Teaching

Jacob Bauer’s teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking, dialogue, ethical reasoning, and philosophical inquiry. With a focus on applied ethics, practical reasoning, and effective altruism, his courses encourage students to engage deeply with complex ideas and apply philosophical concepts to real-world issues. He is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and thought-provoking academic environment.

Jacob Bauer has a diverse teaching portfolio spanning multiple institutions: 

University of Dayton:

PHL 316 – Engineering Ethics

Course Description: Introduction to ethical issues in engineering by studying theories of moral justification and codes of ethics for engineers, and by applying these theories and codes to moral issues in engineering.
(Semesters Offered: Fall 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19; Spring 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20; Summer 25, 24, 23, 21.)


PHL 301 – Practical Logic

Course Description: Study of reasoning, judgment, and decision-making in everyday life as well as in professional contexts of academia, natural and social sciences, politics, and business. Topics include principles of correct reasoning, techniques for the evaluation of arguments, common fallacies in argumentation, and applications to current issues in ethics and other areas.
(Semesters Offered: Fall 24; Spring 25, 24, 23, 22.)


PHL 103 – Introduction to Philosophy

Course Description: Introduction to philosophical reflection and study of some central philosophical questions in the Western intellectual tradition, including questions of ethics, human knowledge, and metaphysics. Readings from major figures in the history of philosophy such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and Kant.
(Semesters Offered: Fall 24, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14; Spring 25, 21, 20, 18, 17, 15; Summer 21, 17.)


PHL 313 – Business Ethics

Course Description: Review of major ethical theories and concepts such as justice, human flourishing, rights, virtues, and common good, and examination of their implications for today's business world.
(Semesters Offered: Fall 23, 22; Spring 24, 23, 19; Summer 22 in Rome, Italy.)


PHL 310 – Social Philosophy

Course Description: Exploration of concepts such as liberty, justice, and equality as they relate to social problems like autonomy, responsibility, common good, economic justice, and discrimination. The course also addresses how obstacles to justice can be overcome.
(Semesters Offered: Spring 22, 21; 19; Summer 20, 18, 17, 16, 15. )


PHL 312 – Ethics

Course Description: Examination of the principles and practices of various ethical systems, focusing on their internal coherence and practical application to personal dilemmas, social injustices, and real-world problems. Topics include the evaluation of moral theories, the analysis of ethical arguments, and the application of ethical principles to contemporary issues.
(Semesters Offered: Fall 21, 19, 18; Spring 18, 17.)


PHL 311 – Philosophy of Religion

Course Description: Philosophical examination of religious belief and practices, including the nature of religion; concepts of God; arguments concerning God’s existence; faith and reason; revelation and miracles; science and religion; the problem of evil; and religious pluralism.
(Semesters Offered: Spring 20; Summer 24, 20, 19.)


ASI 374 – Professional Ethics in a Global Community

Course Description: Examination of professional responsibility (ethics) in a global community from a philosophical perspective. Designed so that students from all Schools and the Colleges will address their particular professional responsibility to themselves, others, and the planet. Restricted to students in UD's Core Program.
(Semesters Offered: Fall 23, 22.)


PHL 327 – Philosophy of Peace

Course Description: Examination of human violence and ethical justifications for war and exploration of resolutions for human conflict in processes such as pacifism, peacemaking, and nonviolence.
(Semesters Offered: Spring 16.)


Wright State University:

PHL 3000 – Critical Thinking

Course Description: Introduction to fundamental reasoning skills as understood philosophically and as applied in a variety of areas, including science, religion, politics, and morality. Topics include the structure of deductive and inductive reasoning, valid and invalid arguments, truth tables, syllogisms, formal and inductive fallacies.
(Semesters Offered: Spring 19, 18, 17, 16; Summer 19, 18; Fall 18, 16, 15.)


PHL 2050 – Big Questions

Course Description:  Introduction to philosophy through the exploration and critical examination of some of the following perennial, philosophical questions: Does God exist? Why be ethical? What is knowledge? What is the meaning of life?
(Semester Offered: Spring 19, 18, 17, Summer 16, 15.)


PHL 4110 – Ethics Seminar (Ethics of Peace)

Course Description: Ethical problems, theories, and methods. Topics vary. [Advanced seminar on the ethics of peace and nonviolence. Includes analysis of ethical theories of nonviolence and their application to issues of war and peace.]
(Semester Offered: Spring 18.)


PHL 2230 – Symbolic Logic

Course Description: Introduction to the techniques of deductive logic including truth-table analysis and predicate logic.
(Semesters Offered: Spring 15; Fall 14.)


PHL 3120 – History of Ethics

Course Description: Study of the development of ethical philosophy through a detailed investigation of such figures as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Mill, and Nietzsche.
(Semester Offered: Fall 14.)


Sinclair Community College:

PHI 2205 – Introduction to Philosophy

Course Description: Basic nature of philosophy, its relationship to physical and social sciences and theology, and its value to the individual.
(Semester Offered: Spring 14.)


REL 2255 – People & Religion

Course Description: A comparative look at religion in our society. Overview of the rich diversity of human religiosity and the key beliefs, practices, stories, and rituals that attempt to connect humans to the sacred. Special attention to unique individuals within each religious tradition.
(Semester Offered: Fall 14.)