Instructors

 

Prof. Shuster

Session 1 Camp Leader:  Dr. Amy L. Shuster

Amy is a staff member and associated faculty in the Ohio State University philosophy department. They are a passionate advocate for college-level teaching and the motto that "Philosophy is for everyone!" Amy teaches courses in social and political philosophy, some of which meet at a local prison as part of OPEEP.  Amy also is a co-facilitator of a prison-based learning community entitled Philosophy for Humans.  When not hard at work, they practice yoga, hike, and hang out with family over a good meal and a long board game. 

Pronouns: they/them/theirs.

 

 

Photo of Steven Brown

Session 2 Camp Leader: Professor Steven Brown

Steven Brown is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Ohio State University philosophy department. His interests are primarily in ethics and religion, with a particular focus on matters that directly impact wellbeing. He teaches classes on Death and the Meaning of Life, Asian Philosophies, Philosophy of Religion, and Human Development Ethics. In addition to teaching these classes, Steve has a long-standing interest in effective charitable work focused on the people in greatest need. 

Pronouns: he/him/his.

 

 

Tristram McPherson

Instructor: Professor Tristram McPherson

Tristram is a Professor in the Ohio State University philosophy department. The heart of their research concerns how to understand and assess the ethical commitments that structure our lives. Much of this works concerns whether and how ethics could be objective, and how to assess our ethical concepts. They also spend significant time thinking about substantive questions in ethics, including the ethics of our relationships to non-human animals, and the ethical significance of climate change. Tristram is passionate about philosophy and looks forward to exploring some of the deepest questions in the field with the campers.

Pronouns: they/them/theirs.

 

 

Picture of Anand Ekbote

Instructor: Anand Ekbote

Anand is a PhD student at OSU. He discovered philosophy late in life, but when he did, he immediately fell in love with it. Just goes to show that age is no bar for philosophy! His advice to high school students is, find out early if philosophy is for you. If it is, then no other course of study will be as much fun!

Anand is interested in learning about the true nature of reality, and whether it is possible for humans like us to get to know it. This leads him to study philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, and epistemology.

Pronouns: he/him/his.

 

 

Jacob MacDavid

Instructor: Jacob MacDavid

Jacob is a graduate student at OSU. He studies ethics, with a focus on issues such as free will, moral responsibility, and the question “Why be moral?” Besides philosophy, he enjoys writing short fiction, playing Texas Hold ‘Em, and running. Teaching, as well, has long been one of his passions, and he is excited for the opportunity to work with the campers at PACT. 

Pronouns: he/him/his.

 

 

 

 

 

Lyla Turner with her niece.

Instructor: Lyla Turner

Lyla is a PhD student at Ohio State. She has two bachelors degrees; one in philosophy and the other in environmental science. She is interested in a wide range of topics including natural hazard mitigation practices, the nature of the human relationship with the natural world, and the ways in which the appropriateness of emotional episodes depends on factors unique to the individual having those episodes. Lyla enjoys thinking about the way that humans ought to approach, interact with, and feel toward the world around them. 

Pronouns: she/her/hers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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