UTSA researcher promotes open dialogue with course about philosophy in everyday life
(April 26, 2017) -- Learning how to talk about topics that are often considered taboo is the focus of a new top-tier philosophy course at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) this spring.
Associate Professor of Philosophy Joshua Thurow is teaching students how to discuss important topics with his class, "Philosophy in Everyday Life: Friendship, Love, Sex, Food, and God."
"Philosophy gives us a number of tools for productive conversation," said Thurow. "UTSA students will not only learn about these tools but practice them while engaging in respectful dialogue and debate."
Thurow said students have been examining texts that present different viewpoints about the topics discussed during the course, such as religion and whether or not there are any moral limitations to our eating habits. Students also debate issues presented throughout the course so they learn how to listen and engage with people who have different viewpoints than their own.
"The course did focus on the ethics of eating meat, not in a matter of religion, but in a matter of morality because of the potential harm being done to the animals," said Gabriel Aguilar, a junior english major. "The topic is important because it's not meant to convert omnivores to vegetarianism or veganism. Rather, the topic is meant to produce food-conscious students. Hopefully, this course can help students become aware of the food options that fit their moral values."
"These discussion groups allow students to receive hands-on training to develop their argumentation skills," said Thurow.
Thurow said he hopes the dialogue he has encouraged throughout the undergraduate course continues when students leave the classroom.
Thurow's research areas include epistemology, metaphysics and the philosophy of religion. Faculty in the UTSA Department of Philosophy and Classics teach students how to trace the development of ideas and themes from Greco-Roman antiquity to the modern world.
UTSA is ranked among the top 400 universities in the world and among the top 100 in the nation, according to Times Higher Education.
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