University PhilosophyPhilosophy DepartmentDepartment University Alumni Newsletter of Dallas Alumni Newsletter IssueIssue 11 Fall,Fall, 20112011 Dear Alumni and Alumnae, Inside this issue: You are holding in your hands (or reading on your screen) the first issue of a newslet- ter that, henceforth, the Philosophy Department of the University of Dallas intends to The 2011 Aquinas 2 publish once every semester. The purpose of the newsletter is to extend the reach of Lecture our Department at least a little bit outside the proverbial “ivory tower.” Academics— including, of course, philosophy professors—are often in dialogue only with each A Royal Visit at UD 2 other (in conferences, publications, and so forth) and with their students. Once the students leave, the interaction ends, and this happens although both sides might well profit from and enjoy a continuing exchange. An Interview with 3 Robert P. George Thus, we plan to keep you “in the loop” through this newsletter. It will update you on developments in our undergraduate and graduate programs, share the names of our The Graduating Class 4 recent graduates, inform you of their plans and current activities, feature stories of 2011 about visiting speakers who have come to UD, and occasionally let you know of our own work. News from the 4 In turn, we would like to know what our majors have done with their degrees. Some Graduate Program have gone on to study philosophy in grad school, but many others have chosen differ- ent paths. How has your philosophy education at UD impacted your life and profes- Notable Publications 5 sional career? Has reading Aristotle, Aquinas & Co. helped you in the decisions that you have had to take in your personal and professional life? But also: now that you are able to look back at your UD education, are there aspects of our philosophy pro- What We are Reading 5 gram that you wish had been different? Let us hear from you! Please write to [email protected] and we will make sure to include your information and sugges- tions in our future newsletters. The Philosophy Wall Back Cover From all of us here in the Philosophy Department: we wish you a happy new year! Philipp W. Rosemann Upcoming Events: Chair • Spring 2012 Semester Philosophy Colloquium Fridays, 3:30 pm–4:30 pm UD Braniff Building, B201 Open to the Public Philosophy Department Faculty and Staff • February 2, 2012 William A. Frank, Professor Dennis L. Sepper, Professor 2012 Aquinas Lecture Eleonore Stump Fr. James Lehrberger, O. Cist., Assoc. Professor Lance Simmons, Assoc. Professor 7:30 pm Christopher V. Mirus, Asst. Professor John Tutuska, Visiting Asst. Professor UD Lynch Auditorium Griffin T. Nelson, Visiting Asst. Professor Matthew D. Walz, Asst. Professor Open to the Public Joshua S. Parens, Professor Robert E. Wood, Professor • May 11, 2012 (tentative) Handmaiden Bowl Philipp W. Rosemann, Professor Marie Azcona, Administrative Asst. Philosophy vs. Theology Open to the Public Philosophy Department Alumni Newsletter Page 2 The 2011 Aquinas Lecture Our 2011 Aquinas Lecture had originally been scheduled for February 3 rd , close to the feast of St. Thomas on January 28 th . However, it had to be canceled due to inclement weather. (Do you know that UD had three snow days in the winter of 2010–2011?) Rescheduled for September 29 th , the lecture this year featured Professor Robert George, the well-known natural-law expert and Catholic public intellec- tual from Princeton. Professor George not only delivered the Aquinas Lecture (“Natural Law, God, and Human Dig- nity”), but also led a seminar on John Rawls. In the seminar George argued, contra Rawls, that even in the age of highly fragmented societies composed of people with a wide range of different opinions, rational debate in the public place must invoke fundamental principles. Professor George was also kind enough to grant two interviews, one to the University News and the other to Peter Antich, a Philosophy senior who is currently president of the UD Philosophy Club. An abridged version of Mr. Antich’s interview appears in this newsletter. By the way, our 2012 Aquinas Lecturer—the thirtieth in a series of distinguished speakers that started in 1982—will be Eleonore Stump, a Thomist from Saint Louis University. More about Professor Stump in the next newsletter! Dr. Rosemann presenting the Aquinas Medal to Professor Robert P. George A Royal Visit at UD From November 14 to 16, 2011, the University of Dallas had the honor and pleasure to welcome His Serene High- ness Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein and his wife, Her Royal Highness Princess Margaretha. The royal couple stayed on our campus in connection with an award that the Thanks-Giving Foundation of Dallas bestowed on Prince Nikolaus for his charitable work. In order to give our royal visitors an impression not only of our physical campus, but also—and