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LISA N. THOMAS-SMITH

Lecturer, University of Colorado at Boulder

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Teacher. Thinker. Researcher.

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Areas of Specialization: Ethics, Moral Psychology

Areas of Competence: Philosophy of Religion, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Race, Philosophy of Gender

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BIOGRAPHY

Lisa Thomas-Smith holds a dual PhD in Philosophy and Cognitive Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her research is primarily in Ethics with particular emphasis on moral psychology. She wrote her dissertation on the role of habit in moral practice, and received her PhD in May of 2021. She is currently a lecturer at Clemson University in South Caroline. Prior to this position, she was a lecturer at CU Boulder, and began designing and teaching her own classes as a Graduate Part Time Instructor in Spring semester of 2017. As a lecturer and GPTI, she was the instructor of record for courses in Philosophy of Race, Philosophy and Gender, Philosophy and Psychology, Philosophy and Society, Introduction to Philosophy, and Critical Thinking. She is currently pursuing a teaching position in the discipline of Philosophy.

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OVERVIEW OF COURSES

Spring 2017

READING, WRITING, AND REASONING

The intent of this course is to assist in the acquisition of the foundational knowledge and skills needed to critically examine texts, develop critical reasoning, and produce written essays which express clear, valid, and well-supported arguments. To meet these goals, we will engage with several controversial philosophical issues which tend to inspire contentious disagreement.

Spring 2023

Summer 2022 / Fall 2022

Fall 2018

Fall 2017

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INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

The intent of this course is to introduce some of the main areas, concepts, and ideas of the discipline of philosophy. Significant attention will be given to metaphysical questions such as the existence of God, epistemological questions such as how we know that we know, and ethical questions about right and wrong including political and personal moral inquiry.

Spring 2018

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PROBLEMS

The intent of this course is two-fold. One is to introduce you to some of the main concepts and ideas of the discipline of philosophy, and secondly to apply those concepts and ideas of important issues and happenings in the world around us. Several ethical theories are explored and challenged, and several real-world contentious issues will be examined such as abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and feminist issues.

Spring 2023

Fall 2021 / Spring 2022

Spring 2021

Spring 2019

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INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

The intent of this course to introduce some of the main concepts and theories of the philosophical study of Ethics. The early weeks of the course are spent learning about philosophical argument and fallacies, and then we use those ideas to examine common ethical theories and difficult moral and social problems such as bias, racism, abortion, same-sex marriage, and immigration.

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Fall 2023
Summer 2022
Fall 2021
Fall 2019

CRITICAL THINKING / INTRO TO LOGIC

The content of this course is intended to teach students about general concepts of logic and critical thinking, to ensure a basic knowledge of valid argumentation, the importance of avoiding fallacy, and to introduce fundamental concepts of formal logic.

Fall 2023
Summer 2020 / Fall 2020

PHILOSOPHY AND GENDER

The intent of this course is to inquire into and examine some of the philosophical arguments about gender including:

  • How gender is and should be defined

  • Whether or not gender is real or constructed

  • The impact of gender norms on normative roles, expectations, and senses of self

  • The ethics and bias of gender norms

  • Whether or not gender is changeable

Spring 2022

Spring 2021

Summer 2020 / Fall 2020

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PHILOSOPHY AND RACE

The intent of this course is to inquire into and examine some of the philosophical arguments about Race including:

  • How Race is and should be defined

  • Racial construction

  • The intersection of race and culture

  • The impact of race on sense of self, social status, and political policy

  • The ethics and bias surrounding race

Spring 2021

PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY

This course examines some of the impacts on human experience which are at the intersection of philosophy and pscyhology. Some of the important issues discussed are to identity, emotion, bias, free will, motivation, and moral judgement.

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