News

Kenneth Taylor, the Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy at Stanford University, died this week. Professor Taylor did his undergraduate work at Notre Dame, where he graduated in 1977 with a major in the Program of Liberal Studies. Professor Taylor specialized in the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind, and was the author of numerous influential books and papers. He was also well-known as the co-founder and co-host of...

On December 20th Jim Sterba will be debating Dinesh D’Souza on the question: "Capitalism or Socialism?" at the Turning Point Conference in Palm Beach, Florida. U.S. Senators, members of the U.S. Congress and conservative media stars will be there. None are expected to be pleased with Sterba's views.  …

Michael “Mic” Detlefsen, the McMahon-Hank Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame and editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic, died Monday (Oct. 21). He was 70.

It is with great sadness that we announce that our friend and colleague Mic Detlefsen passed away on October 21.  Mic had been on the faculty of the Notre Dame Philosophy Department since 1983, and since 1990 had held the McMahon-Hank Chair of Philosophy. Mic also had appointments in recent years at the University of Paris and the University of Nancy, and earlier visiting appointments at the College de France, Konstanz, ...

Paul McEldowney discusses why he believes the best way to appreciate and do mathematics is to engage with it on a philosophical level — and why philosophy is best done by engaging with current scientific and mathematics research. 

Mike Schur — creator of The Good Place and Parks and Recreation and a writer and producer on The Office — came to Notre Dame last week to talk to students in the 1-credit The Good Class, which focuses on the philosophy and production of his current NBC show, as well as multiple sections of the God and the Good Life introductory philosophy course.

As president of Allegis Group, a staffing and services company that works with upwards of half a million people a year, he lays out the firm’s investments, growth, and direction in the digital age — and sees a big part of his job as helping employees and clients in ways that go beyond day-to-day tasks. 

Therese Cory is one of 50 total members and one of two women — the third in the academy’s history — to be so honored.

Professor Patricia Blanchette and Professor David O'Connor have been awarded The Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by the Office of the Provost. The award honors up to 20 faculty members who have had a profound influence on the undergraduate learning experience, elevated students’ intellectual engagement, and fostered students’ ability to express themselves effectively within a disciplinary context. For more information on the award, visit the Office of the...

Colin Rahill’s time at Notre Dame has been defined by learning from some of the world’s great thinkers — whether it be on paper or in a temple on the other side of the globe. An English and philosophy major whose senior thesis focuses on the works of Percy Shelley and Soren Kierkegaard, Rahill spent six weeks last summer in Japan, including a month living at the Shoganji Temple with...

HPS Philosophy-track student Jamee Elder has been awarded a Heinrich Hertz Fellowship in History and Philosophy of Physics. This competitive Fellowship is awarded by the University of Bonn, where she will reside for the next academic year, as a research fellow in the Insititute of Philosophy.  Originally published by Goulding, Robert…

An innovative Notre Dame course, God and the Good Life, is not only transforming the way students are introduced to philosophy — it is changing their perspectives, trajectories, and lives. Nearly 1,200 students have enrolled in the course since philosophy professor Meghan Sullivan launched it two years ago, and for many, it has become a defining experience in their undergraduate education. It's also drawn an array of prominent guest speakers —...

What is the philosophy major like at Notre Dame? “I really feel like we're engaging seriously with philosophy. It actually can become very personal, reflecting on human nature and what is an ethical life, and what is justice,” said philosophy major Natasha Reifenberg. Philosophy majors pursue their passions while developing skills such as critical thinking, data analysis, evidence-based arguments, and information synthesis.

Author: Paul Weithman   Gary Gutting was best known for his work on French philosophy, for co-founding and co-editing Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews and for his many thoughtful contributions to The Stone.  But he was a philosopher of remarkable range, an accomplished teacher at all levels, and a departmental administrator of force and vision.  …

Associate Professor Curtis Franks caught the attention of Notre Dame magazine this issue. Find out why he, and other philosophy professors, chose their out-of-the-box faculty photos for our website.   …

This summer, Notre Dame is organizing a Study Abroad program in Ethiopia, led by Professor Alexander Jech. The program is centered on the course PHIL 24550 / PHIL 44468 Bridging Theory and Practice: Philosophical and Pragmatic Perspectives on Development. We interviewed him about the program and how it came into being:…

“A lot of people ask me, ‘Philosophy — do you even use that in business?’ And I actually do all the time, especially in the world of Silicon Valley,” said Dan Peate ’00. Peate is the founder of the technology companies DRIAV and Hixme, and is the managing director of Peate Ventures LLC, a venture capital fund. He credits his success in business to the skills he gained in asking foundational...

Professor Fred Rush will give the 2019 Monroe Beardsley Lecture at the meeting of the American Society for Aesthetics in Philadelphia. The lecture will take place at the Barnes Foundation and will be on the subject: ‘Time and Film’. It will be held at the Courtyard Marriott, Center City, Philadelphia, PA from April 4-6, 2019. For more information, visit their website…

Notre Dame philosophy professor Meghan Sullivan has received an $806,000 grant from the The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to expand her popular God and the Good Life course and adapt it into a curricular model used by faculty across the country. The three-year award will allow Sullivan to build a network of professors interested in developing or refining their own courses that teach philosophy as a way of life. It...

Curtis Franks has been selected as the Graduate School's 2018 Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) Award recipient. This award recognizes a DGS who has had a significant impact on his or her graduate program, in areas such as teaching, research, recruitment, culture, and operations.  We are lucky to have him as our DGS! …