Philosophy
Aran Gharibpour is a professor in the Philosophy, Religion, and Humanities Department at Austin Community College (ACC). Some years ago, he gave up engineering to pursue philosophy, and somewhere down that path, he also picked up oil painting and Argentine tango. One could say, he belongs to the vanishing race of left-handed polymaths.
How has your community college teaching experience shaped your character over your career?
I have become more articulate, confident, and spontaneous. I have lost false hopes and gained more grounded ones. I have better realized how creative thinking and teaching could go hand in hand. I have felt more deeply how much good, generous, expansive thinking is procedural and multiply realizable.