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FAQ

Frequently asked course questions and answers

Participants are diverse. Some are recent university graduates who miss the intellectual stimulation of the classroom. Some are mid-career professionals looking to exercise their minds outside the narrow demands of the workplace. Some are taking advantage of their retirement to seek personal enrichment. Most have some university education although this is neither expected nor universal. Although the majority of participants are based in North America and Europe, classes have included students from Singapore, Iran, India, Bangladesh, and Brazil, among other places.

What the participants have in common is a desire to challenge themselves, an openness to big questions, and patience about not knowing the answers. What the participants don’t have in common is also crucial to the success of the classes. These classes cultivate small online communities of people who wouldn’t meet in the ordinary walk of life. The diversity of life experience and cultural backgrounds greatly enhances the conversations.

The online courses don’t presuppose any prior background in philosophy and aim to welcome a wide range of people. That said, we do read some difficult texts and university-level reading skills in English are definitely an asset. I provide video lectures to accompany the readings with the aim of helping people understand the readings more easily.

Each weekly class comes with a reading to discuss. In general, I try to keep these readings under 30 pages. Usually they’re between 20 and 30 pages in length. Occasionally they’re a little longer and occasionally they’re a fair bit shorter.

Classes are capped at fifteen participants.

I don’t want price to be a barrier for participation in these courses. Past course participants overwhelmingly describe the course fee as “excellent value for money,” but I recognize that many people simply can’t afford a $349 course fee. For that reason, I offer a limited number of no-questions-asked pay-what-you-can spots in each course. If you tell me you can’t afford the full course fee, I will accept whatever fee you think you’re able to afford.

Please contact me directly to save your spot. 

The answer to this question varies from course to course. For the most part, I provide reading materials for the course in PDF form. However, in some cases copyright law prohibits me from sharing the entirety of a given reading and in those cases I ask students to purchase a book. When this is the case, I encourage you where possible to buy the book through a local, independent bookseller.

I offer a no-questions-asked full refund for anyone who wishes to withdraw before the second week of class. That allows people to get a taste of the course without making a full financial commitment.

Yes, although these courses are not designed or intended to provide professional or academic credentialing.

Yes. I offer one-on-one classes that I can tailor to your interests. I charge $150 per hour for a one-on-one class based on one of the standard courses I offer and $200 per hour for a bespoke one-on-one class whose curriculum we devise together.

 

I give talks and presentations to groups. If your organization would like a curated philosophy discussion or a talk on a philosophical topic, get in touch!

Past Student reviews

David Egan is an amazing instructor who makes philosophy very accessible. It has been remarkable how he has been able to engage people with very different backgrounds to discuss and share thoughts. This course has been very enriching and has for 10 weeks been the highlight of my week.
Amanda Lee
David Egan does a great job constructing the course materials and managing the discussions with a gentle hand so we don’t stray too far from the topic. Meeting and getting to know the other participants was just pure joy! I have a whole new cohort of friends from different parts of the world! I highly recommend David Egan’s course for anyone who is an avid reader.
Amanda Lee
David is the consummate teacher: erudite, organized, thorough, thoughtful and exceedingly patient and good-humoured. The reading material is excellent and highly relevant to each week’s topic. David’s video lectures are simply brilliant, in content, style and flow.
Amanda Lee
David is a truly exceptional teacher. He is impressively knowledgeable and articulate, although he wears his learning lightly. He manages to achieve the almost impossible feat of creating a happy and intimate atmosphere in the class although we are all online. The subjects were all well chosen, and the lectures were clear and to the point, and accompanied by very attractive illustrations.
Amanda Lee
David’s courses have been one of the most rewarding activities I have taken on during the past year. His readings are challenging, but always clarified in the pre-recorded lectures that follow. The group discussions are animated and interesting, making it hard to say farewell when the course ends. Above all, I appreciate how David’s courses force us to think about the ways we perceive our world and the ways we choose to live.
Amanda Lee
David Egan’s classes have been one of the most pleasurable activities I have participated in this year. He is a patient and kind teacher who is able to capture the essence of what his students are trying to say and guide the class discussions in a very fruitful manner. A big shoutout to the excellent video lectures in which David’s wit and good humour make the task of philosophy accessible and fun! I hope to attend more of his classes in the future and I highly encourage everyone else to do the same!
Amanda Lee
As somebody with zero prior knowledge of philosophy these ten short weeks has opened a world of thought and being for me.
Amanda Lee
A course with you (David) is like a guided tour of intellectual treasures – and the lectures and group discussions that follow each reading serve to illuminate, contextualize and expand upon the reading itself. It’s some of the most enjoyable learning I have ever experienced.
Amanda Lee
As somebody with zero prior knowledge of philosophy these ten short weeks has opened a world of thought and being for me. David Egan’s philosophy courses are enormously worthwhile and enjoyable: stimulating themes, well-chosen short readings from a variety of philosophers, brilliant and entertaining short videos to accompany the readings, and skillfully-lead online class discussions where everyone’s contribution is considered and valued.
Amanda Lee

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