Philosophy Dialogue Series
A program of as many as 65 presentations each semester, this unique series of lectures, interactive presentations, and discussions, is held in the Dialogue Room (Comal 116).
Philosophy faculty and majors select weekly topics like The Global Village, Aesthetics and Athletics, Patriotism and Democracy, Passion, Animal Consciousness, and Time Travel, to name a few.
For over twenty years, the series has provided a forum for the lively exchange and critical evaluation of diverse ideas. This series has grown from a few presentations a month to five or more events each week during most of the fall and spring semesters, and a short series during summer classes each year. In Fall 2017 the Dialogue Series entered into a collaboration with KTSW, Student Radio at Texas State, to produce Philosophy Mixed: A Podcast. The Philosophy Dialogue Series also hosts seven public dialogues at the San Marcos Public Library on Wednesday afternoons during each long semester.
Faculty and student presenters come from all eight Colleges on campus, and the Department recruits nationally recognized scholars, such as Antony Flew, Richard Swinburne, Parker Palmer, David Kaplan, Jean Kazez, Aaron Hughes, John Ikerd, Andrew Light, and David Luban, to participate each semester. Everyone is welcome to attend, and we encourage informal dialogues between faculty, students, and visitors.
The Department of Philosophy teaches over 4000 introductory students each fall and spring semester. The Dialogue Series supplements their instruction, as it allows them to apply their classroom study of the principles of good thinking and ethical conduct to such controversial issues as euthanasia, stem cell research, and capital punishment. The series is also connected with a course, “Dialogue: Theory and Practice,” which is offered at both the undergraduate (PHIL 4302) and graduate level (PHIL 5302).
Dialogue Schedule