Application form for Phi Sigma Tau

Phi Sigma Tau
International Honor Society in Philosophy

Chapter Designation – Pennsylvania Mu

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
Academic Year _________

FULL NAME ________________________________________________________________

SCHOOL ADDRESS __________________________________________________________

PERMANENT ADDRESS ______________________________________________________

E-MAIL _____________________________________________________________________

MAJOR(S) ______________________________ MINOR(S) ___________________________

CLASS YEAR _____________ EXPECTED DATE OF GRADUATION _________________

List all philosophy courses completed at Villanova University:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Name two professors to speak on your behalf: (no formal recommendation needed)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

If you are a transfer student please indicate from where you transferred and any philosophy courses you took there:

______________________________________________________________________________

List current courses:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Current GPA _____________ Philosophy GPA _______________

List any other philosophy-related activities: (attach additional sheet as needed)

______________________________________________________________________________

List any other extracurricular activities:
______________________________________________________________________________

Are you interested in becoming a PST Officer? If so, what?
______________________________________________________________________________

Write an essay (one page), to accompany this application, on the topic “Philosophy’s Relevance Today.”

Conference Photos

Hi Everyone,
My official statement on the PST conference may be found here:
http://anom1k.googlepages.com

Special thanks go to Candace Stevens and her media expertise. Because of Candace, we will continue to be funded by student life. I was having trouble posting the photos for the conference on googlepages, so here are some photos from the conference:



Here, Dr. Rockhill is grilling me about my bourgeois psychoanalytical appropriation of Marx


Meera Broome Seth delivered a great paper thoroughly examining the debate surrounding Lacan's conception of the phallus, giving the axe to Judith Butler and poststructuralism, favoring aspects of Zizek's conception of the phallus as truer to Lacan's. She knows more about Lacan than I do.




Dr. Lowell Gustafson gave a down to earth lecture on the origins of language and politics, bringing in lots of empirical examples to support his claims. His presentation was a unique addition to our conference.


Ben gave a great presentation on the use of shock and hyperbole in the mainstream media to gloss over important political issues. Nice work Ben.





Eric delivered a paper examining the definition of terrorism, more specifically, how terrorism works, and what agents can be defined as terrorists if one actually uses a strict definition. A helpful essay. Eric intently observes as Paul asks a question.


Joe Pecora delivered an excellent paper that criticized the philosophical assumptions underpinning an economic study on terrorism that depoliticized its content, out of Deleuze and Guattari's model of the war machine. Interdisciplinary and smart.


Rory and Paul listen intently.


Ronni Sadovsky's paper took a look at important arguments in linguistics, criticizing the deflationist arguments against grammar as simply the use of language according to the speaker. I agree with her point, and I think generally I prefer my philosophy filled with hot air.


Jim Malazita, gave a very interesting presentation on the internet as a model open for democratic thinking, referencing the net neutrality movement. Jim, a media studies major, invited criticism from the philosophers in the room who were in the room. They were more than happy to oblige.


Dr. Rockhill and Ben in a heated discussion. I can't comment because I wasn't there, but do make note of the Perrier.


Classic.


Dr. Rockhill delivered a tremendous presentation on the politics of language, presenting ideas that he hopes to use later for an article or possibly even a book. It was a treat to hear a newly articulated philosophical framework. As you can see, we are all doing our best to cope with the onslaught of content before us.


Again, classic.


Meera Broome Seth won and took Paul's money. Seriously, student life needs to reimburse you Paul. The end.

Post Conference

I want to take this opportunity to write and thank all of the participants in the "Politics and Language" conference last Saturday. It was truly an excellent day of philosophical conversation, debate, and dialogue and I really appreciate the energy and intelligence that was shown by all of the participants!

As I announced, as well, we now have the exciting opportunity to PUBLISH the undergraduate contributors' papers in the international undergraduate journal STOA. If you are interested in having your paper published, please just send me your final, updated draft together with your PERMANENT contact information (address, email, phone number) and I will forward them to the journal for publication in an upcoming issue! Do let me know, as well, if you have any questions about the preparation of the final draft.

Thanks so much again!

