11.21
Philosophy
Paideia’s spring course offerings highlight wellness, service, and citizenship
Paideia’s spring course offerings highlight wellness, service, and citizenship
The first four courses offered to Penn undergraduates as part of the new Stavros Niarchos Foundation Paideia Program will focus on passion, civility, effective communication, and a deep dive into American Chinatowns.
The programming ethos
The programming ethos
In a podcast conversation, Penn professors Michael Kearns, Aaron Roth, and Lisa Miracchi discuss the ethics of artificial intelligence.
The human driver
The human driver
As the ability to harness the power of artificial intelligence grows, so does the need to consider the difficult decisions and trade-offs humans make all the time about privacy, bias, ethics, and safety.
Polarization can happen even when rational people listen to each other
Polarization can happen even when rational people listen to each other
Using computer models, philosopher Daniel J. Singer, political scientist William Berger, and colleagues found that divides over factual issues can stem from humans’ limited memory capacity rather than from one side or the other being irrational.
Historical treasures of ‘most talented woman in 20th-century philosophy’ come to Penn
Historical treasures of ‘most talented woman in 20th-century philosophy’ come to Penn
On loan from the Collegium Institute, an archive of materials written to and by Elizabeth Anscombe will be at the Libraries’ Kislak Center for Special Collections for the next three years.
One hour, one painting: A Barnes visit reveals clues about how the brain processes visual cues
One hour, one painting: A Barnes visit reveals clues about how the brain processes visual cues
The exercise is one part of a two-week mindCORE summer workshop aimed at underrepresented undergrads across the country. This year’s program focused on language science and technology, and minds in the world.
Three from Penn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Three from Penn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen of the Law School and the School of Arts and Sciences, Daniel Rader of the Perelman School of Medicine, and Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein of Perry World House join a group recognized for their world-class leadership and expertise.
Pint-size philosophers
Pint-size philosophers
By engaging with Philadelphia elementary students and high school teachers, Penn professor Karen Detlefsen is opening young minds to a new kind of philosophical thinking.
Spencer named Robert S. Blank Presidential Professor
Spencer named Robert S. Blank Presidential Professor
Quayshawn Spencer, an associate professor of philosophy, has been named the Robert S. Blank Presidential Associate Professor of Philosophy.
The iconic species of the Galápagos, in photos
The iconic species of the Galápagos, in photos
A new book co-authored by Michael Weisberg and a naturalist guide from the Galápagos reveals unseen behaviors of some of the islands’ best-known animals.
In the News
The New York Times
The Pain and Promise of Black Women in Philosophy
Anita Allen of the Law School was interviewed about the obstacles black women encounter in the predominately white male field of philosophy. “My vision is for a more inclusive, self-aware and publicly engaged profession whose leaders serve as strong ambassadors for our vital share of the humanities,” said Allen.
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Inside Higher Ed
7 hours a week on existential despair
In a uniquely reflective course taught by Justin McDaniel of the School of Arts and Sciences, students meet weekly to read an entire book cover to cover and then discuss. Noting the quality of the resulting discourse, McDaniel said, “it’s the best conversation I’ve ever had in a classroom.”
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