more importantly—of the intellectual atmosphere of the University of Dallas, the Philosophy Department or- ganized an academic seminar in the morning of November 15. Both Prince Nikolaus and Princess Margaretha were in attendance. The topic of the seminar was chosen in consul- tation with the Prince, who expressed interest in Pope Benedict’s recent address to the German Bundestag . In its English translation, it is entitled, “The Listening Heart: Re- flections on the Foundations of Law.” In this address, the Holy Father offers reflections on the need to ground law in fundamental metaphysical and anthropological truths that are accessible to reason; the role of Christianity in European political life, he argues, has historically been to strengthen such rational inquiry, rather than to impose biblically based laws on the political order. UD professors Bainard Cowan, Richard Dougherty, William Frank, Taylor Marshall, and Prince Nikolaus and Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein Philipp Rosemann commented on the papal address, before the Prince himself concluded with remarks on the role of the Catholic faith in contemporary European public life. A lively question-and-answer session followed. Philosophy Department Alumni Newsletter Page 3 An Interview with our 2011 Aquinas Medalist, Robert P. George Robert P. George, 2011 Aqui- started thinking about funda- pher must already carry him George said that New Natural nas Medalist, granted the Phi- mental moral theory.” out into society as a whole if he Law Theory “is a faithfully losophy Newsletter an exclu- is going to have a say in the Thomistic brand of Natural Following his interest in moral sive interview, during his Sep- debate. Law Theory. … We’re the theory, George became in- tember 29–30 visit to the Uni- ones—not those neo- volved in more hot-button George described his mission in versity of Dallas. The interview scholastics that claim they’ve issues, such as abortion, stem- the following terms: “What I’ve was conducted by philosophy got the authentic Thomism— cell research, and marriage. Far tried to do is equip ordinary senior Peter Antich. we’re the ones who are more from simply writing obscure people, especially Catholics and faithful to what Thomas himself George, a prominent academic articles on these issues, George Evangelicals and other believ- actually says about it.” and political thinker, explained argues his stances actively and ers, to think about questions his interest in philosophy. publicly. Somewhat uniquely, philosophically and to present Clarifying the issue, George George is active in both the philosophical arguments in the said, “It is important to remem- “Even as a high school student,” academic and the political public square. I think that’s ber that there are two different George said, “I was interested sphere. good for democracy and I think disputes here. One is ‘What is in ideas. I probably wouldn’t it serves the cause of justice Thomas’ view?’ And the other have stuck the label philosophy “I never wanted to stay in the and truth.” is, well, ‘What is the correct on that, but I was interested in library or in the arm chair,” view?’ We think Thomas’ view ideas, and especially political said George. George, however, made it clear happens to be the correct view, ideas.” but not because it’s Thomas’ George reached a turning point view. He just gets it right. And when he read Plato’s Gorgias in we’re prepared to defend that college. Explaining the impact of on textual and contextual the dialogue on him, George grounds. And as for the defense said that Plato used the dia- of the view in its own right, logue “as an opportunity to we’ve got philosophical argu- reflect on the whole point of ments by which we defend dialectic, the whole point of them.” argument, the whole point of Asked about ethics, George intellectual discourse, debate. said, “That there is any such Which of course he tries to thing as ethics presupposes that show us in the end is truth. The there is a human nature, be- real goal—the telos , of debate, cause it presupposes that there discourse, discussion—is truth, is a human good. And the hu- which is something desirable man good is not just arbitrary not merely as a means to other or shifting or changing …” ends but as something that’s a treasure in itself, something The question, according to worth having in itself.” George, for Natural Law Theo- rists is, “how do you identify George explained that Plato’s the goods of human nature that dialogue set him on “the path will be the first principles of of becoming a scholar, and a that not every philosopher has George views the relationship practical reason, the goods teacher, and someone who was to be a “public intellectual.” between philosophy and poli- whose integral directiveness in the truth pursuing-business Indeed, he advised caution tics as intrinsic.