A pragmatism ecofeminist approach to living with other animal beings takes human continuity with the rest of nature seriously and arrives at a pluralist approach to ethics that takes actual and changing relationships seriously.  I will argue that this approach offers more useful guidance to public policy and personal relationships with other animal beings as it avoids moral absolutism and human exceptionalism. This will be illustrated with examples of human relationships with animal beings commonly viewed as “pets,” “livestock,” and “wild.” While many animal beings will be discussed, horses will provide a particular focus.

Paul DiRado, Katie McShane, and Collin Rice will share their experiences and advice on applying to PhD programs.

Can curiosity reduce polarization? Join us for coffee and conversation with Dr. Martín Carcasson about his work on how processes of conversation matter when addressing [...]

Throughout the semester, department faculty will meet with graduate students to share their research interests and projects. These informal sessions are meant to acquaint graduate students with the breadth and depth of philosophical work in the department and to inform their choices of faculty advisors and mentors.

What do we owe to future generations? And how does this connect to the idea of sustainability? Discussions of sustainability often focus on tradeoffs, asking how much current generations should sacrifice for those that follow. Dr. Hourdequin offers a different perspective, showing how early Confucian thought can support a view of sustainability grounded in relations of gratitude and reciprocity. By conceptualizing community as extended in time, Confucian philosophy offers a view of intergenerational ethics and sustainability rooted in the shared goal of multi-generational flourishing.