UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Andrew Eshleman

New Philosophy Discussion Group: “The Wrong of Rudeness”

How civil should one aim to be in our increasingly divisive age? Consider joining several members of the philosophy department who will be meeting to discuss a brand new book on the topic: The Wrong of Rudeness: Learning Modern Civility from Ancient Chinese Philosophy (link). 

Though the author, Amy Olberding, is a philosopher, she intends the book for a wide audience and writes in an accessible fashion. The discussions will take place on the following schedule:

Wednesdays, 10:20-11:15 AM, Dundon-Berchtold Hall 132
  • Oct. 9: Chapters 1-3
  • Oct. 30: Chapters 4-6
  • Nov. 11/13 or 20 (depending on group’s preference): Chapters 7-9
If interested, please contact Andrew Eshleman, philosophy, to help him have an idea of how many to expect: eshleman@up.edu.

“Love, Scorn, and the Assertion of Black Humanity,” April 15

prestonThe philosophy department will present a lecture, “Love, Scorn, and the Assertion of Black Humanity,” by Ryan Preston-Roedder, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on Friday, April 15, at 3 p.m., in Franz Hall Room 120. The talk is free and open to all.

Preston-Roedder specializes in moral and political philosophy, moral psychology, and philosophy of religion. In this talk, he will consider some of the vulnerabilities and ambiguities that are associated with loving your fellow citizens, and having faith in their capacity for moral reform, when you live in an oppressive society.

For ADA accommodations or event information, contact Andrew Eshleman, philosophy, at eshleman@up.edu or 7317.

Philosophy Lecture Honoring Thompson Faller, April 15

faller copyAll faculty and staff are invited to a lecture honoring the career of Thompson Faller, philosophy, who will retire from his long, colorful career on The Bluff at the end of the spring semester. The lecture will be “The Use of Philosophical Principles in Modern Catholic Social Teaching” by Rev. Joseph W. Koterski, S.J., associate professor at Fordham University, on Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons boardroom. A reception will follow, and no RSVP is required. Sponsors include the philosophy department, theology department, the McNerney-Hanson Endowed Chair in Ethics, and The Garaventa Center.

For more information contact Andrew Eshleman, philosophy, at 7317 or aseshleman@up.edu.

McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl

The first annual McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl was held on Saturday, April 20, according to CAS dean Michael Andrews. The event was sponsored by Andrews, who serves as the McNerney-Hanson Endowed Chair in Ethics, with additional support from the Dundon-Berchtold Ethics Grant. Two UP teams took part: one team of graduate students from Pamplin School of Business, and a second team of undergraduate students from the Speech and Debate Union. Special thanks go out to Bohn Lattin and Brian Simmons, communication studies; Richard Askay and Andrew Eshleman, philosophy; and Brian Adams, business administration.

Unlike other ethics bowl competitions, the McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl reflects a particular UP emphasis on ethical formation and the study and articulation of ethical theory and practice. The purpose is to expose graduate and undergraduate students to a philosophical kind of reflective, ethical thinking that allows them to apply an understanding of ethics to a particular situation or issue. For more information contact Andrews at 7760 or andrews@up.edu.