Image(s) courtesy History of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries; copyright the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.
The philosophy department has moved to Building 4 on the South Campus, aka the OCCE Office Annex, while Dale Hall Tower is renovated.
Grad student Mary Gwin successfully defended her dissertation in December 2011. Congratulations, Dr. Gwin!
The OU Ethics Bowl Squad has won the Statewide Student Ethics Competition and the Regional Ethics Bowl for the second consecutive year. The competition combines elements of interscholastic debate and quiz bowl (see Ethics Bowl). The OU Squad has 3 returning members: Guss Keyes (philosophy senior), Cody Franklin (philosophy sophomore), and Evan DeFilippis (economics senior); and 3 new members: Jerod Coker (economics senior), Jon Hagan (philosophy junior), and Jeff Smith (philosophy junior). Next up is the National Ethics Bowl Competition on March 1, 2012 in Cincinnati, OH. The OU Ethics Bowl squad is advised by Breea Bacon (Associate Director, Academic Integrity Systems), Adrienne Jablonski (Director of Student Career and Leadership Development, CAS), and Stephen Ellis (Associate Professor, Philosophy). NewsOK coverage
OU Philosophers in multimedia: Watch Prof. Wayne Riggs deliver his lecture "Open-mindedness, Understanding and Emotion" here; listen to Prof. Hugh Benson discuss Aristotle's views on philosophical method here.
Prof. Sherri Irvin won the Philosophy Talk Conundrum Contest, with a conundrum about whether companies are justified in having a blanket policy of not hiring felons. The episode first aired on July 31, 2011, and is available for download as a podcast.
Prof. Martin Montminy has been promoted to Full Professor, effective July 1, 2011. Congratulations, Martin!
We
are delighted to announce that Emily McRae of the University of Wisconsin
- Madison has joined the faculty as Assistant Professor in Fall 2011. She
specializes in ethics, Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and feminist ethics.
Her dissertation is titled Love, Equanimity, and the Cultivation of
Moral Emotions.
Adam Pelser (PhD 2011, Baylor) has joined our faculty as a Visiting Assistant Professor for 2011-2012. Welcome, Prof. Pelser!
Prof. Linda Zagzebski has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for her project "Epistemic Authority: An Investigation of Trust, Authority, and Autonomy in Belief." Prof. Zev Trachtenberg has received a Fulbright Award to conduct research on environmental political theory at Queens University Belfast. Congratulations, Linda and Zev!
Staff Assistant Helene Sweatt has successfully nominated a book for the Books that Inspire exhibit at Bizzell Library. The book, Life Is So Good, is the autobiography of George Dawson, the grandson of African American slaves who learned to read at the age of 98 and wrote his autobiography at 102. Congratulations, Helene!
The philosophy department has lots of Sooner Allies, who have been trained to provide resources and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning members of the OU community. Grad students Alex Feldt, Dan Cheon, Patrick Epley, Rob Byer, Joseph McKinney, Josh Dhanens and Landon Schurtz, Department Chair Hugh Benson, Department Secretary Shelley Konieczny, and Profs. Steve Ellis, Sherri Irvin, Wayne Riggs and Chris Swoyer are available for confidential discussions about sexual orientation and gender issues. See Prof. Steve Ellis in the video:
There are facebook groups for current
majors and alumni/ae,
as well as for the Society
of Undergraduate Philosophers. Join your group to keep up with what's
happening in the Philosophy Department.
Prof. Neera Badhwar (above left) has retired from the philosophy department, though not from philosophy. She is now Philosopher-in-Residence at the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program in the Dept. of Economics at George Mason University. She has also won a fellowship from the Earhart Foundation to support her research.
- Summer 2012 schedule (.pdf)
- Fall 2012 schedule (.pdf)
- Fall 2012 course descriptions (.pdf)
- Grad student accomplishments
- Department newsletters, with news about faculty, grad students and alumni
- Prof. Mary Kate McGowan (Wellesley College) will give her lecture "On Silencing and Sincerity" on Apr. 20 at 3:30 p.m. in 107 Dale Hall. Abstract.
- The Women in Philosophy group meets regularly to discuss professional issues. For information, contact Prof. Sherri Irvin.
- The philosophy of religion reading group meets every other Tuesday at 1 p.m. For information, contact Jonathan Rutledge.
- The Epistemology Lab meets every Thursday at 3:30 to discuss a variety of topics in epistemology. For information, contact Prof. Wayne Riggs.
- The logic reading group meets regularly to discuss David Christensen's Putting Logic in Its Place. For information, contact Patrick Epley.
- The Society of Undergraduate Philosophers (SOUP) is an organization of undergraduates and graduate students interested in philosophy. The SOUP meets regularly for discussions, talks by faculty members, to view philosophically themed movies, and to engage in other philosophy related activities. Regular meetings are held on the First Tuesday of each month. For information, contact the current President of the SOUP, Jeff Smith.