In teaching Identity and Memoir as part of the Philosophy of the Human Person at Seattle University, the instructor faced the challenge of engaging students lacking any prior philosophy experience. Traditional survey formats proved ineffective, leading to a thematic approach where philosophical insights were tied to contemporary issues and personal identities. By selecting memoirs that disrupt conventional understandings of identity, the course aimed to make philosophy accessible and meaningful, showing students how it can illuminate their lives and the societal dynamics around them.
Instead of a survey style, I decided to structure each term of Philosophy of Human Person around a specific theme that could integrate philosophical insights into contemporary issues.
My pedagogical goal has no disciplinary or doctrinal aim; rather, it is simply to show students how studying philosophy makes a legitimate contribution in helping them better understand themselves.
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