News & Events ~ Department of Philosophy

'98 alumnus makes Rochester 40 Under 40 list

Brendon Crossing, a philosophy and prelaw major as a student at SBU, has been named to Rochester’s Business Journal's 40 under 40 list for achieving professional success and making significant contributions to his community. Crossing, who earned his MBA in accounting and finance from the University of Rochester, has been vice president of Canandiagua National Bank fro the past 15 years.

October 2012

Amico to lead seminar on curriculum transformation

Dr. Robert Amico, professor of philosophy, has been invited to facilitate a two-day summer seminar on Curriculum Transformation at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind. The seminar will be on May 16 and 17, 2012.

Reilly presents paper at American Catholic Philosophical Association

Dr. Richard Reilly, Board of Trustees Professor of Philosophy, was one of four presenters at the semi-annual regional meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association held at St. John Fisher College on April 21, 2012. His paper, “How is Natural Law Theory Relevant to Christian Morality?,” analyzes how both the Mosaic commandments and Jesus’ love commandments are understood by Thomas Aquinas and Jon Duns Scotus in the light of “natural reason.” Reilly argues that Aquinas was successful in interpreting natural law theory in a way consistent with Jesus’ teachings whereas Scotus was not. The upshot is that contemporary Catholic moral theologians should not subscribe to a principle of rational proportionalism in determining whether some intentional taking of human life is permissible.  

Philosophy journal publishes essay by Tate

Dr. Daniel Tate, associate professor of philosophy, published a March 2012 essay titled “In the Fullness of Time: Gadamer on the Temporal Dimension of the Work of Art” in the philosophy journal Research in Phenomenology 42/1 (2012): 92-113.
 

Robert Amico presents at Alburquerque conference

Robert Amico, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, was an invited presenter at the 13th Annual White Privilege Conference in Albuquerque, N.M., March 29-31.

 

Patrick Dooley has three essays published

Dr. Patrick K. Dooley, Distinguished Board of Trustees Professor of Philosophy, has had three essays published:

• “Jack London’s Materialistic and Pragmatic Philosophy.” Journal of Literature and Art Studies 2.1 (2012).
• “Teaching American Literature in Singapore: Two Fulbright Fellowships.” American Literary Realism Newsletter 6.1-2 (2012).
• “The Flight of the Unholy Family in Faulkner’s ‘Barn Burning.’” Teaching Faulkner 12 (2012).  

Reilly gives presentation on 'Paths of Compassion'

Dr. Richard Reilly, Board of Trustees Professor of Philosophy, gave an invited talk Nov. 18, 2011, to 50 people at the St Joseph Center for Spirituality in Clarence, N.Y. The title of his presentation was “Jesus and Buddha: Paths of Compassion.” Discussion focused primarily on historical parallels in the lives and teachings of Jesus and Buddha, as well as on similarities in spiritual practices between Catholic contemplatives and Buddhist practitioners.
 

Reilly presents at Creighton Club annual meeting

 Dr. Richard Reilly, Board of Trustees Professor of Philosophy, was one of five presenters at the annual meeting of the Creighton Club (New York State Philosophical Association) held at Hobart and William Smith College on Nov. 5, 2011. His paper, “Can Libertarianism Account for Weakness of Will?,” offers a theory of moral deliberation that explains the possibility of intentionally and freely acting contrary to one’s judgment as to what it would be best to do. Dr. Derk Pereboom, professor of philosophy at Cornell University, offered prepared comments on the paper.