Teaching

University of Virginia

Philosophy 1410 – Forms of Reasoning |  Syllabus
This course covers the basics of logic and argumentation. Any time someone wants to rationally convince you of something, they must give you an argument. And every argument has a logical structure. Some of these structures are strong, while others are weak. In this class, you’ll learn not only how to recognize the difference but further how to prove it. No background in any formal discipline is required, and the course does not cover symbolic logic in detail (for this take PHIL 2420). The course provides the general skills necessary to precisely identify, reconstruct, and evaluate arguments, with emphasis on applying these skills to everyday life.

Philosophy 3330 – Philosophy of Mind  |  Syllabus
In this course, we will examine central issues in philosophy of mind.  Is the mind an immaterial thing or substance?  Is the mind identical with the brain?  Or does the mind stand in relation to the brain as a computer program stands to the hardware it is implemented on? What is the nature of conscious experience, and can it be explained scientifically? Can computers have minds? Can nonhuman animals have minds? We will examine the philosophical foundations and history of such questions, and we will discuss how contemporary work in cognitive science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence bears on these questions.