Immersive Experiences - Philosophy
Philosophy Club and Idle Talk
The Philosophy Club at Stetson University is a monthly meeting of the minds involving faculty, philosophy majors and minors, and students interested in philosophy. There are usually six meetings per year–three per semester–with a new president elected annually by the philosophy faculty; the president offers guidance to conveners in their selection of discussion topics.
The Faculty Advisor contacts guest speakers or hands off the responsibility of setting a topic to the President of the Club. Meetings allow students and professors to continue their philosophical dialogue outside of class in a congenial atmosphere. When we don’t have a guest speaker or set topic, we hold Idle Talk, which is our opportunity to talk more casually about philosophy. The Stetson University Philosophy Club is officially recognized by the Student Government Association.
If you are interested in joining the Philosophy Club, please contact Debra Tate, the Philosophy Department administrative assistant. We will be happy to put you on the mailing list for upcoming Philosophy Club meetings and announcements.
Ethics Bowl
An Ethics Bowl is a team-based competition where participants analyze and discuss real-world ethical dilemmas, presenting well-reasoned arguments and engaging in civil dialogue. Unlike traditional debates, the focus is on collaborative exploration of complex ethical issues rather than winning an argument. Teams are evaluated on clarity, depth, and thoughtfulness of their reasoning, as well as their ability to engage respectfully with opposing viewpoints.
Stetson University’s Ethics Bowl team was inaugurated in 2024 as a key plank of the Philosophy Department’s revised focus on immersive and experiential learning.
Professors DiQuattro and Rust work with students to discuss ethical theory, the ethical dimensions of the competition cases, and the analyses the students prepared. The students also work independently on their analyses, developing their own arguments and ideas. Teams cannot use notes during the actual competition, so they are required to learn their arguments well, to think on their feet, and to thoughtfully engage in the conversation that takes place during the round.
During our first competition in November of 2024, Stetson’s team had 2 wins, one loss, and one tie. Stetson and three other teams finished with 2-1-1 records. Only three teams had better records in the 16 team competition. The tie was against the Citadel who won last year's Regional Competition. The loss was against Duke who advanced to the National competition this year (the top three teams from the competition advance to Nationals). We are really proud of our team's performance!
Here's a photo of Braedyn Wasden, Tristyn Rampersad, and Brooke O'Brien arguing that CrowdStrike's reluctance to take full responsibility for the massive IT outage they caused in July of 2024 constitutes an act of “bad faith” in Sartre's sense of the term.
We invite you to engage with us on social media and explore our Instagram page @stetsonphilosophy. There, you will find highlights of our research endeavors, faculty accomplishments, student achievements and much more. By following us on Instagram, you can stay up-to-date on our department's latest activities and connect with our community. We encourage you to browse our page, like our posts, leave comments and share your thoughts. We look forward to connecting with you on Instagram and beyond!
Gadfly Newsletter
We are excited to share the Philosophy Department's latest accomplishments and developments through our yearly newsletter, the Gadfly. Our newsletter includes highlights of the research, teaching and service activities of our faculty, students and alumni. We invite you to explore the Gadfly to access the latest edition of our newsletter, as well as back issues from previous years. By browsing our newsletter archives, you can gain insight into the growth and evolution of our department over time. We welcome your feedback and contributions, so please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. Thank you for your continued support and interest in our department.
LGBTQI+ Reading Group
Stetson University's LGBTQI+ Reading Group provides a welcoming space for students to explore and discuss diverse literature that celebrates LGBTQI+ voices and experiences. Focusing on fostering thoughtful conversations, inclusivity and community, the group offers a supportive environment for those passionate about storytelling and expanding their understanding of LGBTQI+ perspectives. The group also hosts visiting LGBTQI+ faculty, community professionals and organizations (see photo from our meeting at the newly opened Volusia Pride Office). Hosted by Professor Peppers-Bates