Welcome!
A Message from the Chair, Dr. Kelly Jolley:
Welcome to the Auburn Philosophy Web page. Here you will find information about our large and very busy Department—about the Auburn Philosophical Society, about the Philosophy Club (and Phi Sigma Tau), about our classes, and about our faculty and students. We count our majors and minors as part of the Department and we hope for and expect them to participate in the philosophical life of the Department. Our 6th floor halls regularly are inhabited by faculty and students, working and talking (in fact, working by talking). The Lyceum (Haley 6088) is also often full of students, gathered for Club meetings, or gathered for informal discussion, or gathered for lunch or coffee.
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About once every two weeks the Philosophical Society meets to hear a paper, often from distinguished philosophers from other universities. Students are encouraged to attend; in fact, we preface most meetings by an hour-long conversation between the speaker and the members of the Club. After the paper and discussion, the speaker, faculty and students routinely go to dinner.
Our classes are uniformly challenging and are uniformly worth the challenge. Students who work hard at the readings, work hard during class, and work hard on papers and preparing for exams will find that they have improved during the term: that they are better readers, better listeners and better writers. Philosophy is a challenge to the whole person; no one improves at philosophy without also improving in a host of ways.
If you have any questions about the Department, about the major or minor, about the Club or about the Society, stop by the office (Haley 6082) and talk to me. I’ll be happy to answer your questions.
In March, the Department will hold its first annual philosophy conference. The topic is beauty. Philosophers from all over the country, indeed all over the world, will gather to discuss the topic. I encourage you to follow the links to the conference information.
Highlights
- A faculty of well-qualified, award-winning instructors committed to a high standard of teaching and involvement within the philosophical community.
- One of the most active departments on campus. Faculty and invited speakers present papers at Auburn Philosophical Society meetings on a regular basis.
- The Philosophy Club is one of the most active student organizations on
campus, affiliated with the honor society Phi Sigma Tau. Students meet to discuss philosophical topics and AUPS papers informally with the speakers, and to watch films and discuss them. You can find more information about the club's activities for 2009-10 here. - To encourage a high standard of writing, the department awards the Christopher Young Essay Prize in Philosophy each spring. The competition is open to any currently enrolled student.
- Small class sizes (around 15 students) in upper division courses.
- A special study room, the Lyceum, with computers, text books, and journals where students meet and study.
- A strong university tradition and student-friendly campus.
- The Kant Song: Immanuel Kant's transcendental deduction set to music!
AU Philosophy Department in the News!
The Thinker: New York Times article on Auburn's own Dr. Kelly Jolley.
Philsophy Club Ponders Its Own Existence: Auburn Plainsman recent article on the AU Philosophy Club.
Philosophy Club Discusses Free Will with Community: A recent article on the AU philosophy club in the AU CLA Tiger-tales.
Events Calendar
12/02/09 CLA Reads! The Sharpshooter Blues in Literary Context
3:00 PM at Tichenor 310 (CLA Dean's Conference Room)
The Sharpshooter Blues in Literary Context, Sunny Stalter, Chantel Acevedo, Alicia Carroll, Department of ENglish
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12/04/09 CLA Reads! End of Semester Party and Next Steps
4:00 PM at Tichenor 310 (CLA Dean's Conference Room)
End of Semester Party and next Steps, Moderator Constance Relihan, CLA Dean's office.
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12/04/09 AUPS Meeting
4:00 PM at Ralph Draughon Library
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Questions about this page
Last updated February 24, 2009