Philosophy Speaker Series
Every year the Philosophy Section presents a series of public lectures by leading philosophers. For more information or to suggest a speaker or topic, contact Speaker Series Coordinator Dr. Laura McMahon. Events are eligible for LBC credit.
2023-24 Speakers
- Abe Graber (The Ohio State University), "All You Need is Love (for Full Moral Status)," Wednesday, October 25 at 5pm (Halle 300). Reception to follow. For more information, see the event flyer.
- Shannon Hoff (Memorial University), "A Phenomenological Account of the Conditions of Transnational Feminism," Thursday, November 20 at 5pm (Halle 300). Reception to follow. For more information, see the event flyer.
- Jan Forsman (University of Iowa), "Margaret Cavendish and Skepticism," Thursday, March 7 at 5pm (Halle 300). For more information, see the event flyer.
- Mercedes Valmisa (Gettyburg College), "Emergence, Spontaneity, and Volition: A New Interpretation of Wuwei," Wednesday, March 27 at 5pm (Halle 300). For more information, see the event flyer.
- MA Student Speakers of 2023-24: Dylan Wolfe and Josh Hunt (EMU), "An Analysis of Intentional and Unintentional Gaslighting," Thursday, April 18 at 5pm (Pray-Harrold 219). For more information, see the event flyer.
2022-23 Speakers
- Katie Stockdale (University of Victoria), "On Being Entitled," Thursday, November 10 at 5pm (Zoom)
- Amy Olberding (University of Oklahoma), "Philosophers Fighting about Funerals," Thursday, February 2 at 5pm (Zoom)
- MA Student Speaker of 2022-23: Joah DeCasas (EMU), "Epistemic Virtues and Professionalized Science's Vulnerability to the Problem of Unconceived Alternatives," Monday, April 10 at 3:30pm (Strong 103)
2021-22 Speakers
- Adrian Currie (University of Exeter), "Underdetermination is Good, Actually: Spinosaurus and Modal Knowledge." Friday, October 22 at 12pm (noon). For more information, see the event flyer.
- John Russon (University of Guelph), "Am I There Yet? On Living an Adult Life," Thursday, November 18 at 5pm. For more information, see the event flyer.
- 2021-22 Distinguished Speaker Helga Varden (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), "A Kantian Theory of Intersectionality." Thursday, February 17 at 5pm. For more information, see the event flyer. Watch a recording of the talk here:
- MA Student Speaker of 2021-22: Christopher (Mac) Neaville (EMU), "Clarifying the Role of Implicit Bias in Epistemic Injustice." Wednesday, March 16 at 5pm. For more information, see the event flyer.
- Michael Doan (Oakland University), "James Boggs: Student of Detroit," Thursday, April 21 at 5pm. For more information, see the event flyer.
2020-21 Speakers
- Lewis Gordon (University of Connecticut), "Black Existentialism and Black Lives Mattering."
Thursday, October 22 at 5 p.m. For more information see the event flyer. Watch a recording of the talk here: - Colin Koopman (University of Oregon), "The Political Philosophy of Data."
Wednesday, November 18 at 5 p.m. For more information see the event flyer. Watch a recording of the talk here: Dr. Benjamin Hale (University of Colorado, Boulder), "Clean Meat and Dirty Dollars: Substitution and Indeterminacy in Technocratic Solutions to Climate Change." Thursday, February 18 at 5 p.m. For more information see the event flyer.
MA Student Speaker of 2020-21: Lauren Williams (EMU), "Shifting Conceptions of Dependency." Thursday, March 18 at 5 p.m. For more information see the event flyer.
- Dr. Jean Kazez (Southern Methodist University) on Thursday, April 8 at 5 p.m. For more information see the event flyer.
- Lewis Gordon (University of Connecticut), "Black Existentialism and Black Lives Mattering."
2019-20 Speakers
- Dave Concepción (Ball State), "Early Steps to Teaching Excellence," Friday, October 4, 3:30-5 p.m., Halle Auditorium.
- Sean Valles (Michigan State), "Advocacy and Practicing Philosophy of Public Health in an Inequitable World," Thursday, November 7, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle Auditorium.
- Laura McMahon (EMU), "Palimpsestic Transformations: Religion, Multiculturalism, and Phenomenology as a Critical Practice," Thursday, December 5, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle Auditorium.
- MA Student Speaker of 2019-20: Collin Lucken (EMU), "From Ancient Shamans to Cybernetic Lungs: How Heuristic Theory Construction pervades the Messy Sciences," Thursday, January 30, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle Auditorium.
- Distinguished speaker Alison Jaggar (University of Colorado, Boulder), “Decolonizing Anglo-American Political Philosophy: The Case of Migration Justice,” Wednesday, February 19, 5-6:30 p.m., Pray-Harrold.
- John Russon (University of Guelph), "The Needs of Community and the Problem of Modern Government." Canceled, but hopefully to be rescheduled.
2018–19 Speakers
- Dan Lowe (University of Michigan), "Changing Hearts and Minds is Hard (But Not Impossible): Abolitionist Lessons." September 17th, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle 300.
- Michael Doan (EMU), "Public Health Ethics and Precarity." October 24, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle 300.
- MA Student Speaker of 2018-19: Eva Chrysochoou (EMU), "Aesthetic Dwelling in the Ambiguous." November 28, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle 300.
- Distinguished Speaker of 2019: Kristin Andrews (York University), "Animal Rights and the Cluster Concept of Person." January 16, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle Auditorium.
- Kym Maclaren (Ryerson University), “Embodied Agency: Anorexia as a Case Study,” March 28, 5-6:30 p.m., Halle 300.
2017–18 Speakers
- John Koolage (EMU), "Selective Realism and the Structure of Independent Measurements," Thursday, October 19th, 5:30-7p.m. at Halle 300
- Elena Ruíz (MSU), "Decolonizing the Ethics of Knowing," Wednesday, November 15th, 5:30-7p.m. at Halle Auditorium, co-sponsored by Women’s and Gender Studies
- Peter Higgins (EMU), "Three Hypotheses for Explaining the Alleged Oppression of Men," Thursday, January 25th, 5:30-7p.m., in Halle Library, Room 300
- Brian Bruya (EMU), "Fostering Wisdom in the Classroom," Wednesday, February 28th, 5:30-7p.m. at Halle Library, Room 300
- Distinguished Speaker, Leonard Lawlor (Penn State), "The Poverty of the Remainder: on Reactions to Violence," Thursday, March 8th, 5:30-7p.m. at Halle Auditorium
- Elvira Basevich (U-M Dearborn), "The Nature of Progressive Political Change: Du Bois and Rawls on Kant's Cosmopolitanism," Thursday, March 22nd, 5:30-7p.m. at Halle Library, Room 300, co-sponsored by Women’s and Gender Studies
2016–17 Speakers
- Joyce Havstad, Oakland University, "Digging, Dirt, Dinosaurs, and Denisova: Episodes in Paleontological Science and Values."
- Katherine Kim, Wayne State University, "In the Name of Human Rights: The Difference Between an Ideology and Ideal of Human Rights."
- Meena Krishnamurthy, University of Michigan, "White Moral Blindness and the Importance of Experiencing Racial Oppression."
- Stephen Ward, University of Michigan, "Ideas in Movement(s): James & Grace Lee Boggs, the 1967 Detroit Rebellion, and Revolutionary Theory."
- Liat Ben-Moshe, University of Toledo, "Epistemologies of Abolition."