Philosophy

Pamela J. Hobart argues that more nuance is needed when deciding what counts as eugenics, and whether eugenics can be ethical.

Apocalypticism, both evangelical and secular, carries both moral benefits and baggage.

If you were to see the triumphs and misfortunes of your life unfold ahead of you, would you choose to experience it?

As artificial intelligence continues to develop, philosophy offers two possible criteria for granting robots rights.

On the perils of teaching identity politics in philosophy.

Philosopher Derek Parfit died on January 1st. Let us hope he will go to heaven. Will he?

As leaders of Augosto Pinochet's dictatorial government repent, questions linger about the role of forgiveness in the face of oppression.

Does voting for a xenophobic misogynist make you responsible for xenophobic misogyny?

We can act wrongly: we may behave in ways that are unkind, inconsiderate, or selfish. Can our emotions be wrong too? Are there things that we shouldn’t feel?

This post originally appeared June 16, 2015. My last post discussed the bifurcated incentivization structure of capitalism: owners profit while workers become disempowered by working harder. In this post, I want to address an accompanying myth to the myth that capitalism compensates you better for working harder which is that collective ownership divests individuals of motivation … Continue reading "(How) Does Capitalism Incentivize? Part II"

This post originally appeared June 9, 2015. In my youth my parents would defend capitalism by saying that it incentivized work in contrast to communism. If you thought you could get paid the same amount whether you worked hard or not, you would see no reason to work hard or better. It isn’t just my … Continue reading "(How) Does Capitalism Incentivize? Part I"

Despite their documented dangers, anti-psychotic drug use in nursing homes has continued at a rate that alarms health experts.

In February, Dr. Michael Hannon presented his talk “The Threshold for Knowledge” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy Department. Check out all of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series videos on our YouTube channel. Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what you think in the … Continue reading "The Threshold for Knowledge"

In February, Dr. Michael Hannon presented his talk “Does Knowledge Matter” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy Department. Next week, we’ll post Dr. Michael Hannon’s research-level talk, “The Threshold for Knowledge.” Each of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series videos is available on YouTube. Enjoy, and be … Continue reading "Does Knowledge Matter?"

Contributing Scholar Pamela J. Hobart on a libertarian form of education.

In February, Dr. Danielle Wenner presented her talk “What Is the Meaning of Freedom?” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy Department. Next week, we’ll post her research-level talk, “Autonomy and Non-Domination in International Clinical Research.” Throughout June, we’ll continue to post videos of each talk … Continue reading "What Is the Meaning of Freedom?"

In February, Dr. Wesley Cray of Grand Valley State University presented his talk “Unperformable Works and the Ontology of Art” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy Department. Next week, we’ll post Dr. Danielle Wenner’s lecture “What Is the Meaning of Freedom?” Throughout May and June, we’ll … Continue reading "Unperformable Works and the Ontology of Art"

In February, Dr. Wesley Cray of Grand Valley State University presented his talk “That’s Not Art” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy Department. Next week, we’ll post his research-level talk, “Unperformable Works and the Ontology of Art.” Throughout May and June, we’ll continue to post videos … Continue reading "That’s Not Art!"

In February, Dr. Brandon Carey of Columbia Basin College presented his talk “The Power To Do the Impossible” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy Department. (In case you missed it last week, here is the video of his introductory-level lecture, “The Paradox of the … Continue reading "The Power To Do the Impossible"

In February, the Prindle Institute and the DePauw Philosophy department hosted the Young Philosophers Lecture Series. Each scholar presented an introductory-level talk and a research-level talk. In May and June, we’ll be posting videos of each talk (also available on YouTube). Up first is Dr. Brandon Carey of Columbia Basin College, who presented his introductory-level … Continue reading "The Paradox of the Stone"