I have been teaching Philosophy as Instructor of Record since 2023, and find it to be one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done! Here are the syllabi for courses I have taught on my own at UNC. In Spring 2024 I began using specifications grading for several of my courses with excellent feedback from students and a noticeable improvement of student learning outcomes. I aspire to teach in a way that incorporates mindfulness and trauma-sensitivity into the classroom while still challenging, exciting, and engaging learners. I also make a concerted effort to include non-Western perspectives in my syllabi and present work from a diverse group of authors.
African American Political Philosophy
Taught in Fall 2024. The three units of the course are 1) Understanding Race and Racism, 2) Black Feminist Philosophy, and 3) Protest, Anger, and Prison
Bioethics
Taught synchronously on Zoom in Summer 2024. The three units of the course are 1) Bioethics Before Birth, 2) Addiction, Disease, and Disability, and 3) Medical Care and (Preventing) Death
The Ethics of Peace, War, and Defense
Taught in Spring 2024. The three units of the course are 1) Is War Ever Permissible?, 2) Are There Any Rules to War?, and 3) Terrorism, Post-War, and Revolution
Buddhist Philosophy
In addition to the syllabus below, I have developed a revised sample syllabus for my Buddhist Philosophy course. This sample syllabus spends more time addressing the question of rebirth within Buddhist philosophy, while also updating assignment structures to address concerns about generative AI.
Taught in Fall 2023. Since Buddhist Philosophy is such a large field, I decided to focus mostly on the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh, which students responded well to. The three units of the course are 1) The First Three Noble Truths, 2) The Fourth Noble Truth (The Noble Eightfold Path), and 3) Buddhist Ethics: Theory and Practice
Feminist Philosophy
Taught synchronously on Zoom in 2023. The three units of the course are 1) Oppression, 2) Gender, and 3) Feminist Ethics Out in the World
Logan Mitchell 