Contact Philosophy

Their are so many philosophers that I love to teach. In particular I love teaching the philosophers that really stand up and challenge conventional thinking, philosophers that pull the rug out from under us and force us to re-evaluate where we stand on an issue. I like teaching David Hume because he challenges our concept of knowledge, existentialists like Sartre and Heidegger, challenge us to be honest about our lives and start taking responsibility for ourselves, and Foucault, because he masterfully deconstructs modernist thinking. Philosophy is often about comprehending and talking about things that our beyond our comprehension. So for some it can be scary, confusing or even seem pointless. When students can get past that and learn to accept the uncertainty, meaningful conversations can begin. There is a lot to gain from learning what we don’t understand, that we as a society have learned to shy away from. Philosophy guides us to live a more knowledgeable and authentic life for ourselves through that learning.

I learned to think about the whys in life and not just passively go through life. Philosophy is about looking at life and questioning everything about it. I enjoy introducing students to the works of Plato. I find Plato’s works to be the most engaging when it comes to having discussions. Balancing lecture time verses engaging in philosophical discussion however, I think this is something that changes with each class and each topic. I think of teaching as anything that I might do to encourage students to learn. I want to instill a love of learning. I consider the classroom environment engineered for learning and meant to engage students. Students at Los Medanos College love to be engaged in a good discussion. This is why I continue to teach LMC students, also they are fun. Philosophy allows people to open their minds and discover what is truly important in life. I know that for me, engaging in philosophical discussions with my students is what makes me truly happy. By allowing my students a safe environment to question everything, I am living philosophy.

I​ ​find​ ​philosophy​ ​endlessly​ ​fascinating​ ​and​ ​also​ ​that it​ ​deepens​ ​my​ ​experience​ ​of​ ​life.​ ​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​self-reflection​ ​and​ ​contemplation​ ​has​ ​the potential​ ​to​ ​make​ ​us​ ​better​ ​people​ ​and​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a​ ​better​ ​society​ ​(if​ ​we​ ​put​ ​our​ ​ideals into​ ​action).​ ​I​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​teach​ ​philosophy​ ​because​ ​I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​share​ ​philosophy​ ​with others​ ​and​ ​because​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​in​ ​the​ ​medicinal​ ​potential​ ​of​ ​the​ ​field​ ​for​ ​both​ ​my students​ ​and​ ​our​ ​world.​ ​If​ ​I​ ​had​ ​to​ ​choose​ ​a​ ​few​ ​favorites​ ​I’d​ ​say​ ​Socrates​ ​and​ ​Soren Kierkegaard.​ ​Reading​ ​Plato’s​ ​Apology​ ​in​ ​which​ ​Socrates​ ​defends​ ​his​ ​life​ ​as​ ​a philosopher​ ​deeply​ ​inspired​ ​me​ ​when​ ​I​ ​first​ ​read​ ​it​ ​in​ ​college.​ ​He​ ​demonstrated​ ​a fierce​ ​commitment​ ​to​ ​truth-seeking​ ​that​ ​really​ ​got​ ​my​ ​attention.​ ​Socrates​ ​has​ ​always stood​ ​for​ ​someone​ ​for​ ​me​ ​that​ ​asked​ ​questions​ ​and​ ​pursued​ ​truth​ ​even​ ​in​ ​the​ ​face​ ​of resistance​ ​and​ ​persecution.​ ​The​ ​pursuit​ ​of​ ​truth​ ​isn’t​ ​always​ ​easy,​ ​but​ ​it’s​ ​absolutely necessary.​ ​Soren​ ​Kierkegaard​ ​is​ ​someone​ ​that​ ​I​ ​love​ ​teaching​ ​because​ ​he​ ​poses questions​ ​around​ ​authenticity​ ​and​ ​what​ ​it​ ​means​ ​to​ ​be​ ​yourself.​ ​ ​I​ ​apply​ ​philosophy​ ​by living​ ​my​ ​life​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​that​ ​aligns,​ ​as​ ​much​ ​as​ ​possible,​ ​with​ ​my​ ​ideals​ ​and​ ​values. And​ ​my​ ​ideals​ ​and​ ​values​ ​are​ ​often​ ​up​ ​for​ ​revision​ ​and​ ​questioning.​ ​The​ ​biggest challenge​ ​I​ ​face​ ​is​ ​helping​ ​students​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​relevance​ ​of​ ​philosophy​ ​for​ ​their​ ​own lives​ ​and​ ​in​ ​modern​ ​times.​ ​ ​Some​ ​people​ ​think​ ​of​ ​philosophy​ ​as​ ​too​ ​abstract​ ​or theoretical​ ​and​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​key​ ​challenges​ ​and​ ​duties​ ​that​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​I​ ​have​ ​as​ ​an​ ​instructor is​ ​to​ ​communicate​ ​to​ ​students​ ​that​ ​philosophy​ ​is​ ​deeply​ ​practical​ ​and​ ​important. Philosophical​ ​questions​ ​around​ ​the​ ​nature​ ​of​ ​the​ ​good​ ​life​ ​and​ ​the​ ​ideal​ ​of​ ​freedom​ ​for all​ ​shaped​ ​the​ ​society​ ​we​ ​live​ ​in​ ​today​ ​and​ ​made​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​experiment​ ​of​ ​the​ ​United States​ ​possible.​ ​Every​ ​day​ ​philosophical​ ​inquiry​ ​is​ ​shaping​ ​our​ ​world,​ ​for​ ​better​ ​or worse,​ ​and​ ​my​ ​hope​ ​is​ ​to​ ​help​ ​my​ ​students​ ​become​ ​thoughtful​ ​people​ ​and​ ​to​ ​use​ ​it​ ​to shape​ ​the​ ​world​ ​for​ ​the​ ​better.--I​ ​love​ ​teaching​ ​at​ ​Los​ ​Medanos​ ​College.​ ​I​ ​love​ ​the diversity​ ​of​ ​my​ ​students​ ​and​ ​the​ ​various​ ​points​ ​of​ ​view​ ​that​ ​I​ ​encounter.

Dr. Sudduth has been a philosophy professor at San Francisco State University since 2005, where he’s taught courses in philosophy and religion, as well as served as the coordinator of the Philosophy Department’s program in Religious Studies. Although specializing in western and eastern philosophy of religion, his interests range broadly over epistemology, philosophy of science, metaphysics, philosophy in literature and film, and the field of psychology. He has published on the topics of religious experience, rationality and belief in God, arguments for the existence of God, and life after death. For the past several years Sudduth has been focused on exploring philosophical themes through fiction and is currently finishing his first novel.

Philosophy is often used in my everyday life through critical thinking. I have come to believe that critical thinking, logic, and argumentation are forgotten skills in our culture as evidenced by things I have seen in the media and on Facebook. Statistics and other data are often thrown around and often do not confirm the interpretation of the data they are supposed to confirm. Philosophy has helped me to distinguish between good logic and argumentation and the lack thereof. One of my biggest problems I face in teaching philosophy is trying to show the relevance of these, at times, seemingly abstract concepts to life. Teaching here has been a great joy since as an east-bay native and for Los Medanos student, I feel I can relate with students and somewhat understand their mindset. I love being able to impart this invaluable information to students from my home. Although knowledge is very difficult to define here’s a list of a category of things I believe we can know: Theological (things about God), Perceptual (things we see), Historical, Morality (good and evil) Scientific, Mathematical, Introspection (Things going on in your mind), Memory, among other things.