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1996 Undergraduate Philosophy Conference |
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On March 16, 1996 twenty students from seven institutions presented papers at Oneonta's First Undergraduate Student Conference in Philosophy. The keynote address, "Imaginative Cosmology from Plato to Einstein", was provided by Dr. Thomas M. Robinson (University of Toronto, President of the International Plato Society).
Prizes for the best papers were presented to Jennifer Burke (Temple University), Michael Joseph (Oneonta), and Gabrielle Levin (Oneonta). Alex Slater and Kerri Nicholas received special Ninash Foundation Awards (for extraordinary commitment and dedication in organizing, advertising, and hosting the Conference).
A select group of ten papers, including those which won prizes, were published in Seeds of Wisdom: Proceedings of the 1996 Undergraduate Philosophy Conference(162 + xii pages). For details, Click Here.
1996 was just the beginning. The conference
is now an annual tradition at Oneonta. For submission guidelines and further
information, follow this link:
| Undergraduate Philosophy Conference |
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1996 Conference -- Program in Brief
- Breakfast (9:30 - 10:00 a.m.)
- Bliss and Madness: Varying Views
- Socrates, Descartes, and Nietzsche: Character and Expression
- Science, Metaphysics, and the Construction of Reality
- Pirsig and Hesse: Philosophical Journeys
- Matters of the Spirit
- Suicide, Sex, and Kant
Morning Sessions (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Second Afternoon Sessions (3:00 - 5:00 p.m.)
Dinner (5:30 - 7:00 p.m.)
Awards Ceremony and Keynote Address (7:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
- Imaginative Cosmology from Plato to Einstein
Thomas M. Robinson (University of Toronto)
Full Program
Morning Sessions (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Bliss and Madness: Varying Views
Chair: Laurence Grisanti
A Method to
the Madness
Aaron Hunter (Oneonta)
Commentator: Mike Jablonski
Follow Your
Bliss: The Philosophy of Joseph Campbell
Angela Case (Le Moyne College)
Commentator: Tiffany Streeter
Quality, Love,
and Madness: Pirsig vs. Plato
Kerri Nicholas (Oneonta)
Commentator: John Costa
Socrates, Descartes, and Nietzsche: Character and Expression
Chair: David Schaaf
Socrates Character
Sketch
David T. McCann (Oneonta)
Commentators: Brian Bauder, David Schaaf, and
Jonathan Pariot
Descartes and
Nietzsche
Tatiana Zelikina (Moscow State and SUNY-Albany)
Commentator: Ben Stedge
Nietzsche's Appropriative Representation or Is
the Overman a Hermaphrodite?
John D. Devine (Alfred University)
Commentator: Michelle Blemur
First Afternoon Sessions (1:00 - 3:00 p.m.)
Chair: Tiffany Streeter
Biological
Research and Feminist Obligation
Jennifer Burke (Temple University)
Commentator: Tara Mattarazzo
Subjective
vs. Objective Reality: An Examination Through Physics and Philosophy
Michael Joseph (Oneonta)
Commentator: Ian Gartland
Exploring the
Universe: From Plato to Einstein and Beyond
Alex Slater (Oneonta)
Commentator: Rich Dyckoff
Observing Observability
and the Importance of the Smiler:
A Partial Defense of Strawsonian Events
David Miguel Gray (Columbia University)
Commentator: Marilyn Collins
Pirsig and Hesse: Philosophical Journeys
Chair: Beth Mattone
The Search
for Universal Truth
Eric Gassick (Oneonta)
My Metaphysical Quest
Justin Mandel (Oneonta)
A Comparison of Narcissus and Goldmund
by Hermann Hesse and Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by
Robert Pirsig
Nathan Smith (Oneonta)
Second Afternoon Sessions (3:00 - 5:00 p.m.)
Matters of the Spirit
Chair: Lynn Danielle Braunstein
Keep It to
Yourself-Power: The Importance of Buddhism's Shingon School
Sarah Kalliney (Skidmore College)
Commentator: Anthony Jimenez
Concepts of
Self: East and West
Gabrielle Levin (Oneonta)
Commentator: Mary Abigail Thomas
The Mysticism
of Chess and Zen
Raymond J. Mollica (Oneonta)
Commentator: Alex Slater
Can One Gain
Spiritual Fulfillment Without God or Religion?
Nikolai Schulman (Oneonta)
Commentator: Anthony Jimenez
Suicide, Sex, and Kant
Chair: Melissa Dora Benjamin
Suicide: Why
Many People Commit Suicide and Why Many Other People Don't
Michael Joseph (Oneonta)
Commentators: Lynn Szafranski and Liam Sweeney
To Have Sex
or Not to Have Sex? -- That is the Question
Cassandra J. Shultis (Oneonta)
Performers: Cassandra J. Shultis, Kirstin Connelly,
and Beth Mattone
Commentator: Kirstin Connelly
The Impossibilities,
Irrationality, and Contradictions of Immanuel Kant's Ethical Theories
David Schaaf (Oneonta)
Commentator: John Costa
Evening (7:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
Awards Ceremony and Keynote Address
Imaginative
Cosmology from Plato to Einstein
Thomas M. Robinson (University of Toronto)
Reception (9:00 - 11:00 p.m.)
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the following organizations for their support -
- The Student Association
- The Oneonta Philosophy Studies
- The Ninash Foundation
- The Oneonta Philosophy Department
- Organization for Ancillary Services
- Green Mountain Coffee
- N.J. Morrison
- The Fitzelle Hall Custodial Staff
- SUCO Administration and Academic Departments
- Faculty, Staff, and Students at all Institutions who helped post fliers and disseminate conference information.
(For reviewing manuscripts and donating prize money)
(For Donating the Delicious Coffee)
(For printing Fliers and Programs)
- Dr. Tom Robinson
- Dr. Achim Köddermann
- Dr. Douglas Shrader
- Dr. Parvis Morewedge
- Marjorie Holling
- Eric Sloan - O.A.S. Catering
- Karl Martin - S.A. Senator
- Stephen MacKessy
- And finally a heartfelt Thank You to all the Presenters, Chairs, and Commentators -- for without them there would be no Conference.
(For sacrificing his Saturday for our little conference.)
(For his advice, support, and professional input.)
(For the use of his office and putting his knowledge of conferences to our benefit.)
(For his support and encouragement.)
(For all her support and "Motherly" wisdom.)
(For the Wonderful Dinner.)
(For always supporting the club in our dealings with the Student Association.)
(For being the best Secretary/Roommate a Treasurer can have.)
The Oneonta Philosophy Club
Kerri Nicholas -- President
Cassandra Shultis -- Vice President
Alex Slater -- Treasurer
Site constructed and maintained by Douglas Shrader / Department Chair / Shradedw@Oneonta.edu
