Saint Michael's College

Title: Professor of Philosophy

Education: B.A. Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception; M.A., Ph.D. University of Notre Dame

Areas of Expertise/Research Interests: Ethics; human rights; philosophy of mind; Wittgenstein and Classical American Philosophy (James and Dewey)

Testimonial: I consider it a "success story" when a student comes to see more clearly why they, and all other persons, possess intrinsic dignity and worth, when this has become so much more than just a politically-correct slogan.

What do you like most about teaching/working at Saint Michael's College? Saint Michael's seeks to help students see the deeply mysterious, sacred aspect of our life together. This requires much more than career training whether in a profession or in a specialized scholarly field, though these rightly have an important place; it means Saint Michael's never forgets the uniqueness of the persons who are with us, not only at the College but in the world, especially the poor.

What inspires students the most in your classes and/or your academic area? I strongly suspect it is the their own growing awareness of just how existentially "deep" the meaning of life is.

What do you like about Saint Michael's students? The students are deeply caring, keenly interested in community service, and eager to explore some of the deep ambiguities that lie at the center of our personal and social lives, all while having a really good time!

What is your favorite class to teach, and why? It is hard to choose. I do enjoy them all. But perhaps there is a special place for the first introductory course. The metaphor of "minds lighting up" often receives its most vivid realization there. It is very satisfying to show young students how philosophers like Plato, Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard can genuinely lower one's "inner mental fog index." It is deeply satifying to help free students to see more deeply into life.

Favorite quote: "A true philosopher would rather lose an argument and win the truth than win an argument and lose the truth" - a paraphrase of Socrates.