{"id":535,"date":"2023-03-08T11:18:06","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T11:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merder.org\/?page_id=535"},"modified":"2026-03-03T19:06:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:06:34","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/merder.org\/?page_id=535","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"535\" class=\"elementor elementor-535\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c413143 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c413143\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-be89dca\" data-id=\"be89dca\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-64788e3 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64788e3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-bd3908c\" data-id=\"bd3908c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aed618e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"aed618e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Curious Philosophers is a site where two philosophy teachers will share resources<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3678a5f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3678a5f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Dermot and Meredith have been teaching philosophy for several decades. From a day when all exams were completed on blue books to the advent of generative AI, education and teaching has evolved significantly. As a result, we have have adapted to evolving technology and pedagogy. This is where we hope to share some of our thoughts on this evolution and its impact on students.<\/h5>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7033db elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"c7033db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"elementor-button-link elementor-button elementor-size-sm\" role=\"button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Contact Us<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-9dfb4f3 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9dfb4f3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-aea34d2\" data-id=\"aea34d2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adca613 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"adca613\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Mission & Values<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-706766e\" data-id=\"706766e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7fcf1de elementor-position-top elementor-vertical-align-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"7fcf1de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-content{width:100%}@media (min-width:768px){.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-left .elementor-image-box-wrapper,.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-right .elementor-image-box-wrapper{display:flex}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-right .elementor-image-box-wrapper{text-align:right;flex-direction:row-reverse}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-left .elementor-image-box-wrapper{text-align:left;flex-direction:row}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-top .elementor-image-box-img{margin:auto}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-vertical-align-top .elementor-image-box-wrapper{align-items:flex-start}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-vertical-align-middle .elementor-image-box-wrapper{align-items:center}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-vertical-align-bottom .elementor-image-box-wrapper{align-items:flex-end}}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-img{margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-bottom:15px}}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-img{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-title a{color:inherit}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-wrapper{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-description{margin:0}<\/style><div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\"><a href=\"#\">Our hope is to become a nexus where practicing and aspiring educators can share their insights <\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-7da62c9 elementor-section-full_width elementor-reverse-mobile elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7da62c9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0e09c7e\" data-id=\"0e09c7e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29f33fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"29f33fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Hi, I'm Meredith. I have been teaching philosophy for several decades at colleges in the Boston area. <\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-585de25 elementor-position-top elementor-vertical-align-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"585de25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h5 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\"><a href=\"#\">I have a background in Continental philosophy. I teach courses in Introduction to Philosophy, World Religions, Ethics, Meaning of Life, Philosophy through Film, Issues in Philosophy, and Philosophy of Happiness<\/a><\/h5><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">I have taught more than 10,000 students in my classes. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than accompanying a student as they immerse themselves in questions that have occupied human minds for millennia. I believe that philosophy remains relevant today and capable of tackling some of the intractable problems facing us in the 21st century.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0f06a2b\" data-id=\"0f06a2b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da29b11 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"da29b11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1348\" height=\"735\" src=\"https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/meredith-pippin.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-566\" alt=\"Cat with his human\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/meredith-pippin.jpg 1348w, https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/meredith-pippin-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/meredith-pippin-1024x558.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/meredith-pippin-768x419.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1348px) 100vw, 1348px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-34ac8e2 elementor-section-full_width elementor-reverse-mobile elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"34ac8e2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e92a77\" data-id=\"6e92a77\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be7f6fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"be7f6fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Hi, I'm Dermot. I came to the US for graduate studies. I never left.<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce0d523 elementor-position-top elementor-vertical-align-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"ce0d523\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h5 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\"><a href=\"#\">I have been teaching Foundations of Logical Reasoning, Ethics, Introduction to Philosophy, World Religions at Bridgewater State University and Northern Essex Community College.<\/a><\/h5><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">I spend most of my time in student support services at NECC, but my passion for teaching students has never dimmed. I enjoy the face to face interaction with students encountering philosophy for the first time, and love constructing courses that engage students and promote their learning experience.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-f371090\" data-id=\"f371090\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41ce34f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"41ce34f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"604\" height=\"336\" src=\"https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/7735422351352817506.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-581\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/7735422351352817506.jpg 604w, https:\/\/merder.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/7735422351352817506-300x167.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-58c2544 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"58c2544\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a63d61\" data-id=\"5a63d61\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44e5668 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"44e5668\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">We've often thought that the market for philosophical consultancy has been underserved. So, if you would like someone to think deeply about your problems, we're the team for you.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Curious Philosophers is a site where two philosophy teachers will share resources Dermot and Meredith have been teaching philosophy for several decades. From a day when all exams were completed on blue books to the advent of generative AI, education and teaching has evolved significantly. As a result, we have have adapted to evolving &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/merder.org\/?page_id=535\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">About us<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"enabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/535"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=535"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/535\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":624,"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/535\/revisions\/624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/merder.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}