Lecturer Faculty Pool in Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy at San Francisco State University is a dynamic teaching and research program with a long history of achievement. It offers B.A. degrees in Philosophy and in Philosophy and Religion, a Concentration in Philosophy and Law, an M.A. degree (in Philosophy), and a rich array of courses that address the diverse backgrounds of its faculty and students.
The Philosophy Department invites applications for part-time temporary lecturer faculty positions in 2022-2023. Interested candidates are encouraged to learn more about the department at the website: https://philosophy.sfsu.edu. For information about San Francisco State University, see http://www.sfsu.edu/.
Here is a list of available teaching assignments:
PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy (Units: 3)
Reflection on basic aspects of human experience, thought, and activity inspired by the writings of philosophers.
PHIL 110 Introduction to Critical Thinking I (Units: 3)
Skills involved in understanding, criticizing, and constructing arguments. Provides the foundation for further work not only in philosophy but in other fields as well.
PHIL 111 The Art(s) of Quantitative Reasoning (Units: 3)
Introduction to issues in quantitative reasoning that have shaped the history of the arts. Covers the underpinning technical (i.e., mathematical) difficulties, as well as possible strategies to overcome such difficulties and the artistic, philosophical, and societal ramifications of attempting to solve such quantitative issues in the arts.
PHIL 160 Introduction to Philosophy of the Arts (Units: 3)
Art appreciation and criticism including the nature of beauty, artistic genius, and art as sign or symbol.
PHIL 205 Formal Logic I (Units: 3)
Contemporary treatment of structure of arguments by means of sentential logic and quantifiers; comparison of axiomatic, natural deductive, and tree-method approaches.
PHIL 303 Modern Philosophy (Units: 3)
Modern philosophy against the background of Protestantism, capitalism, the Enlightenment, and modern science to the end of the 19th century. Includes Descartes and continental Rationalism, British Empiricism, Kant; may include such topics as German and British idealism, positivism, and pragmatism.
PHIL 320GW Philosophical Analysis - GWAR (Units: 3)
Analytic, interpretive, and expressive written communication skills essential for philosophical study.
PHIL 321 Being and Knowing (Units: 3)
Introduction to some of the most important issues in metaphysics and epistemology through their treatment by classic and contemporary authors. E.g., mind and matter, thought, belief, perception, meaning, truth, knowledge, appearance, reality, freedom, and identity.
PHIL 330 Political Philosophy (Units: 3)
The forms, purposes, and justification of political orders; theories of human nature, value, and history. Foundations of political philosophy in the thought of such writers as Plato, Hobbes, Mill, and Marx.
PHIL 335 Law and Society (Units: 3)
The relation between law and society, developed through the analysis of court cases centered on topics (capital versus labor, the individual versus the state) in their historical setting. Legal research.
PHIL 350 Philosophy of Science (Units: 3)
Philosophy of science with attention to contemporary formulations.
PHIL 351 Philosophy of Risk (Units: 3)
Philosophical issues about risk assessment and risk management, with attention to their scientific and ethical dimensions. Philosophical analyses of cases such as climate change, energy consumption, water-related environmental risks in California, allocation of scarce medical resources, and genetic testing.
PHIL 383 Ethics in Medicine (Units: 3)
Ethical issues in medicine and nursing: treating dying patients, the right to healthcare, nurse/physician conflicts, health and basic values, freedom under new technology, and medical bureaucracy. Use of philosophical approaches to understand and help resolve these problems.
PHIL 392 Philosophy of Animals (Units: 3)
Examination of different methodologies and results from scientific studies of non-human animals. Analysis of one or more philosophical debates that address the differences and similarities between humans and animals. Critical analysis of the use of animals as experimental, physiological, psychological, or social models.
PHIL 436 Islamic Political Philosophy (Units: 3)
There is a long and rich tradition of political philosophy in the Islamic cultures of the Middle East. A comprehensive introduction to Islamic political philosophy.
PHIL 450 Ethics (Units: 3)
Major problems in ethical theory with attention to their contemporary formulations.
PHIL 451 Feminist Moral Issues (Units: 3)
Moral or ethical issues of concern to the contemporary women's movement. These include abortion ("pro-choice" vs. "pro-life"), pornography and censorship, hetero- and homosexuality, marriage, motherhood, and affirmative action ("reverse discrimination").
PHIL 455 Sex and the Law (Units: 3)
A philosophical investigation of legal issues pertaining to sexuality. Legal enforcement of morals and specific cases and statutes regarding marriage, sex discrimination, abortion, rape, homosexuality, pornography, pedophilia, and other sex-related activities.
PHIL 460 Philosophy of Art (Units: 3)
Problems in aesthetics; contemporary formulations.
PHIL 464 Philosophy and Film (Units: 3)
Philosophical concepts as treated in films, and philosophical issues raised by the nature of film. Philosophical concepts in ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, and aesthetics.
PHIL 470 Environmental Ethics (Units: 3)
Exploration of how different philosophers, religions, and cultures understand our relationships to the environment. Applying ethical paradigms to the analysis of environmental problems and proposals for solutions.
PHIL 494 Philosophy and Personal Development (Units: 3)
For many philosophers, East and West, philosophy's basic task is to change our orientation to the world and, thus, how we live our lives. Study and explore different philosophical methods of personal development and enrichment.
PHIL 500 Philosophy of Religion (Units: 3)
The nature and function of fundamental religious concepts and claims.
PHIL 509 The Buddhist Tradition (Units: 3)
An introduction to the basic teachings of Buddhism and the major Buddhist traditions in Asia. Among the topics to be discussed are ignorance, paths to enlightenment, meditation, morality, faith, and wisdom.
PHIL 511 Chinese Philosophy and Religion (Units: 3)
Major philosophical and religious traditions of China. Topics include the I Ching, Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism.
PHIL 502 World Religions (Units: 3)
Major religions of humanity, their history, and teachings: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
PHIL 520 Philosophy and Mysticism (Units: 3)
Examine how "higher" or "mystical" states of consciousness have informed philosophy historically, and explore the implications of these views for epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and personal well-being.
PHIL 525 The Nature of Religious Experience (Units: 3)
Nature of religious experience drawn from different religions and academic disciplines within the humanities and social sciences; investigation of the meaning of religious commitment in a secular world.
Qualifications
Required:
- Master’s degree in Philosophy or closely related field.
Preferred:
- Record of teaching contributions in the areas of undergraduate philosophy;
- Demonstrated ability to incorporate inclusion, diversity, and educational equity in teaching;
- Experience working closely with students from historically under-represented communities;
- Record of contributing to collegial, supportive, and collaborative work environments;
- A Ph.D. in Philosophy or closely related field is preferred only for teaching upper-division (numbered 300 or higher) courses.
Application
Applicants are required to upload the following documents:
- a cover letter expressing interest in the classes that you are qualified to teach;
- a current Curriculum Vitae, including details of current and previous teaching experience;
- the names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails of two professional references who are in a position to comment on the applicant’s current or previous teaching experience.
Applications will be accepted up until the beginning of the term or until all positions are filled.
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a member of the CSU system and serves a diverse student body of 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The University seeks to promote appreciation of scholarship, freedom, and human diversity through excellence in instruction and intellectual accomplishment.
San Francisco State is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting the Senior Human Resources Manager.
Thank you for your interest in employment with California State University (CSU). CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. Because of this, CSU prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of California with very limited exception. While this position may be eligible for occasional telework, all work is expected to be performed in the state of California, and this position is assigned to on-campus operations.
