Philosophy News and Events

Summer 2022

Congratulations to Drs. Eric Funkhouser and Barry Ward

As of July 1st, 2022, Dr. Edward Minar resigned from the department chair position that he held for 8 years. The Philosophy Department thanks him for his service and for an easy transition into a new chapter here at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Eric Funkhouser has taken his place as department chair and Dr. Barry Ward has taken the Director of Graduate Studies role. We are excited to see what their vision is for our department!

Well Done Tori Cotton

One of our Master's students, Tori Cotton, attended an international philosophy conference in Europe this summer. The conference, hosted by the Philosophy Department at Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania and was sponsored by the European Social Fund. The conference was called Beyond Free Will: Variety in Understanding of Choice, Luck, and Necessity and Ms. Cotton's paper title was "Aristotle's Luck: Is the Consistently Lucky Man Happy?" We are very proud of Tori and her progress as a student.

Fall 2022

Welcome Aboard Dr. Ashley Purdy

The Philosophy Department is happy to announce an incoming Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Ashley Purdy from the University of Pittsburgh. She works primarily in normative ethics, with her research activity exploring the compatibility of some prominent normative ethical theories and other values such as friendship and the role of loyalty in friendship. Other areas of her research include philosophy of action, Kantian practical phlosophy, animal ethics, and bioethics. Dr. Purdy has taught introductory courses in early modern philosophy, ethics, and is interested in teaching political philosophy, bioethics, Kantian practical philosophy, and philosophy of action. Good luck and welcome to Fayetteville Dr. Purdy!