Fall 2022
Section 0327 of PHIL6
Introduction to Philosophy -- : Aug 15 - Dec 09 2022
This section is offered fully online. Optional online meetings will take place on Thursdays from 1:00PM-3:00PM. Attendance at these online meetings is recommended but not required.
Section 1425 of PHIL3
Critical Thinking -- : Aug 15 - Dec 09 2022
This section is offered fully online.
Section 1478 of PHIL3
Critical Thinking -- : Aug 16 - Dec 09 2022
This section will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Section 1508 of PHIL9
Political Philosophy -- : Aug 15 - Dec 09 2022
This section will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Section 3023 of PHIL3
Critical Thinking -- : Aug 15 - Dec 09 2022
This section will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online. All students are welcome to enroll in this class; and this section will have extra support from the Lanzamientoinitiative.
Summer 2022
Section 8463 of PHIL5
Critical Thinking/Writing -- : Jun 13 - Jul 24 2022
This section will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Spring 2022
Section 4739 of PHIL3
Critical Thinking -- : Jan 24 - May 20 2022
This course will meet in person once a week, at the time and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Section 5245 of PHIL6
Introduction to Philosophy -- : Jan 19 - May 20 2022
Optional Zoom meetings will take place on Thursdays from 10:00AM-12:00PM. Attendance at these Zoom meetings is recommended but not required.
Section 5506 of PHIL6
Introduction to Philosophy -- : Jan 19 - May 20 2022
Optional Zoom meetings will take place on Thursdays from 1:00PM-3:00PM. Attendance at these Zoom meetings is recommended but not required.
Section 5524 of PHIL3
Critical Thinking -- : Jan 19 - May 20 2022
Optional Zoom meetings will take place on Mondays from 1:00PM-3:00PM. Attendance at these Zoom meetings is recommended but not required.
Section 6100 of PHIL4
Introduction to Symbolic Logic -- : Jan 25 - May 20 2022
This course will meet in person once a week, at the time and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Monday
- 3:30 PM - 4:30 PMEmeritus Hall 1518Santa Rosa Campus
Tuesday
- 3:30 PM - 4:30 PMEmeritus Hall 1518Santa Rosa Campus
Wednesday
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PMTBASanta Rosa Campus
Thursday
- 8:45 AM - 9:45 AMTBASanta Rosa Campus
Friday
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PMTBASanta Rosa Campus
OFFICE HOURS
Mondays: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Emeritus 1518
Tuesdays: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Emeritus 1518
Wednesdays: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Zoom
Thursdays: 8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. | Zoom
Fridays: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Zoom
ALL OTHER TIMES BY APPT. | EMAIL ME FOR AN APPT.: itircuit@santarosa.edu
M.A. | Philosophy | Claremont Graduate University | 2014
B.A. | Religion and Philosophy | University of La Verne | 2003
Full-time, Tenure-Track Instructor | Philosophy
- Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa, CA | fall 2021 - present
Adjunct Instructor | Philosophy
- Mount San Antonio College | Walnut, CA | winter 2015 - summer 2021
- Rio Hondo College | Whittier, CA | fall 2019 - spring 2021
- Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | fall 2019 - fall 2020
Teaching Assistant | Philosophy
- Mount San Antonio College | Walnut, CA | winter 2014 - summer 2014
I am the oldest of my mother’s eight children. I was born into a Creole family in the 7th ward of New Orleans, LA. However, I was raised mostly in a few different parts of Los Angeles, Rowland Heights, and Pomona, CA. Community College (Mt. San Antonio college in Walnut, CA) gave me an opportunity to pursue a college education. This after having had a pretty challenging upbringing, to say the least. Growing up I experienced domestic violence, poverty, homelessness (or, at times we were “unhoused”), substance abuse, gang violence, drug dealing, instability (my family moved 22 times), and the confusion and uncertainty of being the first to attend college in my nuclear family. Thankfully, our mother kept us together through all of this -- she did her best. Moreover, we had the help of many friends.
