Logos Newsletter Spring 2026

Philosophy

In this Issue

Spring 2026 Newsletter

Dear Friends,聽

As you will see below, it has been a very busy semester here in the Department of Philosophy. I hope you will read on to find out what is going on in the Department of Philosophy. Please keep in touch (we love to hear what you are doing) and drop in if you are in Newark!

Best Wishes,

Joel Pust

Chair, Department of Philosophy

Events

April events

April 18: The Department of Philosophy at the 91原创 will again host the (GPPC) Undergraduate Conference. Professor Noel Swanson is primarily responsible for this event, which features undergraduate research presentations from all over the greater Philadelphia region.

April 24鈥�26: The Department of Philosophy hosts an interdisciplinary workshop on ethical and epistemological dimensions of engineering, organized by Professors Noel Swanson and Thomas Powers. Professors聽聽(The George Washington University) and (University of Virginia) will deliver a pair of public keynote addresses on Friday evening, followed by a workshop Saturday to Sunday featuring talks by philosophers and engineers. If you're interested in attending, email us at philosophy@udel.edu.

Save the date

The Fall 2026 David Norton Memorial Lecture will occur on Thursday, October 15 and feature聽聽of New York University. Professor Block is a luminary in the philosophy of mind who has done highly influential work on functionalism and mental content. If you took philosophy of mind at 91原创, you read Block!

Class of 55 Ethics Endowment
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Debating Sex: Is Biological Sex Binary?

On Friday, March 6 in Gore Recital Hall, the Department Philosophy (along with the Departments of Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies) hosted a debate on whether biological sex is binary. This was the ninth debate hosted in recent years by the department, utilizing the funds of the Class of 55 Ethics Endowment.

Debating the issue were Professor of Princeton University鈥檚 Anthropology Department and Professor of Pepperdine University鈥檚 Philosophy Department. The debate, which occasioned some controversy on campus, was professional and respectful on all sides and was followed by excellent student questions and a reception for attendees.

Clockwise from top left: A capacity audience attended the March 6 debate in Gore Recital Hall; Agust铆n Fuentes of Princeton University; a post-event reception; and Tom谩s Bogardus of Pepperdine University.

Class of 55 Ethics Endowment

Debating Sex: Is Biological Sex Binary?

On Friday, March 6 in Gore Recital Hall, the Department Philosophy (along with the Departments of Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies) hosted a debate on whether biological sex is binary. This was the ninth debate hosted in recent years by the department, utilizing the funds of the Class of 55 Ethics Endowment.

See more

Debating the issue were Professor of Princeton University鈥檚 Anthropology Department and Professor of Pepperdine University鈥檚 Philosophy Department. The debate, which occasioned some controversy on campus, was professional and respectful on all sides and was followed by excellent student questions and a reception for attendees.

Clockwise from top left: A capacity audience attended the March 6 debate in Gore Recital Hall; Agust铆n Fuentes of Princeton University; a post-event reception; and Tom谩s Bogardus of Pepperdine University.

Norton Memorial Lecture
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Living with Artificial Agents

Professor of the University of Michigan gave the Spring 2026 David Norton Memorial Lecture on Friday, March 13. His title was 鈥淟iving with Artificial Agents,鈥� and addressed the best way to co-exist with artificially intelligent agents, drawing from philosophy, evolutionary theory, anthropology and psychology. Several alumni attended the talk, and it was wonderful to catch up a bit.

Peter Railton of the University of Michigan presented a talk on "Living with Artificial Agents" on March 13.

Norton Memorial Lecture

Living with Artificial Agents

Professor of the University of Michigan gave the Spring 2026 David Norton Memorial Lecture on Friday, March 13. His title was 鈥淟iving with Artificial Agents,鈥� and addressed the best way to co-exist with artificially intelligent agents, drawing from philosophy, evolutionary theory, anthropology and psychology. Several alumni attended the talk, and it was wonderful to catch up a bit.

See more

Peter Railton of the University of Michigan presented a talk on "Living with Artificial Agents" on March 13.

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Alumni News

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Student News

Minorities and Philosophy

The department continues to host an active Minorities and Philosophy chapter which hosts frequent discussions and other events. These events are open to all. It is run by philosophy major Jade Wasgett and advised by Professors聽Hsin Wen Lee and Noel Swanson.

Senior Seminar聽

Professor Carla Merino-Rajme will teach the Fall 2026 Senior Seminar on the philosophy of time. Topics include:

Does time exist?
Does time pass?
How are space and time alike? How do they differ?
Are the past and the future real?
Is time as we experience it to be or are some aspects of our temporal experiences illusory?

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Faculty News

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Connect With Us

Calling all alumni

Please let us know how you are doing by emailing us at philosophy@udel.edu. We would love to post a short update about you in the newsletter.

Support Us

Thank you for being part of the 91原创 Philosophy community.聽Your support helps us organize host thought-provoking events and enrich the educational journeys of our students.聽

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Logos Spring 2026