Philosophy News - Fall 2022

Undergraduate Ally Li presents her discussion group's ideas to her Introduction to Philosophy class.

Fall 2022 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Department,

It has already been a busy and exciting fall semester. Peabody has been buzzing with activity and intellectual engagement—perhaps, in part, because we were able to partner with the Department of Religion and Franklin College this past summer in order to purchase new furniture for some of the common spaces. Our new colleague, Dr. Jeremy Davis, has also made a big difference—he started an intercollegiate Ethics Bowl team, which now meets in the building on a weekly basis to prepare for a regional competition in November. We have had excellent turnout for the first few talks in our Scott and Heather Kleiner Lecture Series; and we are looking forward to a full house for the lecture by Double Dawg Scott Hershovitz, who is the Thomas G. and Mabel Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan and the author of a fantastic new book about doing philosophy with his kids. You are very welcome to attend that talk (or any others in the series), but I would recommend getting to Peabody early on the afternoon of November 3rd since seating is limited. (And I’d be happy to have coffee with anyone who does come early—just let me know.) We also have a year-long visitor from the University of Bergen in Norway, a dynamic new group of graduate students, and a very engaged undergraduate Philosophy Society. The Department and Peabody really feel lively and intellectually active, and that warms the heart of this head of department.

As always, we appreciate your interest in the University of Georgia’s Department of Philosophy. Please reach out to me at Aaron.Meskin@uga.edu if you want to ask any questions or share something about your time at UGA with me. And, as always, Go Dawgs!

Aaron Meskin

Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy

Davis joins Department of Philosophy faculty

We are excited to welcome Assistant Professor Jeremy Davis to the Department of Philosophy. Specializing in normative and applied ethics, Dr. Davis has been active in spearheading an Ethics Bowl initiative, delivered a Kleiner lecture entitled “The Grief Pill,” and will be introducing a film in the upcoming Ethics Film Fest.

Annual Kleiner Lecture Series

The Fall 2022 Scott & Heather Kleiner Lecture Series features a lineup of six scholars from across the US and Canada, addressing a wide array of issues touching upon philosophy, ethics, and the law. Lectures take place on Thursday afternoons throughout the semester. The Spring 2023 lineup will be announced in December.

Ethics initiatives: bowl team and film series

The Department of Philosophy is pursuing a series of initiatives focusing on ethics. The Ethics Bowl Team is meeting weekly now, and prepping for an upcoming event to be held at the University of North Georgia in November 2022. An upcoming Ethics Film Fest includes introductions and facilitated discussions from Department of Philosophy faculty including Aaron Meskin, Jeremy Davis, and Sarah Wright.

Plato conference

Distinguished Research Professor and Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor Edward Halper hosted “Symposium XIII: Plato’s Sophist,” the thirteenth triennial meeting of the International Plato Society at UGA. This was the first time that the IPS met in the US, and it was a great success with robust in-person participation in the weeklong conference. More than 90 scholars from across the globe came to Athens for the event, in addition to a large online international participation.

Faculty News and Accomplishments

As usual, UGA Department of Philosophy faculty have been very busy publishing, presenting, researching, and organizing and participating in conferences and events at UGA and far beyond.

Graduate Student News and Accomplishments

The Department of Philosophy graduate students continue to achieve, winning coveted awards and fellowships. This semester, we welcome six new graduate students including Danielle Kotrla (PhD), Josef Mathews (PhD), William Malzow (PhD), and Douglas Geiger (MA)

Department of Philosophy undergraduates excel

The Department of Philosophy continues to attract extraordinarily talented undergraduate students. Last semester, several were honored with awards and achievements and recognized alongside graduating seniors during a graduation reception. Undergraduate students have also been active in publishing.

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