Courses

First Year Seminar

Introduction to Philosophy

Ethics and Society

Ethics, Medicine, and Health Care

Philosophy of Law

Environmental Ethics

Research Interests

My primary research interests are about method and metaphysics in ancient Greek philosophy, especially Plato and Aristotle. My focus on Plato concerns how different methods he discusses and employs in his dialogues can be understood as a unified way to approach philosophy. I am currently writing on Plato's Meno. My research on Aristotle arises out my dissertation. I am interested in Aristotle's use of unity as a regulative principle to organize facts and grasp knowledge in his biological works. I am currently writing on Metaphysics Zeta and the organization of History of Animals by means of hierarchically arranged natural kinds.

Teaching Interests

I primarily teach ethics courses at Pacific, but I enjoy teaching a wide range of courses.  With every course, I hope to engage the students directly in doing philosophy and thinking through important issues related to the class. I believe that philosophy should be relevant both to daily life and understanding the world around us. I follow the footsteps of Plato and Aristotle that philosophy begins in wonder that leads to careful and clear thinking.

Education

PhD, Philosophy, University of Georgia, 2008

MA, Social Science, University of Chicago, 1999

BA, History, Philosophy, University of Georgia, 1997

Publications

“Methodology in Socrates’ Examination of the Slave” Dialogue," Canadian Philosophical Review, Vol. 50 (special issue 3): 443-467 (2011).

“Review of Allan Gotthelf, Teleology, First Principles, and Scientific Method in Aristotle’s Biology,” Philosophy in Review 33 (5):  371-373 (2013).