Plato Not Playdoh...

Teaching Philosophy to Children?  Absolutely!

In this TEDx talk, Peter Worley of The Philosophy Foundation defends the notion that children can do philosophy:

"Children CAN do philosophy, but they tend to struggle when they're on their own, or when there's just two of them, because they lack the variety of responses that are necessary to sustain a philosophical conversation. However, if you take 20 children...then they start to have the variety of responses that are needed, and with a little bit of facilitation, they can also have the right kinds of responses.

"...[Children] learn to have what Socrates called the 'silent dialogue', this conversation that we have in our own heads when we think things through."

- Peter Worley, TEDx talk 'Plato Not Playdoh'

Ethics and Population Control

In the Ethics courses at AU, we often discuss the topic of poverty, on both an individual as well as on a global scale.  If you're interested in global issues, here's an interesting talk to think about.

The newest episode of Why? Radio is now available online:

"Are there too many people for our environment?"

Philip Cafaro 

http://www.philosophyinpubliclife.org/Why/previousepisodes/episode67.html

Right now waters are rising around the world, chemicals are seeping into our food and people are going hungry. Right now, wilderness is diminishing and cities are increasing in both size and density. In short we have an overpopulation problem and we have way too many environmental crises and no one seems to know what to do about any of it. On this episode of Why? Philip Cafaro attempts to tackle all of this at once by talking about overpopulation from an environmentalist’s perspective.

You can listen to the discussion and then post your comments at the link above, or email the show at whyradioshow@und.edu.

2014 Phi Sigma Tau Inductees

Ashland University's PHI SIGMA TAU, Ohio Mu Chapter, honors students who have demonstrated academic excellence in philosophy.  Membership is by invitation, based on significant academic achievement.  We would like to present the current members of the 2014-2015 academic year:

 

      Kathryn Brickner

      Johnathon Case

      Zachary Hoffman

      Brian Kellogg

      William Patznick

      Brent Rossman

Congratulations to our newest (and returning) members!

 

If you want to be happy for the rest of your life...

...then learn what makes the world go around: induction!

Lawyers and doctors and engineers, oh my!

 

The Problem of Induction

Author: Kenneth Blake Vernon
Category: Philosophy of Science, Epistemology

Aulë’s Artifacts

Suppose you are an ethnographer newly arrived in Middle Earth, making land on the western shore, at the Gray Havens. You follow the East Road, traveling over the Misty Mountains and through the Mirkwood, eventually reaching Erebor, where you have planned your fieldwork. There you meet Durin’s Folk, a clan of dwarves living in the Lonely Mountain. Having dutifully acquired IRB approval, you carefully and meticulously note your observations of their behavior...

Read more {The Problem of Induction}

Neuroscience Gets Philosophical

Old minds and new brains...working together.



At the University of Washington, researchers are pioneering a field of neuroscience called "neuroengineering," which will one day involve doing things like regulating people's moods with brain implants. In this fascinating video, they explain how their work spilled over into philosophy.

The issues that these neuroengineers are tackling are going to become increasingly important in many scientific fields that touch on the human mind. Entering the Brain Age also means that lab research will be trying to answer the same questions that people in the humanities have contemplated for thousands of years. Who are we? Do we have freewill? If somebody is controlling our minds with chemicals and medical devices, how is that different from controlling us with ideology or economic incentives?

The much-vaunted "war" between science and culture seems destined to end in a synthesis, at least in cases like these.

[For a direct link to the new story, click HERE.]

NEW SHOW: 8-Bit Philosophy (playlist)

Philosophy for the masses!  Enjoy the videos, and share your comments.

A Nice Resource

The following link is a cool little resource for philosophical reflection.  If you have some time and want to explore some philosophical ideas, check it out!

Big Questions Online

Alumni highlights: Jonathan Spelman

The Philosophy Department is proud to highlight a short scholarly piece written by Jonathan Spelman!  Spelman is an AU Philosophy grad (2008) and current Ph.D candidate in Philosophy at the University of Colorado-Boulder.  His essay on Moral Luck can be found on the website, "1000-Word Philosophy".  The links are below.

Moral Luck

1000-Word Philosophy

New Chair in Philosophy

The Philosophy Department at Ashland University is pleased to announce that Dr. Louis Mancha has been nominated to be the new Chair of Philosophy.  He has taken the helm as of May 2014.  Dr. Mancha will be replacing Dr. William Vaughan, Chair since 2001.


Dr. Mancha has been a growing influence on campus since coming to Ashland in 2003.  His Ph.D is from Purdue University, and his scholarly work has been in Medieval philosophy and analytic Philosophy of Religion.  He has taught multiple courses in the department curriculum, has significant university committee experience, has steered the undergraduate Philosophy Club for many years, and has anchored the department's growing web presence.  Dr. Mancha was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012, and will have returned from a semester long study-leave.

"I look forward to the challenge of maintaining our department's prominence and stature as one of the primary intellectual forces on the campus," said Dr. Mancha.

Dr. Vaughan leaves behind a rich legacy, despite difficult times in academia.  During his 13 years as chair, the department has witnessed increased faculty, increases in student acceptance rates to major graduate schools, significant curriculum changes, acquisition of the facilities of Bixler Hall, a rise of scholarly production by faculty, and has seen each member of the Philosophy department promoted, tenured, and awarded significant research grants and study leaves.

"Dr. Mancha will bring fresh perspectives and leadership energy for the subject matter of philosophy to face the future. He has the confidence of the faculty and is well-regarded across the university," said Dr. Vaughan.

A change at this time will allow Dr. Vaughan to concentrate greater attention to his administrative role as University Core Director, as well as return to the faculty and his research emphasis in European philosophy.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Lee McBride - Feb. 4th

Philosophy Lecture

February 4th, 2014

Lee McBride, PhD - Associate Professor
Department Chair, The College of Wooster

Topic:  "Thoreau's Insurrectionist Ethics"

What character traits and forms of provocation mark the insurrectionist?

Place:  Ronk Lecture Hall, Schar College of Ed.