Brandon Eggleston, Instructor
Education & Credentials
- University of Alberta - MA in Philosophy - 2023
- University of Alberta - BEd in Secondary Education - 2016
- University of Alberta - BSc with Honors in Astrophysics - 2013
Began teaching at MHC: 2023
Brandon began his academic journey with a passion for physics and a wonder toward the mysteries of the cosmos. He graduated with a B.Sc with honors in astrophysics in 2013, and earned a B.Ed in secondary education in 2016. After many hours of thinking about the nature of consciousness and morality, he was introduced to philosophy as a method of inquiry that is not limited to the directly observable and measurable. This new passion culminated in him earning an MA in philosophy in 2023, and he began working at MHC in the Fall of that year.
The question that Brandon has consistently come back to in his research is whether we will one day create an artificial intelligence that we ought to morally regard for its own sake. Undoubtedly, his love of science fiction was a significant motivational factor for why he was interested in this question. During grad school he was drawn to the methods of phenomenology, and he used the phenomenological ideas of Emmanuel Levinas to approach this question. He also has an interest in Hindu philosophy.
Brandon always encourages his students to think beyond what he directly teaches to come up with clever new ideas, counterarguments, supporting examples, etc. to support their own arguments. Philosophy class isn't about blindly accepting what is taught, but a way to support and motivate one's own critical thinking. "Don't be afraid to see where reason takes you" is the main lesson he wants students to walk away with.
In his spare time Brandon enjoys playing video games, board games, D&D, watching science fiction and anime, and hiking.
School of Arts, Science & Education
Brandon Brandon Eggleston
Instructor, Arts