Teaching
I regularly teach courses on topics in metaphysics, philosophy of physics, critical thinking, and applied ethics.

Recent and upcoming courses
Spring 2020
PHIL 350: Radical Metaphysical Hypotheses
Scientists are increasingly willing to take seriously hypotheses that say that the world is radically different than the way the world appears to be. They suggest that time does not exist, that we are part of a simulation, and that the world has 10^80 dimensions. In this class we will examine whether there is any difference between these hypotheses and more traditional radical philosophical hypotheses, like the hypothesis that the external world does not exist. We will ask whether we should take any of these hypotheses — scientific or philosophical — seriously, and if not, why not.

Phil 104: Science and Human Values
Modern science has taught us surprising new things and modern technology has given us extraordinary new abilities. We can now prolong life in extraordinary ways, dramatically enhance our physical and cognitive abilities, collect and process remarkable amounts of data, and radically reshape the natural environment on local and global scales. This course is devoted to the critical study of moral problems that have been raised or affected by this newfound information and these newfound abilities.


Fall 2019
PHIL 210: Logical Thought
This course cultivates sound reasoning. Students will learn to see the structure of claims and arguments and to use those structures in developing strong arguments and exposing shoddy ones. We will learn to evaluate arguments on the strength of their reasoning rather than on the force of their associations and buzzwords.

Phil 272: Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the study of what world is like. This course will survey of some major topics in metaphysics, with a particular focus on radical metaphysical arguments—arguments that call into question our most basic beliefs about the world. Examples of questions that we will consider include: Do ordinary objects exist? Is there anything that makes persons distinct from other sorts of objects? Could things have been different than the way they in fact are? In answering these questions we will investigate the nature of composite objects, the criteria for personal identity, and the metaphysics of causation, laws of nature, and modality.


Spring 2019
PHIL 104: Science and Human Values
PHIL 222: Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics 

Fall 2018
PHIL 210: Logical Thought
PHIL 350-TM: Seminar on Philosophy of Time

Spring 2018 
On parental leave.

Fall 2017 
PHIL 210: Logical Thought
Phil 272: Metaphysics

Teaching resources
Feel free to use and share.

How to get an A on your philosophy paper.
Detailed guidelines for writing an undergraduate philosophy paper including the grading matrix method I adapted from Chris Robichaud. (PDF)

Philosophical Arguments Primer.
Answers the questions: What is a philosophical argument? What does it mean to reconstruct an argument? What makes for a good argument? For students taking their first philosophy course (or needing a refresher). (PDF)

Sample In-class Debate Handout.
A sample handout that can be used to guide a 1.5 hour in-class debate. (PDF)

Sample Writing Workshop Handout.
A sample handout that can be used to guide a 1.5 hour in-class writing workshop. (PDF)

Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
I sometimes use a choose-your-own-adventure-style activity to make sure students understand the relations between the various positions we've been talking about. This example is from a unit on composition and colocation in an upper-level undergraduate metaphysics course. (PDF)