Philosophy

Join “Hollywood Reimagined with AI” in an in-person Lab-to-Table Conversation on November 10 at Sarratt Cinema. Read More

When Michael Caruso walked across the Commencement stage and received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt in 1972, pursuing a Ph.D. seemed unlikely. Despite falling in love with philosophy after taking an introductory course with Centennial Professor of Philosophy John Lachs his sophomore year and declaring it… Read More

Vanderbilt philosophy professors Robert B. Talisse and Scott F. Aikin offer some rules of thumb on how to argue. Read More

Associate professor of philosophy Lisa Guenther isn't afraid to think hard about the dark side: She studies issues related to mass incarceration, police violence and the death penalty, and facilitates a philosophy workshop with prisoners on death row. Read More

Lenn Goodman, professor of philosophy and the Andrew Mellon Professor of Humanities, has co-authored a new book, Coming to Mind: The Soul and Its Body (University of Chicago Press). Goodman and D. Gregory Caramenico contend that the soul works not as a rival, but in partnership with the brain. With… Read More

W. James Booth, professor of political science and philosophy, examines our obligations toward the dead. Read More

There is good reason to think that long-term solitary confinement has debilitating psychological effects which render people unable to engage socially, says Lisa Guenther, associate professor of philosophy. Read More

Vanderbilt University’s Lenn E. Goodman builds upon his extensive writing and speaking on the commandment “Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself” as he delivers the 2013 Mafoi Carlisle Bogitsh Memorial Lecture  Feb 28. Goodman, professor of philosophy and the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, discusses “Love: Does God… Read More

Watch “Can War Be Justified?” a lecture by Larry May, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy and professor of law. Larry May’s talk offers an introduction to a range of questions on the morality of war. He addresses such questions as: Is the killing of… Read More

Watch video of Vanderbilt University Marilyn Friedman presenting “Can Bad People Live Well?” on March 22. Her presentation was part of The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy series of talks that aims to make philosophy accessible and relevant for the public. “The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy provide a wonderful opportunity to reach… Read More

Watch video of the most recent presentation in the Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy that took place on March 15 with Jeffrey Tlumak, associate professor of philosophy. He discussed “Do We Have Free Will? Why Does It Matter?” “The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy provide a wonderful opportunity to… Read More

Watch video of the most recent presentation in the Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy that took place on March 1 with Robert Talisse, professor and chair of philosophy. He discussed “Must Life Be Tragic?” “The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy provide a wonderful opportunity to reach a broader audience beyond… Read More

Robert Talisse   A new series of talks – the Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy – continues March 1 with Robert Talisse, professor and chair of philosophy. He will discuss “Must Life Be Tragic?” Video of Talisse’s lecture is scheduled to be posted afterward at news.vanderbilt.edu. In addition,… Read More

Watch video of Vanderbilt University Centennial Professor of Philosophy John Lachs on Feb. 23 kick-off a new series of talks that aims to make philosophy accessible and relevant for the public. Lachs discussed “Why Is Good Enough Not Good Enough for Us?”, which addressed the human drive for perfection. “It is… Read More

Vanderbilt University Centennial Professor of Philosophy John Lachs will discuss “The Cost of Comfort” Feb. 1 when Thinking Out of the (Lunch) Box starts its new series at the Nashville Public Library. Read More

Watch video from the December 7 Thinking Out of the Lunchbox event featuring Robert Talisse, professor of philosophy, speaking on “Faith in Democracy.” Citizens in a democratic society share political power as equals. This equality entails that the exercise of political power is legitimate only when it can be justified by… Read More

Gary Jaeger could probably improve the writing in this magazine standing on his head. A philosopher, writing coach and yogi, Jaeger serves as the assistant director of the Writing Studio and senior lecturer in the philosophy department, as well as a yoga instructor at 12 South Yoga in Nashville. After… Read More

You could say Earth and Environmental Sciences and Philosophy double major Grace Loy spends her days playing in a sandbox. But this undergrad is working on collaboration with one of Vanderbilt’s top researchers that could make a dramatic difference. Read More

Read about Vanderbilt faculty, staff, student and alumni's latest awards, appointments and achievements Read More

Listen to Lenn Goodman, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities and professor of philosophy, and Richard McGregor, assistant professor of religious studies, speaking about a 10th-century Islamic ecological fable. Interviewed by Chris Benda, theological librarian at the Divinity School. Read More