Philosophy Tutor Specializing in Ethics and Values

Victor M.

I have an MA in Philosophy from San Francisco State University. I am a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I have over 10 years of teaching experience across both institutions, with a focus on courses in value theory, ethics and political philosophy, and critical reasoning. My research is on reasoning under uncertainty.

One of my joys in teaching is finding ways to connect classic texts to contemporary works. I emphasize the role of philosophical arguments as a conversational partner in helping students discover who they are, what matters to them, and how they see the world. As your tutor, I will help you bridge your interests and experiences with the ideas embedded in dense texts and complex arguments so that you will not only figure out what's happening in them but also learn something about yourself. I believe that your education with philosophy should not be mere memorization or grinding through difficulty, but also a chance at transformation through self-reflection and conversation with great thinkers.

More concretely, I myself am a life-long learner that takes a while to figure things out sometimes. I have extensive experience in puzzling over things that some people figure out immediately, so I always approach topics with a beginner's mindset and figure out systems to break down very hard things so that they are accessible and repeatable. Because that's what I would have needed to learn it myself. As an example, I failed calculus when I took it in high school, re-took it and tutored two of my fellow classmates in undergrad, and went on to minor at mathematics when I graduated. I will therefore listen to your concerns and frustrations and take them seriously because of my own experience in struggling through material and understanding the immense reward at the other side of it.