Previous Education
BA in Philosophy and Economics, Wheaton College
Interests
Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Ethics, Philosophy of Action
Dissertation
Dissertation Title: "The Highest Good in Kant, Hegel, and Kierkegaard"
Committee members: Candace Vogler (chair), Jim Conant, Matthias Haase
Recent Courses
PHIL 29200-01/29300-01 Junior/Senior Tutorial
Topic: Kierkegaard's Concluding Unscientific Postscript
Kierkegaard's pseudonym Johannes Climacus argues in the Concluding Unscientific Postscript that to be a true philosopher, one must be a uniquely subjective thinker. While subjectivity has traditionally been associated with a lack of objectivity (and thus a negative attribute), Kierkegaard aims to recover this concept. For him, rather, to be subjective is to be the sort of person who does not merely read or study philosophy, but to be someone who lives differently as a result of it. Thus, our aim in this course is to read the Postscript as Climacus would have it read. In asking about the nature of subjectivity, commitment, religion, and action, our goal will be ever on our own lives and how they ought to be lived.
Meets with Jr/Sr section. Open only to intensive-track and philosophy majors. No more than two tutorials may be used to meet program requirements.