48 Years of Teaching Logic at Biola University: Dr. David Ciocchi, Ph.D., Master, Mentor, Servant of The Logos, Cultivator of Citizens (Ep. 67)
48 Years of Teaching Logic at Biola University: Dr. David Ciocchi, Ph.D., Master, Mentor, Servant of The Logos, Cultivator of Citizens (Ep. 67)  
Podcast: The Republican Professor
Published On: Fri Jul 08 2022
Description: It seems like only 47 years ago that Dr. Ciocchi began teaching Logic, but no: It's actually been 48. David Ciocchi has nearly half a century of service to Christ, Culture & kids under his belt. My former boss joins us in this episode of The Republican Professor podcast. Partial disclosure (people say "full disclosure" but then go on only to partially disclose -- *full* disclosure would take a lot of time, wouldn't it?): I was his Logic Teaching Assistant (TA) for multiple semesters while I was in graduate school studying Philosophy for my Masters at Biola University in Lost Angeles County, California. I cut my teeth learning from this master how to teach Logic, something I ended up doing myself for 15 years in Lost Angeles and Ventura Counties (So Cal). His name is Dr. David Ciocchi, Ph.D., and Professor Ciocchi has taught for darn near half a dadgum century Introduction to Logic to blurry eyed students and budding citizens of this great Republic. Dr. Ciocchi is known as a gentle, patient mentor with one of the driest and most pedagogically effective senses of humor known to man. (It's not on full display here because that was not the purpose of the episode--you'd have to talk to his former students). His classes for decades have been Mon Wed Fri (MWF) starting before 8 am. The co-host for this episode, Kurtis, took his course 3 times at that early schedule, each time faring better than the last, and Dr. Ciocchi's consistent gentle, patient demeanor is on full display there as those sensitive details come up. Dr. Ciocchi talks us through what teaching is like, or has been like, including challenges and regrets that he's come to terms with over those 48 years. He's seen a lot of changes in California, not all worth celebrating (to say the least). But he's maintained a faithfulness to the Logic-teaching ministry to Christ and Culture in California by the grace of God, and we are so grateful for God's grace to us, through him, and for spending time with us today on this episode. The Republican Professor is a pro-effectively-teaching-Logic-to-the-younger-generation, pro-decades-of-faithful-service, pro-mentoring-new-professors, pro-deadpan-dry-humor-in-the-morning podcast. Therefore, welcome Dr. David Ciocchi, Ph.D., professor of Logic for 48 years at Biola University, Lost Angeles County, California. The Republican Professor podcast is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. This episode was co-hosted by TheRepublicanProfessor.com co-founder and former student of Dr. Ciocchi, Kurtis Olson.