At some point in high school (John A. Rowland high school in Rowland Heights, CA), I vaguely remember a school counselor there tersely ask me whether I was considering attending college. I think that I simply said “no”. And that was the end of that. I didn’t know what college was about. And I don’t remember her explaining it to me. I then remember that at the end of my senior year, one of my peers was excited because they were looking forward to attending a 4-year university. I thought “Wow, we’ve been friends for four years and this is the first that I’m hearing about your plans to attend college.” It would have been nice if they had shared their plans. Maybe I would have been inspired to inquire about a future in college for myself. I then thought “Well, what am I going to do?” Then, one day at lunch time, about four of my football teammates and I were summoned (over the loudspeaker) to a room that was off in the distance and reserved for people who had to serve detention. It was where our head football coach had his office. When we arrived the head coach of Mt. SAC football was there. He wanted us to play football at Mt. SAC. It was at that very moment that I knew what I was going to do after high school.
That was 1989. So, to be clear, I went to Mt. SAC merely to play football, not to also further my education. However, in practice the week after scrimmaging against Riverside City College (in Riverside, CA) during the summer of ’89, I re-injured my knee (this turned out to be a completely torn anterior cruciate ligament and partially torn medial meniscus, which would later require reconstructive knee surgery.). So, I quit. I quit football and I quit school. Because school was just a means to stay eligible to play football.
After dropping-out of college for about two years, however, a couple of elder friends of my family counseled me to return to college. So, I took their advice and I got serious about higher education. I took several classes (e.g., psychology, sociology, zoology, computer science, air traffic controller, and real estate) trying to figure out what career path to pursue. I settled on becoming a lawyer. Then, one semester, while trying to figure out what undergraduate major to choose on my way to law school, and trying to satisfy transfer requirements, I took a couple of Western philosophy (philosophy) courses. I was instantly smitten. It was then that I began to dream about a possible future in philosophy. That dream never went away. And, fortunately for me, it would eventually come to fruition.
Fast forward. I gained early transfer acceptance to the University of La Verne where I would earn a dual bachelor’s in religion and philosophy. I later gained acceptance to the University of La Verne College of Law. There I completed 1.5 years of law school (I withdrew due to a family exigency). For five years I then worked at a then 150 year old, number one Wall street public finance law firm, in downtown Los Angeles (Hawkins Delafield and Wood LLP). For eleven years I later owned and operated a small business (Ivan’s Hair Professionals in Rancho Cucamonga, CA). A business that I passed on to my sister who still owns and operates it today. I later returned to grad school at Claremont Graduate University for my Masters in philosophy. I then began my dream job of teaching philosophy as an adjunct, right where my higher education started back in the summer of 1989 — Mt. SAC. I eventually went on to also adjunct at Rio Hondo college in Whittier, CA, and Chaffey college in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Teaching philosophy as an adjunct was my cake, so to speak. Landing a full-time, tenure-track position hear at Santa Rosa Junior college was the icing and cherry on top! I am very grateful to be here.
