What degrees did you earn at NMSU, and when did you graduate?

"I earned a BA in Philosophy from NMSU in 1993.  I also enjoyed studying some mathematics and (perhaps with more enthusiasm) Spanish during my time here.  (I’m still here, heh heh heh heh.)  But having already met my general education requirements during my time at San Jose State University, I dedicated myself to philosophy-heavy semesters here at NMSU, and I LOVED it!"

Which courses or professors had the most lasting influence on you?

"Formal Logic taught by Professor Tim Cleveland had a lifelong impact upon me.  Tim was, and still is, an absolutely outstanding teacher, and I loved the structures and beauty of symbolic logic, even more so than I love similar things in the world of mathematics.  I studied a vast array of logics in graduate school, and I’ve published some logical moves that I hope can still be accurately described as discoveries.  I studied some logic at San Jose State, but Tim’s logic class inspired me to study logic with everything I had.  Professor Danny Scoccia ignited my passion for theoretical ethics.  Danny is beautiful and generous in the philosophical dialectic, willing to explore—and usually argue adamantly against—any philosophical idea.  I’ve pursued ethical theory since then with Danny’s help and inspiration.  I’m grateful to Professor Dick Ketchum for introducing me to the intricacies of Plato’s thought and the philosophical subfield of Aesthetics.  I loved Ketchum’s Plato class so much that I’ve continued to study and develop philosophical projects around Plato’s (and Socrates’) thoughts throughout my career.  I’m also grateful to Professor Paul Sagal for introducing me to intriguing, philosophical texts in the medieval and contemporary era.  Some of those texts played salient roles in the development of my writing sample in my applications for graduate school in philosophy.  Sagal helped me to develop my essay in interesting ways.  All of the professors above advised me and assisted me with my applications to graduate programs in philosophy.  And their efforts paid off: I was accepted as a fellowship student and an immediate doctoral candidate at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1995, where I earned my Ph.D in philosophy."

What is your current position, and what does your work involve day-to-day?

"I’m am an Associate Professor of Philosophy here at NMSU.  My work involves day-to-day intense philosophical action."

How has your philosophy training shaped the way you approach your work?

"My philosophical training has shaped the way I work in absolute ways.  I’m a philosopher!  And the philosophical training I received here at NMSU and at UMass-Amherst has put me into position to grow into the philosopher I am today."

What did you do immediately after graduating — further study, work, or something else?

"I spent a year teaching young kids as an Educational Assistant at Mesilla Park Elementary, playing soccer and partying with my brothers in Mexico, and preparing and dedicating myself to improving all of my application components: my writing sample, GRE results, and personal statement."

Is there a philosophical idea, argument, or question from your studies that has stayed with you?

"Many: consequentialist normative theories, classical logics, the wide array of modal logics and their interesting roles in deep philosophical investigations, and a commitment to a sort of classical form of the philosophical dialectic.  There’s a whole lot more too—but I might go on for days."

What would you say to a current student wondering what to do with a philosophy or justice, political philosophy and law degree?

"There are many possibilities: pursue a graduate degree in Philosophy or some other academic field, pursue a graduate degree in Law or Medicine, secure a government or non-profit job, work in industry as an analyst, manager, or human resource specialist, enlist in the military or peace corps.  There are so many possibilities for people who are logical reasoners, excellent writers and overall communicators, and successful negotiators of intellectually difficult, philosophical puzzles."

What do you enjoy outside of work?

"My family: I love my wife, my parents, my sons, my daughter, my brothers, nephews, nieces, my friends, and I am absolutely enamored with my young grandson.  I happily and luckily spend a lot of time with my friends and family, and we love and laugh together like the big Irish-Sicilian-ish family we are.  Other things I enjoy: semi-competitive cycling, literature, soccer, boxing, chess, fishing, hiking, camping, partying, and learning all kinds of new things.  I love learning!"