Newsletter 168--March 2023
Email version of the current newsletter (includes contact emails for chapter advisors.)
General News
Well, though we may have thought the pandemic was behind us, we are still facing some of the results. Several of our chapters became inoperative during the past three years, and some are now beginning to function again. This has been a very trying three years for schools, faculty, and students. Some would wonder almost from day-to-day whether a class would be online or in person. This placed immense pressure on faculty who had to try to adapt to sudden changes and caused many problems for students who could never be sure how things would be the next day or week. Life may be easier now, but there are still problems that make extra demands on time for both faculty and students. Best wishes to all who are still struggling with the aftereffects of the pandemic.
Many thanks to both faculty and students who were able to continue Phi Sigma Tau activities during this time. Several chapters have reported online events, Zoom meetings, sometimes Zoom conferences, and perhaps Zoomed movie nights. Congratulations to all who continued in some form and may we all get back to some form of regularity! However, as you can see from the Chapter News section, we have had fewer chapter reports in the last few months. Secretaries of chapters: please submit reports of what your chapter is doing. These reports may suggest ideas of activities for other chapters. In previous years, chapters have reported on recruiting attempts, tutoring events, benevolence projects, lectures, conferences, and other events. Please continue to report on such events as these as well as of movie events, colloquia for the general student body, reading projects, outreach to other disciplines, cooperation with other on- campus honor events, and other activities of note.
Since our last Newsletter, we have granted charters to four new chapter of Phi Sigma Tau. During the main pandemic years, we chartered very few new chapters, sometimes none in a school year. But this brings our total to seven new chapters this year.
Chapter News
FL-IOTA(1009) [Jacksonville University; advisor, Matthew Groe] Our Jacksonville chapter sponsored an event on October 12, GOT ZEN? The chapter invited people to join in a conversation about Zen. The Meditation was with Ungan Zenko Bill Mayhew. Later, on November 7, Dr. Scott Kimbrough presented "Freedom the Stoic Way." Again, all were welcomed. And then on January 30 we sponsored an event, "Mindfulness and Meditation: Philosophy and Practice," with Dr. Sarah A. Mattice. All these events were followed by FOOD--very important for students!
GA-IOTA(1109) [University of West Georgia; advisor, John Garner] NEW ADVISOR. Dr. Riker, our former chapter advisor, updated on chapter activity. Last year, we had a small group, and Sandy Wilson was the chapter president. Most of the activity was online because of continuing concerns about Covid and remediation measures in Georgia. Most of our online communication was a discussion of graduate study and the problems of moving to continue education. (Dr. Riker noted that he went from Los Angeles to Boston to Knoxville as a student and now teaches a bit outside Atlanta--quite a bit of moving.) We also inducted members last year as a part of our larger end-of-year Philosophy gathering.
MA-IOTA(2209) [Assumption College; advisor, Patrick Corrigan] NEW ADVISOR.
MA-LAMBDA(2211) [Simmons University; advisor Wanda Torres Gregory] NEW CHAPTER.
MS-GAMMA(2503) [Mississippi State University; advisor, Manuel Rodeiro] NEW CHAPTER.
MO-PI(2616) [Saint Louis University; advisor, C.P "Scott" Ragland] NEW CHAPTER.
NV-ALPHA(2901) [University of Nevada, Las Vegas; advisor, Erik Lindland] President: Natalie Hsiao, Vice- president: Alyssa Boulow, Secretary: Jenifer Lissett, Marketing Director: Ashley Kwon. Our first meeting of the year was a success; many new members attended the first general session where we discussed bi-weekly meeting times and expectations for the chapter. We are still holding virtual meetings and have found that members are more comfortable in voicing their thoughts
in this format. Overall, we are excited for the new spring semester and hope to continue engaging in interesting dialogue.
NJ-EPSILON(3105) [St. Peter's University; advisor, Daniel Murphy] NEW ADVISOR. Former advisor, Dr. Peter Cvek has retired from full-time teaching; he was the St. Peter's advisor for many years. Happy retirement Dr. Cvek! However, Dr. Cvek will continue to teach as an adjunct.
NY-ZETA(3306) [Syracuse University; advisor, Michael Rieppel] NEW CHAPTER.
NY-NU(3313) [Fordham University; advisor, Crina Gschwandtner] On November 10, the Fordham chapter held a Philosophy Alumni Panel. Among the panelists were Peter Bergara, a cataloguer of Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby's; Emily Lewis, a Corporate Project Assistant at Proskauer Rose LLP; Adrienne de la Fuente, Company Manager at Exit12 Dance Company; Gabbi D'Amato, Brooklyn Law School Graduate; and Sanjana Rajagopal, a Fordham Philosophy PhD Candidate. Impressive!--ed. Pizza was served after the event.
PA-KAPPA(3910) [Misericordia University; advisor, Melanie Shepherd] NEW ADVISOR.
RI-ALPHA(4001) [Providence College; advisor, Samuel Murray] NEW ADVISOR.
SC-BETA(4102) [Coastal Carolina University; advisor, Nils Rauhut] NEW ADVISOR.
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Dialogue
Despite the pandemic slowdown, our authors continue to do fine work by producing publishable papers for Dialogue. Advisors, please continue to encourage your students to submit their work to our editor, Dr. Steve Barbone (
The April issue of our journal will contain the following articles:
Parents: To or Not To Enhance Children Genetically
Genesis Alvarez, Nova Southeastern University
Encoding Formulas: Meinong and Abstract Objects
Tunca Isik Askin, University of Alaska Anchorage
A New Interpretation of Plato's Example of the Jury: Avoiding a Paradox with an Appeal to Epistemic Humility
Emma Dougherty, Saint Olaf College
Why It Is Wrong To Lie: Kant's Maxims and Formula of Universal Law Reconceived
Yue-Bo Jia, Hampden-Sydney College
Emotion, Custom, and Ethics: The Non-Rational Element in Aristotle and Wiredu
Brennan Kowalski, Case Western Reserve University
Internal Realism and Objectivity: A Deweyan Interpretation of Putnam
Martin Li, Emory University
Inferior Experts: Clarifying the Stoic Account of Expertise
Joanne Park, Columbia University
Infinite Substance in Spinoza's Ethics: Semantic Negation and the Nature of Infinity
Jaret Rushing, Vanderbilt University
Kripke on the Conceivability Argument and Mind-Brain Identity Theses
Caleb D. Simon, University of Alabama
Authentic Recognition: The Importance of Others in Identity Creation
Peter Wolff, Fordham University
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PHI SIGMA TAU
International Honor Society in Philosophy
Dr. David E. Gibson, Humanities Division
Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90263-4225