If you are also a first generation college student, one who grew up with similar challenges (and who are maybe continuing to struggle now), or someone who did not grow up similarly challenged, you’re exactly where you need to be. Your time in college can significantly help prepare you to achieve all of your goals and dreams in life. You belong here. Whatever your background. And I would love to help you. Whether you take a class with me, are taking a class with me, or just want to talk about philosophy or talk about some of the things that I've learned while navigating college and graduate school, choosing a career, working in the legal field, and/or owning a business, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me: itircuit@santarosa.edu
Ivan’s Hair Professionals | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | May 2005 to March 2016
• Create and execute business plan
• Account for revenues and expenses using basic accounting methods
• Manage hair and beauty service professionals
Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP | Los Angeles, CA | April 1999 to September 2004
• Direct assistant to Arto C. Becker, Managing Partner, Los Angeles
• Coordinate hiring of associate attorneys, law clerks, and legal secretaries
• Assist in managing support staff
• Produce preliminary drafts, edit, and proofread official documents in connection with multi-million dollar financial offerings
• Conduct national, state, county, and city demographic research in connection with multi-million dollar financial offerings
• Complete and submit forms required by governmental entities in conjunction with government finance
transactions
• Produce transcripts of proceedings upon transaction closings for multi-million dollar financial offerings
• Style large Microsoft Word documents using advanced features
• Perform all general administrative tasks in a high-volume transactional law environment
• In-house notary public
Law Offices of Lenita A. Skoretz | Redlands, CA | November 1998 to April 1999
• Conduct home-studies regarding child custody issues
• Complete home-study reports
• Research law on a variety of client issues
• Write declarations, motions, letters to clients and opposing counsel
• Take trial notes
• Complete court pleadings
• Communicate with courts, district attorneys, opposing counsel and others on behalf of clients
Law Library, University of La Verne College of Law | Ontario, CA | September 1997 to March 1999
• File updates to legal resources
• Assist patrons perform electronic and manual legal research
- Metaphysics (race and gender)
- Epistemology (especially the transparency of belief and its relation to the ethics of belief)
- Logic (syllogistic, sentential, and predicate systems)
- Critical Thinking (informal logic with an emphasis on semantics)
- Critical Race Theory
- Africana Philosophy
“Primer: The Evolution of Racism”
- The Pursuit of Happiness Philosophy Club, Mount San Antonio College, October 6, 2011 (presentation)
“David Hume On Personal Identity And Morality: An Exegesis”
- Philosopher's Guild Conference, Claremont Graduate University, March 21, 2013 (paper)
“Why Study Analytic Philosophy?” (work-in-progress) (paper)
“’Belief’ and the ‘Transparency’ of It” (work-in-progress) (paper)
“Critical Race Theory: What Is It? Who Can It Help?” (work-in-progress) (paper)
- Mt. San Antonio College Philosophy Department “exceptional adjunct” award (fall 2018)
Why Study (Analytic) Philosophy
Why Study Philosophy?
Applying the "Analytic Method"
Philosophy Career Outlook
Famous Philosophy Majors
Graduate School Entrance Exam Performance Rankings of Undergraduates Who Majored In Philosophy (probably mostly from schools whose philosophy department identified as "analytic"):
Journals
Societies
Hypatia Society (women in philosophy)
Minorities and Philosophy
Society of Young Black Philosophers
Society for the Philosophy of Emotion
Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy [ http://www.spep.org/ ]
Society for Study of the History of Analytical Philosophy [ http://sshap.org/ ]
Blogs
Peer-Reviewed Western Philosophy Resources
Associations
Western Philosophical Dialogues | Socratic | Platonic | Others
Platonic
"The complete list of the thirty-five Platonic dialogues that have been traditionally identified as authentic, as given in Diogenes Laertius,[4] is included below in alphabetical order. The authenticity of some of these dialogues has been questioned by some modern scholarship."[5]
First Alcibiades
Second Alcibiades
Apology
Charmides
Clitophon
Cratylus
Critias
Crito
Epinomis
Euthydemus
Euthyphro
Gorgias
Hipparchus
Hippias Major
Hippias Minor
Ion
Laches
Laws
Lysis
Menexenus
Meno
Minos
Parmenides
Protagoras
Phaedo
Phaedrus
Philebus
Republic
Rival Lovers
Sophist
Statesman
Symposium
Theaetetus
Theages
Timaeus
Thirteen Platonic Epistles
Platonic Allegories and Metaphors
Atlantis
Ring of Gyges
Allegory of the Cave
Analogy of the divided line
Analogy of the sun
Ship of State
Myth of Er
Chariot Allegory
Institutional Rankings
U.S. News & World Report (rankings of colleges, universities, programs of study, and more)
The Philosophical Gourmet Report (rankings of philosophy departments)