Philosophy instructor tackles old questions with new answers

News

PCC / News / April 19, 2017 /


Philosophy instructor tackles old questions with new answers

Photos and Story by Janis Nichols |

Since Socrates, Western philosophers have pondered the same questions. Among them: What is the meaning of life? What is truth? What is time? Does God exist?
Rock Creek Campus philosophy instructor Hannah Love would say there are no new questions but rather, old questions asked in a new context. Students are encouraged to grapple with the questions and generate their own answers.
“On the first day of class,” Love said, “I make it clear that I have no answers. Philosophy doesn’t give you just one answer. The questions remain relevant because science pushes us to ask old questions in a new way. New science keeps reframing old questions, and for students who need firm answers it can be frustrating.”
Philosophy instructor Hannah Love.
Yet while questions remain the same, students who study the great philosophical questions of the 21st century have most definitely changed.
“Students today are very straightforward with their questions,” said Love. “They learn that any perspective has strengths and weaknesses, and that no one view is the ‘winner.’ They take these discussions seriously, and by challenging — and being challenged — it prepares them for discussions outside the classroom. They become more comfortable with argument.”
Now in her fourth year at Rock Creek, Love revisits the standard approach to teaching the “limited” history of western philosophy. “I welcome diverse perspectives in my classes, and I want to offer more diversity in my curriculum. The history of Western philosophy is white and primarily European (the ‘dead white guy’ phenomenon), so it’s important to name that and seek out additional voices when possible.”
Many of her students, including those students working toward the Social Justice Focus Award, bring a unique lens to Love’s classroom. “They learn how to frame the questions ...

Read More