At Iowa State I regularly teach introduction to philosophy, a 300-level course on epistemology, and a senior seminar on epistemology. Below you will find representative syllabi. (Students please note that I frequently change these courses.) In the past I have also taught applied ethics, modern philosophy, and a course on the nature of probability.
In 2013 I was awarded the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Award for Early Achievement in Teaching.
Phil 201, Introduction to Philosophy
In this course we will survey some of the major topics addressed by Western Philosophy by considering a variety of historical and contemporary sources. Some of the questions we will consider are as follows: Is there reason to believe that God exists? Do we have significant knowledge of a mind-independent world? Is the mind/soul distinct from the body? By considering these questions, students will not only obtain a broad perspective of some of the most puzzling problems that are at the heart of philosophy. Students will also develop their ability to assess and construct philosophical arguments, thereby acquiring the tools necessary for a more reflective attitude towards their own beliefs and values.
Phil 366, Belief, Truth, and Reason
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that is concerned with the study of knowledge and reasonable belief. Almost all epistemology is concerned with two fundamental and interrelated questions:
1. What is the nature, essence or constitution of knowledge and reasonable belief?
2. What is the extent of knowledge and reasonable belief?
In this class, we will consider some of the major philosophical theories that address these questions. The class has two parts. In the first part we will discuss four historical accounts of knowledge: Descartes’s Rationalism, Locke’s Empiricism, Berkeley’s Idealism and Hume’s Skepticism. These accounts of knowledge have been tremendously influential, and have set the stage for all subsequent epistemological inquiry. They will also introduce students to classical epistemological problems. These include the problem of skepticism and whether we have any knowledge whatsoever, the problem of the external world and how we can have knowledge on the basis of the senses, and the problem of how we can have knowledge on the basis of inductive reasoning. In the second part of the course we will discuss developments in contemporary –– i.e. 20th century –– epistemology. Our goal will be to see how these contemporary theories provide a better understanding of, and perhaps even solutions to the problems introduced in the first part of the course. Along the way we will consider additional questions like how we might have knowledge of morality, whether religious experience is a source of knowledge, and what to do when experts disagree about controversial issues.
Phil 466, Seminar in Epistemology
Epistemology is the study of knowledge and reasonable belief. Traditional epistemological questions include: what do we know, and how do we know it? What are our sources of knowledge? In this class, we will survey a number of contemporary epistemological issues. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part we will read Richard Feldman’s Epistemology, which will give students a basic understanding of the traditional key concepts, arguments and debates in epistemology. Having built such a foundation, in the second part of the course we will discuss specific topics in epistemology chosen by the students.