Best is yet to come for Philosophy Today series

The first Philosophy Today series has reached the halfway point and has exceeded the expectations of those who were involved in the planning.

"We have had a parade of philosophical all-stars this year and it has been a wonderful experience for the faculty and students," said Scott Hestevold, chairman of the philosophy department.

Ted Sider, from Rutgers University, will be the next speaker in the series. He will speak on Tuesday about the problem of identity and the philosophy of time.

This is the first year the department has held a series like this one, Hestevold said, and it has brought some of the best in the field to the University.

Ideas for the series began last summer when Hestevold accepted the position as chairman of the department.

"We decided that we would hold a series of lectures with some of the best philosophers," Hestevold said. "Along with speaking to the faculty and students, we also wanted to make available a non-technical lecture for the general public to come and see what philosophy is all about."

Planning the series happened quickly, Hestevold said. The department had two months to line up who was going to be speaking and when. Invitations had to go in the mail and speakers had to accept.

"It was very time consuming," Hestevold said. "We began working in June but I didn't actually begin serving as chairman until August."

To date, the series has hosted Loren Lomasky from the University of Virginia, Tyler Burge from UCLA and Geoffrey Sayre-McCord from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"Probably the most popular of the speakers so far has been Sayre-McCord, who spoke on the state of ethics," Hestevold said. "He was the easiest for faculty and students to understand. He also had a wonderful presentation."

Sider's lecture is titled "The State of Metaphysics."

"The problem of identity and the philosophy of time are the two most important and most debated topics of metaphysics," Hestevold said.

The Philosophy Today series has helped boost the department, Hestevold said. With the additional support from friends and alumni, Hestevold was able to add a sixth speaker.

Jonathan Kvanvig, from Baylor University, will be at the University as the first annual alumni speaker. He will conduct a special seminar on the Philosophy of Religion.

What separates Kvanvig from the rest of the speakers is that he will also teach a class while on campus, Hestevold said.

"I have provided readings and other materials for my class for that lecture," said Hestevold. "The students know he is coming and they are very excited for this opportunity."

Hestevold will serve as chairman again next year, and he said he is contemplating what he will do in the future with the series.

"Right now, it depends on the dean and our financial funding," Hestevold said. "If it is repeated, I want to maintain the caliber of talks and continue to have the luminaries of the field. I don't think I would invite more than six speakers, but I can also see it being done on a smaller scale."

One thing Hestevold said he plans on changing if he does continue the series next year is how he goes about publicizing the lectures. He said he wants to boost the low attendance numbers from the first lectures because it is rare to have the lecturers on campus.

"Having these philosophers come in from outside the University has been tremendously exciting," said Hestevold. "I hope the department will continue some version of this series and bring in the best philosophers of the year."