Information
Philosophy in the Community is a lecture and discussion series organized by the Philosophy Department at the University of Saskatchewan. It is in place as a public service, so that we may share the rewards and pleasures of philosophical reflection with the members of our community. Philosophical thinking, reading and analysis is part of the life well-lived.
This series is free, no registration is needed. No philosophical background is required; intellectual curiosity is. Coffee provided.
*This event is in the basement of Emmanuel Anglican Church. The standard way to enter is on the southwest side of the building via a flight of stairs. People with mobility issues are welcome to send a note to dianaheney@usask.ca to arrange for other access. Please do this well in advance of the event. An external ramp on the north side of the building provides entry to the church, and from there an elevator can be used to get to the basement
For more information, contact: dianaheney@usask.ca
| Location | The Refinery Emmanuel Anglican (formerly St. James) Church Basement 607 Dufferin Avenue (at 12th Street, just off Broadway) |
| Time | 7:00 – 9:00 PM |
| Dates | Second Friday of each month, September through March. |
Philosophy in the Community 2026- 2027
Fall & Winter Series
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September 11, 2026 What's So Bad About Being Judgmental? Emer O'Hagan, Professor, Philosophy |
Sometimes we criticize others for being judgmental or catch ourselves being judgmental or wonder if what we just said was actually judgmental. What exactly is it to be judgmental, and what's wrong with it? In this talk I will canvas some prominent views of the vice of judgementalism and advance my own account. While there is significant confusion about the concept I will suggest that we can get some clarity by understanding it to be a failure of respect. |
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October 9, 2026 Is Being a Good Human Like Being a Good Plant? Matthew Congdon, Professor, Vanderbilt Philosophy |
One of Aristotle’s big ideas was that ethics is grounded in natural facts concerning what human beings need to survive, thrive, and be actualized. This has led some contemporary Aristotelians to propose a surprising analogy: humans need virtues the way bees need stingers and oaks need roots. The view is controversial. Some celebrate it for situating ethics squarely within nature and giving it an objective basis. Others accuse it of ableism, anthropocentrism, conservatism, and beyond. The aim of our discussion will be to wade into this controversy and ask: is being a good person like being a good plant? |
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November 13, 2026 Beyond Paralysis: Agency in a Changing World Erin Greer, MA Philosophy |
The climate crisis situates us in a world where responsibility and consequences are unevenly distributed. When our individual actions seem too small to matter, it can become difficult to sustain hope and the belief that our responses can make a difference. Drawing on Hannah Arendt's account of action, Simone de Beauvoir's notion of freedom under conditions we do not choose, and Panu Pihkala's work on climate distress, this talk explores the relationship between agency and our capacity to respond to a changing world. Participants will also experience a mini–Climate Café, offering an opportunity to reflect on their own emotional responses to the climate crisis. Climate Cafés invite us to deepen our understanding of ourselves, one another, and the common world we inhabit. I argue that a renewed sense of agency emerges not as the goal of the Climate Café, but as one of its potential outcomes. |
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December 11, 2026 Is a Child a Person or a Mere Circumstance? Children's Rights during a Parent's Criminal Proceedings Robin Hansen, Professor, Law |
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January 8, 2027 The Problem of Evil in Zombie Land Dwayne Moore, Professor, Philosophy |
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February 12, 2027 Drug Knowledge Sarah Hoffman, Professor, Philosophy |
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March 12, 2027 Transformation and the Work of Art Derek Beamer, Professor, STM Philosophy |