Jason Winfree
Department
Philosophy
Biography
I grew up in West Virginia, attended Hiram College in Northeastern Ohio, and completed my graduate work at Vanderbilt University.
Academic Credentials
B.A. Hiram College (1991)
M.A. Vanderbilt University (Religion, 1993)
M.A. Vanderbilt University (Philosophy, 1996)
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University (Philosophy, 2001)
I've published a number of articles on issues in contemporary continental philosophy, and I and am currently authoring a book on the issue of community and co-editing a volume on the thought of Georges Bataille.
Area of expertise
Continental philosophy (especially German Idealism, deconstruction, post-structuralism)
Philosophy of Literature
Aesthetics/Philosophy of Art
What have you learned from your students?
That thinking need not be homogeneous and that understanding takes place in myriad ways.
Why do students choose CSU Stanislaus?
Most of our students come from the surrounding areas. CSU Stanislaus provides a supportive environment for them as they transition from home to the work world, and it serves the needs of many who already work full-time and have families. I hope students choose CSU Stanislaus because it offers more than just career training, because it offers something of an education in a broader sense, aiming at the whole individual rather than just a set of specific skills.
How do students succeed in your class?
Students succeed in my classes as they learn to read, write, and think critically and imaginatively. That requires a good bit of work, shedding old habits and expectations and cultivating new ones.
What brought you to CSU Stanislaus?
The wonderful faculty in the Department of Philosophy.
If you were not teaching, what other career do you see yourself in?
I'm not sure. I really dislike the notion of career' in almost every aspect. In our culture it plays a disproportionate, and I think, extremely unhealthy role in the way people see themselves. It is almost as if we wither away entirely behind the careers with which we identify ourselves. What does it mean to identify oneself with one's means of earning?!
If I weren't employed in a University setting, though, I'm sure I would nevertheless continue to read and write, probably a mixture of essays and fiction, like some of those I most admire (Maurice Blanchot, Georges Bataille).
Describe a former student who has attained professional success.
One student came to CSU from a community college, started a major in philosophy, but was unfocused and needed to settle some personal issues. As a B- or C student, he disappeared for a while, but he resurfaced with incredible intensity and focus. Over the course of about two years he matured at an amazing rate and by the end of his work here was clearly reading and writing at a very strong graduate level! He graduated and went on to a prestigious graduate program in philosophy in the Northeast.
E-mail Address
jwinfree@csustan.edu
