Paul Saka will give a talk as part of our annual Speaker Series. Reception to follow. "Science and 'Science': on Demarcation and Definition" The problem of how to distinguish between science and non-science -- the demarcation problem -- has resisted … Read more
James Surowiecki is a staff writer at the New Yorker, where he writes the popular bi-weekly business column “The Financial Page.” His work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including, among others, the New York Times Magazine, the … Read more
Kate Manne is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at Cornell University. To see a complete bio, please visit her website. "Acquitting Victims" What is it to be a victim? And what is it to claim victimhood? In this lecture, I’ll … Read more
Sarah Holtman (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities) will present, "Civic Action, Idealization and Kantian Citizenship" Both Kant’s critics and his friends often highlight two features of his characterization of citizenship in a just state. The first of these is the … Read more
"Behavioral Economics, Libertarian Paternalism, and the Nudge Agenda" Erik Angner is Associate Professor of Philosophy, Economics, and Public Policy at George Mason University. For a complete bio, please visit his website. This event is free and open to all; pizza … Read more
Ken Taylor will give a talk, "Selfhood as Self-Representation". For a copy of the paper, please email Katie at kbunyea@unc.edu. This Speaker Series talk will take place from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in Bingham 103.
“Revitalizing Mercy under the Rule of Law” I distinguish between two concepts of mercy in Western political thought: beneficent mercy and critical mercy. To grant beneficent mercy is to compassionately spare someone from harsh treatment that she deserves. To grant … Read more
Grace & Graciousness: Goodness in Loving the Bad Grace is love that is not fully explained by the excellence of its objects. Indeed, as I will argue, one can experience forms of grace toward an object in full awareness … Read more
"Democracy Beyond Law" Political philosophers from diverse tradition have long defended the democratic control of the state. In particular, many have argued that democracy promotes individual freedom by providing subjects with the power to control the state's interference in their activities. … Read more
"Metaphysical Explanation by Constraint" Metaphysical explanation has enjoyed a surge of recent interest. But attention paid to metaphysical explanation has focused nearly exclusively on just one kind: those that work by providing information about what grounds what. Not all metaphysical … Read more
