Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
October 13, 2015
October 13, 2015
Category Archives: Talks
A State Divided Against Itself, Mississippi
Mississippi offers a clear example of Plato’s worry about disunity. One of the four virtues that he clarifies in The Republic is moderation, which is important for avoiding the extremes of behavior or of belief. What is most famous about Plato is his conclusion that the good city needs philosopher-kings, that leadership most fundamentally must be guided by wisdom. While that is true, it misses what Plato’s Socrates calls the greatest good for the city, the absence of which yields the greatest evil.
Plato’s Socrates asks “Is there any greater evil we can mention for the city than that which tears it apart and makes it many instead of one? Or any greater good than that which binds it together and makes it one?” Yes, wisdom is the most important virtue in one sense, for Plato, but when it comes to the public good, wisdom should be most concerned about division, and most fervently and wisely striving for unity. Without the latter, a state, divided against itself, only falls apart or fails at its aims.
I am looking forward to visiting the Clinton School for Public Service at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on October 19th (if you’re in the area, mark your calendar). For those interested, I believe you’ll be able to watch the talk I give there via live Web stream. I should also be able to link to the video of it afterwards. And, as I’ve noted, I’ll give an interview on the Little Rock affiliate of NPR program, the “Clinton School Presents.”
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Thanks to Graduate School Dean John Kiss for the photo. I enjoy meeting with the new graduate instructors each year at the University of Mississippi. Copyright John Kiss, 2015.
The group was from Dallas’s ‘s Uplift Education charter schools. We met in Bryant Hall, where we talked a little bit about my field, philosophy. I explained the major branches of philosophy, and then we talked about how practical philosophy is or can be. To illustrate that, we covered a controversial case in medical ethics, concerning euthanasia. The young men and women were very bright and a lot of fun to engage in discussion.
Presentation “On Culture and Self-Respect”
2013 Philosophy Born of Struggle conference, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
This is the video of a short talk I gave at the 2013 Philosophy Born of Struggle conference at Purdue University in West LaFayette, IN. The talk is called “On Culture and Self-Respect,” and it represents an early stage in the development of my book in progress, called A Culture of Justice. I got some invaluable feedback at that conference that has helped to sharpen my thesis for this paper and for the book.
If you’re interested in having me come speak with your group, visit my Speaking page.
Presentation:
“A Culture of Support and Merit: Promoting Independence without Stigmatizing Dependency”
Abstract:
In A Culture of Justice, I argue that a society has a shared, public obligation to foster self-respect and a sense of positive power in all people. Libertarians like Robert Nozick deny that there is a shared obligation to provide people the means to develop and exercise their self-respect, such as free and reduced lunch programs. While the libertarian is right to value the cultivation of independence, he is wrong, I argue, to stigmatize people who must depend upon government support. I propose a way to advance a culture of support and merit, promoting independence without stigmatizing dependency.
Looking forward to visiting Michigan State University’s Philosophy department, known for their publicly engaged work.
Here’s the flyer for the event.
| Date: | February 12, 2016 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 03:00-04:00 p.m. |
| Event: | Talk: “A Culture of Support and Merit: Promoting Independence without Stigmatizing Dependency” |
| Topic: | Public Philosophy |
| Sponsor: |
Dept of Philosophy, Michigan State University 517.355.4490 |
| Venue: | Distinguished Lectures & Colloquia Spring 2016 |
| Location: | 134 S. Kedzie Hall East Lansing, MI 48824-1032 |
| Public: | Public |
If you're interested in inviting me to give a talk, visit my Speaking page.
Invited to give a talk in The Purdue Lectures in Ethics, Policy, and Science series.
| Date: | February 10, 2016 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 04:00-06:00 p.m. |
| Event: | Giving a talk on "Poverty, Culture, and Justice" |
| Topic: | "Poverty, Culture, and Justice" |
| Sponsor: |
Purdue University 765.494.4600 |
| Venue: |
Dept of Philosophy, Purdue University 765.494.4276 |
| Location: | West LaFayette, IN 47907-2098 |
| Public: | Public |
If you're interested in inviting me as a speaker, visit my Speaking page.
Heading to the University of Southern Mississippi to talk about Uniting Mississippi for their Mississippi Humanities Council-supported “Philosophical Fridays” program.
| Date: | January 29, 2016 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 08:00-09:00 p.m. |
| Event: | Talk on Uniting Mississippi then Book Signing |
| Topic: | Public Philosophy and Leadership |
| Sponsor: |
Philosophical Fridays, University of Southern Mississippi, supported by the MS Humanities Council 601.266.4518 |
| Venue: |
Room TBD, University of Southern Mississippi 601.266.4518 |
| Location: | Hattiesburg, MS 39406 |
| Public: | Public |
If you'd invite me to speak for your event or organization, visit my contact page.
Excited to have been invited to comment on John Lachs’s work, after his keynote address.
| Date: | November 7, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 02:00-03:00 p.m. |
| Event: | Commenting on John Lachs's keynote address |
| Topic: | John Lachs, American philosopher |
| Sponsor: |
Southwestern Philosophical Society Organizer: Mark Silcox, University of Central Oklahoma, msilcox@uco.edu |
| Venue: |
Dept of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University 615.322.2637 |
| Location: | 111 Furman Hall Nashville, TN 37240 |
| Public: | Private |
| More Info: | Click here for more information. |
If you're interested in having me come speak with your group, visit my Speaking page.
Looking forward to visiting folks at the Clinton School for Public Service at the University of Arkansas, in Little Rock, where I’ll be talking about Uniting Mississippi: Democracy and Leadership in the South.
| Date: | October 19, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 12:00-01:00 p.m. |
| Event: | Book signing and talk on 'Uniting Mississippi' |
| Topic: | Book signing |
| Sponsor: |
University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service 501.683.5200 |
| Venue: |
Sturgis Hall 501.683.5200 |
| Location: | 1200 President Clinton Ave Little Rock, AR 72201 |
| Public: | Public |
The announcement has details about the where and when, and an email address plus phone number for anyone who’d like to reserve seats.