Department of Philosophy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Philosophy in the Community The Outreach Program Advisory Committee: Geoffrey Sayre-McCord, Professor and Department Chair Jan Boxill, Senior Lecturer and Director, Parr Center for Ethics Program Administrator, 2008-2009: Felipe de Brigard, Teaching Fellow (CVs are attached.) Purpose of our Outreach Program: The aim of the Outreach Program is to use the Philosophy Department’s intellectual resources both (i) to help people in the community think carefully and clearly about a broad range of ideas, commitments, and practices that regularly shape their lives and (ii) to get them excited about philosophy. Now in its 5th year, the Program is, we believe, a proven success. We work closely with teachers at McDougle Middle School, East Chapel Hill High School, The Hawbridge School (formerly New Century Charter High School), Cary Academy, and Durham Academy. We offer short courses on critical thinking, run debates that address important ethical topics, introduce students to classical philosophical works, and generally collaborate with local schools to enrich their philosophical offerings. We also regularly run weekly discussion groups on ethical topics at the C. A. Dillon Youth Development Center (Butner, NC). To our pleasure, these programs have received a very warm welcome. Not only have the schools and the detention center asked us to return, they have made clear that they would value additional programs, if we are able to provide them. (See below for additional information about these existing programs.) Our current programs for the coming year are well-supported, thanks to funding provided by the Chapel Hill Philosophy Department and the Mellon Foundation’s Grant to Professor Susan Wolf. New Initiatives for which we are seeking funding, to be implemented in the Fall of 2008: While we will be continuing our established programs, we are seeking $2850 in funding from the American Philosophical Association in order (i) to establish a close working relationship with the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (a residential public high school in Durham which attracts the very best mathematics and science 1 Department of Philosophy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students from around the state) and (ii) to reach out to minorities through the local Latino Center. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) 1219 Broad Street, Durham, NC 27715 The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics opened in 1980 as the first school of its kind in the nation – a public, residential high school where students study a specialized curriculum built around science and mathematics. Its unique living and learning experience made it the model for 18 like schools across the globe. Coursework at NCSSM is designed to be changing. Although focused on mathematics and the sciences, NCSSM integrates the arts and humanities in a core curriculum that fosters an exploratory worldview and rewards initiative. Should we receive the necessary funding, we would be facilitating sections on timely ethical topics, including euthanasia, affirmative action, and abortion, and we would establish a series of talks and, we expect, workshops, on issues in philosophy of science and philosophy of mathematics. El Centro Latino (ECL) 110 West Main Street, Suite 2F, Carrboro, North Carolina El Centro Latino (ECL) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2000 and committed to improving the quality of life for Latinos in and around Orange County. ECL provides social and educational services and opportunities to Latinos in the area. This agency serves the Latino community by providing multiple activities including a children’s program to provide enriching and safe experiences for preschool or school-aged children, a women’ group for social support. Given that the local Latino population is sizeable. (North Carolina’ Hispanic population is the 12th largest in the nation.), there is an increasing need for extracurricular activities for teen-aged Latin Americans after school hours and before their parents arrive home. Offering classes in philosophy at this time would prove profitable for these teen-agers. Current Outreach Programs: Cary Academy 1500 North Harrison Avenue, Cary, NC 27513 Cary Academy opened in 1997 and is committed to providing a challenging curriculum that reflects the school’s mission of discovery, innovation, collaboration, and excellence. It creates a secure and nurturing environment for students in grades 6-12. In the past we sponsored Cary Academy’s Philosophy Club by directing one hour discussions on ethics where lunch was provided. We are expanding our activities at the 2 Department of Philosophy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cary Academy in the fall of 2008 beyond the scope of the Philosophy Club and into the classroom. We will again sponsor the attendance of their outstanding students at the 42nd Chapel Hill Colloquium in Philosophy October 17-19, 2008. At this event, distinguished philosophers from around the world come to the UNC campus to give remarkable presentations and participate in lively discussion. The Colloquium demonstrates philosophy at its best and provides a uniquely enriching experience for the students. The students from Cary Academy will be given a glimpse into the intellectual minds of modern philosophers and hone their own critical thinking skills. Durham Academy 3601 Ridge Road, Durham, NC 27705-5599 Durham Academy is a coeducational, independent day school from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, providing a stimulating academic environment and broad, varied opportunities for growth through arts, athletics, outdoor education and community service. Founded in 1933, Durham Academy aims to help young people grow into leaders, independent thinkers and true originals. We will continue to teach a supervised ethics class for seniors and a second ethics class to juniors at the Durham Academy. In addition, we will continue to teach classes in other central areas of philosophy, including free will, personal identity and the nature of knowledge. This year we will also add a focus on feminism. McDougle Middle School 900 Old Fayetteville Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 and East Chapel Hill High School 500 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 McDougle Middle School opened its doors in August of 1994 and has been named School of Excellence by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the past eight years. At least 90 percent of the student body must attain proficiency on the end-of- grade test and the state writing test in order for a school to qualify. East Chapel Hill High School is a state-of-the-art public high school recognized by Newsweek Magazine as the 38th best high school in the country. It has the highest SAT average for any public high school in North Carolina. At both McDougle Middle School and East Chapel Hill High School we will run debates, as we have in the past, on timely topics. We will model “good” and “bad” debates and videotape them. We will conduct philosophy workshops with the East Chapel Hill High School Lincoln-Douglas debate team. We will develop a brief introductory lecture and a discussion plan directed at the topic the students are currently debating. With the help of the students, we will compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of various competing theories. Workshop topics might include “Theories of Justice” or “The Right to Self-Defense.” 3 Department of Philosophy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The Hawbridge School 1735 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road, Saxapahaw, NC 27340 The Hawbridge School (formerly known as New Century Charter School) is a four-year public high school that offers an enriched curriculum in Environmental Studies and the Arts and a focus on environmental stewardship as a problem of ethics. In the past we developed short sessions on topics as varied as thought experiments and environmental property rights. In 2008-2009 we will add 5-week courses on other topics such as philosophy of science and philosophy of mathematics. C. A. Dillon Youth Dillon Development Center 100 Dillon Drive, Butner, NC 27509 C. A. Dillon Youth Development Center opened in 1968 provides custody and treatment to adjudicated males ranging in age from ten to eighteen. We will return to the C. A. Youth Dillon Development Center and work with as many as four programs: for boys about 14-17 years of age and for boys about 8-12 years of age. The C. A. Dillon Center is a custody and treatment facility for adjudicated and at-risk youth. Outreach fosters a love of education and improved critical thinking skills that has value in its potential to help prevent the boys who leave Dillon from re-offending and returning. Logistics: Our academic year begins August 14, 2008 and it ends May 10, 2009. All our activities will take place during that time frame. We are currently scheduling the details of our Outreach Initiatives for 2008-2009 and will begin to implement them by September 1, 2008. If this funding request is approved we would be adding both new programs in the Fall of this academic year, pulling on the time and expertise of a number of graduate students and faculty. Project Budget North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Honoraria for instructors/facilitators $1,200 Transportation $50 Course Materials and Incidentals $200 El Centro Latino Honoraria for instructors/facilitators $1,200 Course Materials and Incidentals $200 4 Department of Philosophy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Fiscal Agent Theresa Stone, Department Manager, Department of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, #3125 Caldwell Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3125. Funding Sources The current costs ($27,000) of the Outreach Program are fully funded by the Mellon Foundation and the Department of Philosophy. What we are seeking from the American Philosophical Association is additional funding, not otherwise available, to start the two new programs described above.