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Vanderbilt University
The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy
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1:06:51
John Lachs: "Why Is Good Enough Not Good Enough for Us?"
by VanderbiltUniversity 1,227 views
Watch video of Vanderbilt University Centennial Professor of Philosophy John Lachs on Feb. 23 kick-off a new series of talks that aims to make philosophy accessible and relevant for the public. Lachs discussed "Why Is Good Enough Not Good Enough for Us?", which addressed the human drive for perfection. "It is distressing to see that people are unwilling to settle for achievable goals," he said. "Instead, we throw ourselves into a rat race of endless striving that makes peace and satisfaction difficult to attain."
"The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy provide a wonderful opportunity to reach a broader audience beyond our students and academic colleagues," said Robert Talisse, professor and chair of the Vanderbilt philosophy department. "These talks aim to bring out the ethical questions that people ask themselves all the time and examine them from an understandable philosophical perspective." -
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1:11:41
Robert Talisse: "Must Life be Tragic?"
by VanderbiltUniversity 2,103 views
Watch video of the most recent presentation in the Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy that took place on March 1 with Robert Talisse, professor and chair of philosophy. He discussed "Must Life Be Tragic?"
"The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy provide a wonderful opportunity to reach a broader audience beyond our students and academic colleagues," said Talisse. "These talks aim to bring out the ethical questions that people ask themselves all the time and examine them from an understandable philosophical perspective." -
3
1:13:19
Jeffrey Tlumak: "Do We Have Free Will? Why Does It Matter?"
by VanderbiltUniversity 394 views
Watch video of the most recent presentation in the Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy that took place on March 15 with Jeffrey Tlumak, associate professor of philosophy. He discussed "Do We Have Free Will? Why Does It Matter?"
"The Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy provide a wonderful opportunity to reach a broader audience beyond our students and academic colleagues," said Robert Talisse, professor and chair of philosophy. "These talks aim to bring out the ethical questions that people ask themselves all the time and examine them from an understandable philosophical perspective. -
4
1:25:49
Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy: Is Solitary Confinement a Living Death Penalty?
by VanderbiltUniversity 168 views
Sentences of life without parole are now common replacements for death sentences, and long-term solitary confinement is an increasingly popular instrument for controlling prison populations. Yet there is good reason to think that long-term solitary confinement has debilitating psychological effects which render people unable to engage socially, says Lisa Guenther, associate professor of philosophy.
Thought-provoking questions about the morality of war, treatment of others and obligations toward the dead are explored during the 2013 Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. The theme for this year's series, which is free and open to the public, is "Life, Death and Justice."
To learn more about Vanderbilt, visit http://www.vanderbilt.edu. -
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1:12:46
Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy: W. James Booth, "Can the Dead Be Harmed?"
by VanderbiltUniversity 67 views
Can the dead be harmed? W. James Booth, professor of political science and philosophy, will examine our obligations toward the dead.
One on account, to be dead is to cease to have any existence whatsoever, and therefore to have no interests, feelings or hopes that could be thwarted or harmed by others. Counter-arguments advance claims that the dead or their interests do persist, and so can be wronged. These debates are important across a range of concerns. Do we actually owe something to our beloved family dead, for example devotion, remembrance or compliance with their will as it was when they were alive? Is doing justice to the deceased victims of past injustice something we owe them, such that if we failed in this we would further injure them?
Professor Booth's lecture is one of three 2013 Berry Lectures in Public Philosophy at Vanderbilt University, which explore thought-provoking questions about the morality of war, treatment of others and obligations toward the dead. The theme for this year's series is "Life, Death and Justice."
To learn more about Vanderbilt, visit http://www.vanderbilt.edu.
