Jason Epps is a faculty member in the Philosophy department at Austin Community College. Jason is deeply interested in stoicism, an ancient movement that’s enjoyed a resurgence of popular interest in recent years. He uses it as a vehicle for teaching philosophy as both as an intellectual discipline and a way of assessing how we choose to live.

This discussion was recorded in November 2024, shortly after the publication of Jason's Op-Ed in the Austin American Statesman, a major daily newspaper in the area. As you’ll hear, he felt compelled to address a form of criticism aimed at higher education that had emerged shortly after the presidential election. This criticism took aim at the fact that some faculty at some higher ed institutions attempted to actively address distress that they perceive in their students surrounding the political moment, in some cases cancelling class meetings, allowing for extended deadlines on assignments, or pre-empting planned class activities to instead facilitate discussions of student concerns.

This kind of criticism bears consideration, because its target is not restricted to any particular political moment. Interesting questions arise here: To what extent, if any, should student fears about a given political or cultural event change the goings-on of the classroom? Do instructional adaptations in the face of such events distract from the proper function of higher education? What should an institution that is primarily aimed at teaching and learning do in response to the emotions that its students bring with them?

Today you’ll hear the perspective of a teacher who believes that, to borrow from the title of his own editorial, “We must support students with real fears.”

• (00:00:00) - Austin Community Conversations: Stomping Through Fear
• (00:02:51) - Jason Epps: Joy in Philosophy
• (00:07:28) - What's Distinct About Taking a Philosophy Class?
• (00:12:43) - Philosopher on Supporting Students Who Have Real Fears About the
• (00:18:06) - Community Colleges: Preparing Students for the Real World
• (00:20:41) - Teaching Students to Be Fearful
• (00:26:18) - Wonders of Philosophy
• (00:30:24) - Jason the Interview