Spring Lecture Series Hooray!

March 17 – Thursday, 11:45-1:00 pm

Wiishcamper, Rm. 133, Lecture Hall

Friendship & Philosophy: An Interpretation of Plato’s “Lysis”

Prof. Jeremiah Conway

Hard as it is to believe, philosophy sometimes has the reputation of an esoteric, head-in the-clouds pursuit. Missing in this perception are the incredible resources that philosophy brings to bear on everyday issues, such as friendship.

This talk examines one Platonic dialogue that asks us to consider what we mean by friendship, why it is so important in our lives, how we encourage it, and how friendship is deepened. Perhaps as Plato suspected thinking about friendship may be necessary to become a better friend.

March 30, Wednesday – 1:00-2:30 pm,

Payson Smith Room 202

A panel in celebration of the publication of Prof. Jonathan Cohen’s new book, "Science, Culture, and Free Spirits: A Study of Nietzsche’s ‘Human, All Too Human’"

Professors Kathleen Wininger and Jonathan Cohen will speak on “Science, Culture, and Free Spirits: The Importance of Nietzsche’s Development for Understanding his Philosophy”

April 14, Thursday, 1:15-2:30 pm,

Wishcamper Ctr., Rm. 133

Prof. Julien Murphy

The Second Sex in Algeria: Simone de Beauvoir’s Defense of Djamila Boupacha

Near the end of the Algerian war, Simone de Beauvoir, author of The Second Sex, demonstrated her commitment to the Algerian rebels by advocating for Djamila Boupacha. A young Algerian student and member of the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN), Boupacha was imprisoned for planting a bomb, which did not go off in the University restaurant in Algiers. She confessed under torture by French police in a French prison in El Biar notorious for torture tactics. Boupacha was spared execution largely due to the vigorous efforts of her defense attorney, Gisèle Halimi, who enlisted the help of Beauvoir in bringing international attention to the case. Beauvoir took a series of actions in defense of Boupacha including speaking out against the French government’s use of torture and lending her name to a book about Boupacha’s trial. This discussion of her involvement in the case will highlight a feminist critique of torture, the role of “The Second Sex” in the Algerian feminist movement and lessons from Algerian feminists for American feminist theory.