Best,

-Paul

Dr. Paul M. Livingston

Assistant Professor, Philosophy

Department of Philosophy

Villanova University

800 Lancaster Avenue

Villanova, PA 19085

(610) 519-4714

Minutes April 8

5:30 First Order of Business --- "Language and Politics" Conference Schedule

The Schedule for the PST Conference will be:

April 19 10:00 AM-6:00 PM in the Devin Room at Connelly

• 10:00-10:10 Paul Livingston: Introduction
• 10:15-10:50 (Villanova) Francis Prior: Alienation, Commodity Fetishism, and Lacanian Psychoanalysis
• 10:50-11:25  (Bryn Mawr) Meera Broome Seth: 'Beyond Signification': The Conflicting Nature of Contemporary Responses to the Lacanian Conception of the Phallus
• 11:25-12:00 (Faculty) Dr. Lowell Gustafson: The Origins of Language and Politics
• 12:00-1:00 Break for lunch
• 1:00-1:35 (Villanova) Eric Pfisterer: Terrorism and Strategy
• 2:10-2:45 (Villanova) Joseph Pecora: Assuming the Effect of Terror
• 2:45-3:00 Fifteen minute break
• 3:00-3:35 (Swarthmore) Ronni Sadofsky: Normativity and Nonsense in Baker and Hacker
• 3:35-4:10 (Drexel) James Malzita: Real time Democracy
• 4:10-4:30 Twenty Minute Break
• 4:30-5:30 Dr. Rockhill "The Language of Politics"
• 5:30-6:00? Closing remarks

5:50 Other assorted business

• Paul will send a draft of the schedule
• Raising awareness -- talk up conference in philosophy classes
• Also advertise it as a cultural event for ACS?
• Candy will raise awareness on the radio

6:00 More assorted business:

• Registration for Conference
• Leave clipboard outside the door/ Alternate people for sign in job/checking in with Paul
• Put signs around the Devin Room for directions
• Possibly show up early on the day of the conference?
• Possibility of nametags, to make things simpler.
• We have 50$ left after paying Rockhill and the winner.
• Candy will also photo-document the presentation
• Applying for funding in September

6:10 Meeting adjourned

Minutes March 12

March 12:

6pm: for the philosophy conference, only 4 abstracts were recieved

options due to shortage of papers:

Extend deadline for one to two weeks

Don't have a conference

6:10 pm: Frank is going to solicite VU honors department and greater philadelphia area schools, including all political science departments

Also Resend the poster

Paul Livingston is responsible for the Wildcat Newswire

Motion to extend deadline to 3/24

Extension of two weeks accepted unanimously 5-0

Sarah Vitale needs respondents for the VU graduate philosophy conference

6:30 PM meeting adjourned.

2/20/2008 Minutes

6pm: Frank responsible for finding the Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Conference (GPPC) mailing list; also, to

email Department heads about conference information

Motion to have a poster committee (no decision as to who webkit-block-placeholder">

Awareness should be raised for the conference w/ posters & professors notifying their classes (Paul

Livingston will be responsible)

Discussion of food to be served at conference: coffee, bagels, cream cheese, etc. (Kristin will be

responsible for this)

6:17pm: Move to not meet next week

Motion seconded and accepted unanimously
to set next meeting on March 12th to review abstracts and select papers for the conference

6:25pm: Meeting ended

2/13/2008 Minutes

6pm: Discussion

Keynote speaker possibilities: Rockhill, Klein, Zaverich, Scholz

6:05pm: Vote on keynote speaker

Rockhill (6-1; first-round pick)

Scholz (1-6; first-round pick)

Klein (0-7; second-round pick)

Zaverich (0-7; second-round pick)

motion to ask keynote's participation in above precedence; motion moved

6:10pm: Date of Conference

Need abstracts and then will receive papers after accepted on basis of abstract alone

Abstract due date: March 10th; our response by March 17th, at the latest; person has three days to respond

with full paper

6:26pm:

motion to set above in favor; advertise at local schools

6:30pm: Motion to ask Rockhill to be keynote on April 12th

6:39pm: Motion to have Tom design flyer

set in motion, all in favor

request St. David's room to host conference

6:47pm: motion to ask Rockhill on April 19th, or if he is unable, request April 12th

6:53pm: $100 to keynote speaker, $50 cash prize to best paper

2/6/2008 Minutes

6pm-6:15pm: Voting

President - Frank Prior (6-0, unanimous)

VP - Ashley Newman (6-0, unanimous)

Secretary - Sam Freedman (4-2)

Treasurer - Kristin Digregorio (6-0, unanimous)

6:20-6:30pm: Initiation of new members

Ashley Newman; Samuel Freedman; Kristin Digregorio; Thomas Zimmerman

6:30pm: Discussion

Possible philosophy conference (we have a total budget of $500) for this spring semester - "language and

politics;" possibly mid-April

<
in, Sally Scholz, Dr. Zaverich - all possible keynote speakers

6:42pm: Frank will write narrative for poster (by vote, unanimous)

move to set next mtg. @ 6pm wednesday 2/13/2008

next week: conference date & submission deadline