ABSTRACT
Years ago, the department of which I was then a member invited to campus a promising candidate for a faculty position. He had been highly recommended based in part on his purported pedagogical skills, but after listening to him present a convoluted talk, I had doubts. Later, as he recounted his success in teaching introductory philosophy, I asked him to estimate the percentage of students in the class who understood his lectures. “Definitely half”, he replied proudly. When I inquired about the other half, he answered that they were not philosophically sophisticated enough to follow the arguments. No wonder, given that department’s commitment to excellence in teaching, he was not offered a position.
