Clifford J. Robson Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching

Brian Keenan

The advantage of teaching philosophy, according to Professor Brian Keenan, is that people have a predisposition for it.

“Not everyone is a nuclear physicist, but everyone is a philosopher,” said Keenan, a faculty member in The University of Winnipeg’s Philosophy Department for nearly 34 years. “The kinds of questions that arise in philosophical conversations make life interesting and are the kinds of questions people naturally ask in ordinary contexts.”

And according to his students, the benefits of having Keenan teach Philosophy are many: his tremendous breadth of knowledge, and his gift of making classes entertaining and intellectually stimulating. They consistently remark on his capacity to connect with students and as one wrote “inspire in them a love of philosophical inquiry.”

“In the classroom, he continuously fosters dialogue with his students in order to cultivate a critical spirit,” said a former student, who went on to future graduate studies in Philosophy. Another called him an “innovative and inspiring teacher.”

In addition to his dynamic teaching style, students again and again pointed out Keenan’s influence as a mentor and as a friend, in and outside of the classroom. “It was thanks to his instruction that I chose to pursue Philosophy,” wrote a former student, now a PhD candidate. “He made Philosophy deeply challenging and ultimately, the most rewarding field of study to which I was exposed.”

Keenan has been lauded for his capacity to make complex philosophical issues relevant, especially for Intro Philosophy students. Wrote one student nominator, “I did not ‘get’ Philosophy before I took this course.” Another wrote that Keenan’s intro class “stands out as the single best and most intellectually influential and stimulating course I’ve taken.”

Keenan also teaches social and political philosophy, contemporary social theory, and philosophy of history. As well, every year he participates in the University’s Enrichment Mini-Course Program where he teaches a weeklong course to high school students on “Philosophy and the Real World” delving into themes from God and the Problem of Evil to Politics and Morality.

The Robson award is presented to a professor based on nominations from current and former students. “I am pleased and very happy with this recognition from my students. I really enjoy teaching Philosophy and interacting with my students,” he said. “Philosophy is not a transfer of information, it’s a dialogue.”

On behalf of his students, The University of Winnipeg is honoured to present Dr. Brian Keenan with the Clifford J. Robson Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching.

< Return to Clifford J. Robson Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching