A Collection of Individuals: The Philosophical Legacy of Jorge J. E. Gracia
8/6/19

Join us for the 2019 Capen Chair Conference, Friday and Saturday, October 18 and 19. The event brings together fifteen distinguished speakers, UB Alums, each of whom wrote their dissertation under the supervision of Professor Jorge J. E. Gracia. On Saturday, SUNY Press will host a book launch to mark the publication of Gracia's intellectual memoir, With a Diamond in My Shoe: A Philosopher’s Search for Identity in America.

Oxford publishes The Powers Metaphysic by Neil Williams
9/14/19

Professor Neil Williams' new book is an engaging and unique case study in systematic metaphysics. He argues that we can solve a host of basic metaphysical problems by appealing to the nature of objects. See Oxford UP.

Diversity isn’t what divides us. Division is what divides us.
8/15/19

Ryan Muldoon's new paper was commissioned by The Knight Foundation for its series on media and democracy. The work is about how thinking about faction can help guide practical solutions to combat misinformation. Read the paper.

At the intersection of Philosophy and Information Science
2/25/18

Ontology is a foundational discipline of philosophy that has its origins in ancient Greece. Today, the demand for trained ontologists is becoming a distinct career path for our graduates. UB is a world center of research in applied ontology, opening the doors for our graduate students to successful careers in informatics and data science in fields such as biomedicine, finance, defense and security. Start a new career by earning an M.A. in Philosophy with a focus in ontology.

Interdisciplinary Activities in Humanities and the Arts
9/14/19

Under the direction of Jorge J. E. Gracia, the Samuel P. Capen Chair sponsors the annual Capen Lectures to provide opportunities for our students to meet with distinguished speakers from a variety of disciplines.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

EVENTS.
Debate; Conference; Colloquium; Workshop

October 16, Debate
 Thursday, 6:00 p.m. Knox Hall 20
Romanell Debate: Should Physician-Assisted Suicide be Legal?

October 18 & 19, Conference
A Collection of Individuals:
 The Philosophical Legacy
of Jorge J. E. Gracia
Friday in 10 Capen;
Saturday in 509 O'Brian.

October 24, Colloquium
Stephen Grimm (Fordham)
Thursday, 4:00 p.m., Park 141

November 1, Colloquium
Maurizio Ferraris
 "The Internet: A Political Approach"
 Friday, 2:00 p.m., Park 141

November 7, Colloquium
Donald Baxter (UConn)
Thursday, 4:00 p.m., Park 141

Nov. 16, Romanell Workshop
 “Themes from Wear”
Workshop in Honor of Steve Wear


SPRING 2020
 January 27, Classes begin

March 5, Colloquium
 Hagop Sarkissian (CUNY/Baruch)
Thursday, 4:00 p.m., Park 141

March 26, Colloquium
John Thrasher, IV (Chapman)
Thursday, 4:00 p.m., Park 141

Faculty Research

4.
Sample Areas of Faculty Research
See a more comprehensive list of our faculty research areas>

Keylight

  • Things: In Touch with the Past by Carolyn Korsmeyer
    9/25/19
    Oxford University Press has published Carolyn Korsmeyer's book, Things: In Touch with the Past (2019). The book explores the value of artifacts that have survived from the past and that can be said to "embody" their histories. Such genuine or "real" things afford a particular kind of experience — an encounter with the past-despite the fact that genuineness is not a perceptually detectable property. Although it often goes unnoticed, the sense of touch underlies such encounters, even though one is often not permitted literal touch. See faculty profile.
  • What We Ought and What We Can by Alex King
    6/19/19
    Routledge has published Alex King's book, What We Ought and What We Can (2019) .   Are we able to do everything we ought to do? According to the important but controversial Ought Implies Can principle, the answer is yes. In this book Alex King sheds some much-needed light on this principle. She argues that it is flawed because we are obligated to perform some actions that we cannot perform, and goes on to present a suggested theory for anyone who would deny the principle. She examines the traditional motivations for Ought Implies Can, and finds that they to a large degree do not support it. Using examples like gay rights, addiction, and disability, she argues that we can preserve many of the motivations that led us to the principle by thinking more about what we, as individuals or institutions, can fairly demand of ourselves and each other.
  • New faculty: Duane Long
    9/14/19

    This fall, the Department of Philosophy is pleased to welcome a new member of our faculty. Duane Long, PhD, will be teaching undergraduate courses: PHI-105, Contemporary Moral Problems; PHI-234, Environmental Ethics; and, PHI-237, Medical Ethics: Social & Ethical Values in Medicine. His areas of specialization include ancient philosophy and ethics.

  • Routledge to publish text with chapters by Romanell Center Fellows
    2/7/19
    A primary text for undergraduate courses on the philosophy of death and dying is forthcoming by Routledge Press. Exploring the Philosophy of Death: Classical and Contemporary Perspective, co-edited by Travis Timmerman, uses classic texts and contemporary contributions to investigate central questions within the philosophy of death literature. Chapters authored by Romanell Center Fellows include:
        "Death Is Bad for Us When We're Dead.” by Neil Feit (SUNY Fredonia).
        “Can We Survive our Deaths?” by Rose Hershenov and David Hershenov (University at Buffalo).
        “The Possibility of Suicide.” by Philip Reed (Canisius College).
         "Refuting Symmetry Arguments." by Travis Timmerman (Seton Hall University).
  • Inner Virtue
    6/21/18
    What does it mean to be a morally good person? Nicolas Bommarito's book, Inner Virtue, provides a new theory of moral virtue and vice. The work examines a neglected area of philosophical study (the moral status of states disconnected from action), while drawing on sources in non-western philosophy, empirical work and memoir. Published by Oxford University Press.
Latest News

student and alumni news

Fifteen alums represent “A Collection of Individuals".
Fifteen alums to present papers as “A Collection of Individuals"

Join us, October 18 and 19, for the conference, “A Collection of Individuals: The Philosophical Legacy of Jorge J. E. Gracia”. The conference brings together fifteen distinguished UB Alums, each of whom wrote their dissertation under Gracia's supervision. The event includes a SUNY Press book launch for his intellectual memoir. Learn more.