Author: Huenemann

Curious about the ways humans use their minds and hearts to distract themselves from the meaninglessness of life.

What’s essential to philosophy?

As the semester comes to an end, you might take a few minutes to ponder this question: what’s essential in a philosophical education? Is it stuff you learn (names, theories, etc), or how to argue, or personal discovery/enrichment? What sort of experience said to you “This is what it’s all about”?

News about students

Here are a few announcements about achievements by our students. (I’m sure I’m missing things, so please send me a note or post a comment!)

• Andrew Blackwell has been awarded the Brett E. Blanch Memorial Scholarship for Philosophy.

• Benny Nyikos successfully presented his honors thesis, “Holding onto Belief,” at the USU Undergraduate Research Symposium.

• Doug Beazer, Brian Morrison, and Joshua Smith were initiated into Phi Sigma Tau, Philosophy’s honor society.

• Chris Healey has been accepted into medical school at Ohio State (he’s waiting to hear from a couple of other schools).

CONGRATULATIONS!

What to put on a T-shirt?

We’re thinking of making some “Philosophy” t-shirts, available in the fall. I’ve suggested they could be black, with a philosophy symbol on the front (like a Greek letter phi) and some snappy, funny, or edgy saying on the back. Any suggestions? Here are some contenders: “It’s the mind that matters”, “The unexamined life sucks”, “Wherever you go, there you are”, “We can only say of what is, that it is”, and my own personal favorite: “What are you afraid of?”