Philosophy

Michael Bess and Mike Vandenbergh, two Vanderbilt University professors, and Samar Ali, a Vanderbilt alumna who works in the Haslam administration, will address “Visions of the Future” Nov. 7 at the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St. Read More

Ndume Olatushani and Anne-Marie Moyes will discuss “Coming Back to Life: One Man’s Story of Wrongful Conviction” when Thinking Out of the (Lunch) Box: Conversations with a Philosophical Flavor with David Wood resumes Sept. 5. Read More

Top scholars from Vanderbilt University’s undergraduate and professional schools are being honored with Founder’s Medals during Commencement on Friday, May 11. 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

Kelly Oliver (Vanderbilt) Vanderbilt philosophy professor Kelly Oliver will give a gallery talk at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. Oliver will discuss “Ambivalence Toward Animals and the Moral Community” in response to the Fairy Tales,… 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

James McFarland, assistant professor of German and film, will speak on the historical beginnings of the zombie image and the reasons why it remains pervasive today in literature, film and other areas of current culture. His talk is titled “Profane Apocalypse: The Zombie Image as a Historical Symptom.” 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 is the lead-off speaker Feb. 23 for a new series of talks that aims to make philosophy accessible and relevant for the public. 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

John Lachs, Centennial Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt (Steve Green/Vanderbilt) Vanderbilt University Department of Philosophy and the Nashville Public Library present Thinking Out of the (Lunch) Box: Conversations with a philosophical flavor with David Wood, the W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt. The… Read More

Cultural writer Lewis Hyde, who has a strong interest in the public life of the imagination, will speak at Vanderbilt University’s Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center Jan. 19. 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

Sixteen retiring faculty members were recognized during Vanderbilt’s May 13 Commencement ceremony when the university honored their years of service and bestowed on them the title of emeritus or emerita faculty. Robert W. Blanning, professor of management, emeritus Blanning’s global experience combines the worlds of… 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