Blazing a Trail: inspiring students in the classroom

Michael LeBuffe, assistant professor of philosophy

Michael LeBuffe, associate professor of philosophy, can trace his passion for his discipline back to his childhood.

“I had a couple of really great courses in high school,” said LeBuffe. “Really the figures that are still my focus now: Hobbes, Descartes, and Spinoza, were introduced to me then.”

Discourses on the research

Both in the history of philosophy and also in contemporary moral theory, LeBuffe is concerned with human psychology and epistemology and the ways in which facts about us and our knowledge constrain or otherwise inform theories of value.

LeBuffe writes primarily on the moral theories of Thomas Hobbes and Baruch Spinoza. His new book, From Bondage to Freedom: Spinoza on Human Excellence (Oxford University Press), is an account of Spinoza’s Moral Theory.

“One of the main themes of the work concerns sense perception. I argue that Spinoza takes passions, the source of moral error, to be similar in kind to sensory perceptions, the source of cognitive error,” said LeBuffe. “For example, if I look at the sun when it is reflected in the water, I know that it isn't there, but it still seems as though it is in the water. Similarly, I know that Snickers bars are bad for me, but I still want to eat one when I am near it.”

On LeBuffe’s interpretation, Spinoza hopes that, once we recognize that cognitive error from sense perception and moral error from passion arise in the same ways, we can use techniques that help us to avoid cognitive error on the basis of sense perception to help us resist the influence of passion. In that way, a lot of his moral prescriptions resemble Descartes's rules for avoiding error in our judgments about the world.

Since finishing his book, LeBuffe has begun work on a new research program, investigating the historical roots of a common philosophical claim, that our ability to imagine a thing tells us that the thing is possible.

“Although there are not any unicorns, I might think that the fact that I can imagine a unicorn tells me that it is not impossible for there to be one. On the other hand, the fact that I cannot imagine a mountain without a valley might be a reason for me to think that it is impossible for there to be one. This is the kind of reasoning the many philosophers still use, and it most important uses may be in the works of Descartes and Hume.”

Classroom favorite

This past spring, LeBuffe was the recipient of both a Texas A&M System SLATE Award and an Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching from the College of Liberal Arts. The latter honor, which recognizes faculty who have command of their respective discipline and exhibit a commitment to the learning process, highlights LeBuffe’s dedication to his students and their education.

“I love watching students progress every day. I have to say, though, that in a department that is small enough that professors get to know the majors, I get the most satisfaction by watching students grow after they leave A&M,” said LeBuffe.

Honesty and communication are quintessential

When it comes to engaging students in the classroom, LeBuffe knows gimmicks won’t work. If it appears to be artificial on the part of the teacher, they will be able to see right through it. Ultimately, the only tool needed to motivate students is a well-designed and presented course. Then, students will naturally want to understand the material.

“Clarity of communication is almost always what I am after in class. So I try to teach in such a way that I can always check to see whether my argument or the concept that I am trying to introduce is understood. And I spend a lot of time restating student’s questions in order to make sure that I, and other students, understand what is at stake at any given moment.”

Michael LeBuffe has excelled in both teaching and research, two pursuits that are thought to go hand in hand at a university. But in fact that is not always the case. Michael LeBuffe is an example of the best kind of academician a researcher who is dedicated to his students.

-30-

Contact: Tiffany Neal, varsitycolt@libarts.tamu.edu, 979.862.4879