Alma Espartinez
Assistant Instructional Professor
Education:
Ph.D. - Philosophy University of Santo Tomas
Brief Biography:
Dr. Espartinez is an Assistant Instructional Professor in Philosophy at Providence College in Rhode Island, USA. With a background in Philosophy, including a Ph.D. from the University of Santo Tomas, Dr. Espartinez is a recognized authority in the field. Her expertise extends to areas such as ethics, philosophy of the human person, gender, and pedagogy. She has authored philosophy textbooks, published articles, and delivered notable papers in higher education. Dr. Espartinez's academic contributions have earned her prestigious awards, including the Fulbright in Residence and Visiting Professorship.
Area(s) of Expertise:
* Emmanuel Levinas
* Karol Wojtyla
* Aristotelian and Symbolic Logic
* Feminine Genius
Teaching Philosophy:
An unstated ethics exists in the silent space between teacher and student that needs to be constantly honored in our classroom: the ethics of the Other. The Other (my student) presents a demand on me, interferes with my sense of liberty and freedom, and calls on a responsibility that I cannot, because I should not, refuse. This asymmetrical relation present in the pedagogical setting between the student and the teacher demands that the latter remain forever open to the summons of the former. Responsibility for our students, this I know too well, does not carry any heroic accents; it only speaks of the unconditionality of our commitment and obligation to our students. This I know too well, and this, in essence, is my teaching statement.
My pedagogic aim is to disturb the intellectual equilibrium, challenge rational thought, and disrupt my students' sense of mental complacency. This is manifested in the play of the essentially profound thoughts I give my students, allowing tension and mental strife in my students’ intelligence. I direct my philosophical efforts towards the break from the exact and the definite. I present a high and profound view of philosophizing, causing a sense of “disorientation” from the traditional notion. I honor the value of each voice in the classroom. In my class, there is no culture of right answers, only enlightened ideas. I make teaching personal and learning singular.
