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Philosophy

Paideia’s spring course offerings highlight wellness, service, and citizenship
A group of students sit on the lawn under a cherry blossom tree on College Green.

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.

Kristen de Groot

The human driver
self driving car

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.

Gwyneth K. Shaw

The programming ethos
michael kearns recording a podcast

Aaron Roth, left, and Michael Kearns, right, discuss their new book “The Ethical Algorithm.”

The programming ethos

In a podcast conversation, Penn professors Michael Kearns, Aaron Roth, and Lisa Miracchi discuss the ethics of artificial intelligence.
Polarization can happen even when rational people listen to each other
A cartoon drawing of six people. Two are holding megaphones, one is holding a sign that says "Yes," one is holding a sign that says "No," and one is holding a cane.

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.

Michele W. Berger

Historical treasures of ‘most talented woman in 20th-century philosophy’ come to Penn
Three people standing over a book in a library setting.

Philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe was both a divisive figure and one of the most important female philosophical minds of her time. Notebooks filled with old postcards and scrawled responses, like those viewed here by graduate student Paul Musso (left), associate professor Errol Lord, and graduate student Marie Barnett, reveal Anscombe’s thought process as she corresponds with Anthony Kenny, a philosopher and priest, about God and faith.

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.

Michele W. Berger

One hour, one painting: A Barnes visit reveals clues about how the brain processes visual cues
A group of people, some sitting on a bench, some standing, looking at something offscreen, with paintings on yellow walls in the background.

Penn neuroscientist Zab Johnson (standing, second from right) led an exercise during which the mindCORE students studied a single painting for an hour. The idea, she explains, is to “slow down and really take a good look.”

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.

Michele W. Berger

Three from Penn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Anita Allen, Daniel Rader, and Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein

Penn's Anita L. Allen, Daniel J. Rader, and Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein are among more than 200 newly elected members of 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.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Pint-size philosophers
Karen Detlefsen working with students

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.

Michele W. Berger

Spencer named Robert S. Blank Presidential Professor
Quayshawn Spencer

Philosophy professor Quayshawn Spencer

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.

Penn Today Staff