Two SOPHIA members have independently suggested that we hold a discussion on the topic of “trigger warnings.” Remember that SOPHIA discussions generally begin with a very short text (whether written, audio, or video), which can help spark the discussion. It also allows us all to be literally on the same page as we begin our discussions. Both Trustee Dr. Bertha Manninen and member Dr. Annie Davis Weber have suggested that we have a discussion on “trigger warnings,” and both of them independently suggested that we use the University of Chicago letter on the subject, which has been in the news recently.
If you would be interested in participating in an online video conference discussion on this topic, whether or not you’re a member of SOPHIA, and whether or not you’ve ever studied any philosophy, you can comment below, email us, or let us know on Facebook or on Twitter. In addition, reach out to us if you have ideas about other topics that you think would be rewarding to talk about in a SOPHIA group meeting, whether with a local group, at a national event, or via an online video conference call.
Of course, if you are interested and have not yet officially joined or renewed your membership in SOPHIA, you can do so here.
The Society of Philosophers in America is proud to celebrate our Trustee Emeritus, Dr. John J. McDermott, who has been named one of the 50 most influential living philosophers.
In recognizing Professor McDermott, the list’s authors wrote the following:
John McDermott received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Fordham University, in New York City, in 1959, and, though he is getting up in his years, is still teaching, holding the position of University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Texas A&M University. McDermott’s work is primarily focused on the philosophy ofculture, specifically American literature and philosophy, having written, compiled, or contributed to books on William James, Josiah Royce, and John Dewey, as well as being a former President of the William James Society. McDermott is most notable for, and has been most influential in exploring and advancing the ideas of James and Dewey in relation to American culture, as well as his examination of American culture through philosophy.
Congratulations, John! And thank you for all you’ve done for American philosophy and for SOPHIA!
SOPHIA is experimenting with options for levering technology to build communities of philosophical conversation. One tool available to us for free is Zoom. Zoom will enable the hosting of video conference meetings with huge capacity and tools for recording meetings, among other functionalities. Joining a meeting is simple, yet it might be a good idea to watch a short video about the several ways in which one can join a SOPHIA conference call with Zoom. Before we get to that, consider the following:
It’s a good idea to test your video and audio settings in advance. If any of you would like to hold a quick call with me (ETW) to test out the connection and process, I’d be delighted to give the system as many practice runs as members would like. I think you’ll find that tools like these will 1) dramatically reduce the impediment that distance represents for our community building, and 2) archive our meetings for later viewing and sharing, so that we benefit more people and more deeply in holding our recorded meetings.
Here’s Zoom’s explanation of the process of joining a meeting:
In SOPHIA’s 2015 strategic plan, we decided that it will be important for us to leverage technological tools for building communities of philosophical conversation. One way in which we can do that simply is to create introductory videos for each member. When you register on our site to JOIN or RENEW your SOPHIA membership, please fill in as much information as you feel comfortable adding. The reason is that most the info you write will be posted on your Profile page in our SOPHIA Directory (no, not your credit card info). One option we have, among others, is to post a link to a YouTube video in which you can introduce yourself to other SOPHIA members. I made a short sample video to introduce myself:
My suggestion is that people share:
Who you are: name, title, institutional affiliation (if any)?
What your background and interests are in Philosophy?
What brought you to SOPHIA?
What is something unique or interesting about you beyond philosophy or professional details?
If any of you would like, I (ETW) could hold a video conference with you to introduce you in a bit more of an interview format. Alternatively, if recording a video doesn’t sound straightforward (on some devices it’s less simple than on others), we could hold such a conference call and we could just record the member’s video frame as he or she answers such questions – or others that you suggest. There are things we can do to help make this process easier. The more we can put a voice and a face to a name, the better for community. Share your thoughts or questions on this initiative.
And of course, if you have not yet had a chance to JOIN or RENEW your membership to SOPHIA, please take a few minutes to do so.
SOPHIA will be hosting a panel at the 2017 Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association on Thursday, January 5th from 5:15-7:15 p.m. There have been some changes to our original plan. The presenters listed below reflect the updated plan:
Group Session
Topic: “The Value of and Impediments to Studying Philosophy for First Generation College Students”
Chair: George R. Lucas (U.S. Naval War College & Notre Dame University)
Two SOPHIA members have independently suggested that we hold a discussion on the topic of “trigger warnings.” Remember that SOPHIA discussions generally begin with a very short text (whether written, audio, or video), which can help spark the discussion. It also allows us all to be literally on the same page as we begin our discussions. Both Trustee Dr. Bertha Manninen and member Dr. Annie Davis Weber have suggested that we have a discussion on “trigger warnings,” and both of them independently suggested that we use the University of Chicago letter on the subject, which has been in the news recently.
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