are There Any Universal Moral Norms?

• Assignment 2: Distinguishing

• Lecture 3: The Argument from Design

• Study Guide 3: The Argument from Design

• Assignment 3: Defining

• Lecture 4: The Argument from Evil

• Study Guide 4: The Argument from Evil

• Assignment 4: Disagreeing

• Lecture 5: Free Will and Determinism

• Study Guide 5: Free Will and Determinism

• Assignment 5: Comparing Theories

• Lecture 6: Skepticism about Induction

• Study Guide 6: Skepticism about Induction

• Assignment 6: Doubting

• Lecture 7: Descartes and Radical Skepticism

• Study Guide 7: Descartes and Radical Skepticism

• Assignment 7: Imagining, Intuiting, and Performing Thought Experiments

• Lecture 8: The Mind-Body Problem

• Study Guide 8: The Mind-Body Problem

Some Other Sample Assignments

• Coming Up with Examples and Counterexamples

• Assignment on Evaluating Arguments

• Assignment on Formulating Utilitarianism and Writing Clearly and Precisely

Some Sample PowerPoint Presentations

• • Progress vs. Disciplinary Convergence: Science, Morality, and Philosophy

  • Deontic Logic

  • Divine Command Theory

  • Moral Relativism

  • Are There Moral Facts?

  • Introduction to Paradoxes

  • Hedonistic Act Utilitarianism 

Student Evaluations of My Teaching

• • Statistical Summaries of My Official Student Evaluations of My Teaching