FT Philosophy Instructor

Jason Swartwood

Academic Affairs, Liberal and Fine Arts

I teach Philosophy at Saint Paul College. I believe doing Philosophy builds skills that enable us to grapple productively with questions we care about. For example: How should I live? What’s right or wrong and how can we know? What’s fair and just and what’s not? Are there any gods? Do we have free will, and does that matter? What are the sources and limits of knowledge? What makes reasoning good or bad? What makes someone Black, White, Asian, a man, a woman, trans, disabled, or able-bodied? (When) are these categories sources of oppression or tools for fighting for justice? My goal is to share with students how Philosophy provides skills that help them make their own well-reasoned decisions about important questions while also engaging more productively with those they disagree with. My educational journey was meandering. After dropping out of high school for a while, I went back and finished in my fifth year (I called it my ‘super senior year’). I worked in receiving for a retail store for a while but felt my brain melting away with boredom, so I went back to a technical college and became a Certified Veterinary Technician. After fixing up dogs and cats at the emergency clinic for several years, I found I still had big questions I didn’t know how to answer (see above). I went to a community college much like SPC and found Philosophy. (I also met my future wife there!) I then went on to transfer to earn a BA in Philosophy (Classical Studies minor), and then an MA and PhD in Philosophy (specializing in Ethics). I’m excited to share the power of Philosophy with you in my classes! For more about my teaching: https://www.jasonswartwood.com/teaching For more about what it’s like to study Philosophy and why it matters: https://www.jasonswartwood.com/resources-for-students For more on my research: https://www.jasonswartwood.com/research