Phi Sigma Tau wins SGA grant

Congratulations to the Virginia Gamma Chapter of Phi Sigma Tau, the International Honor Society in Philosophy, which has received an SGA grant of $5,000 for Spring, 2017. The title of the program is Hermeneutics: Language and Meaning in the Liberal Arts––This program is a semester long lecture series that addresses the general theme of language and meaning. Since the time of Aristotle and Plato in ancient Greece, it has been recognized that the mode of understanding differs with what is to be understood. In the 20th century, after Heidegger and Gadamer, hermeneutics has been shown to be as wide as human understanding itself. In collegiate and ordinary situations, we are always striving to understand what we encounter be it a scientific demonstration, a work of art, a piece of music, a book, a lecture, a law, another person, or ourselves. The proposed program is designed first to consider some general aspects of understanding and then to consider language and meaning in several areas that we encounter in a liberal arts education–in science, law, art, and literature. Accordingly, we plan to invite 5 speakers, each discussing understanding in one of these areas. One speaker will come to JMU approximately every two weeks during the Spring, 2017, semester.

This program was developed and proposed by the officers of Phi Sigma Tau, in consultation with Dr. Anne M. Wiles, advisor of the chapter. Officers of the chapter elected at mid-term are: Co-Presidents: Leilani Bartell and Greg Glasgow; Co-Vice Presidents: Augustus Snyder and Tyler Palombo; Secretary: Amanda Misak and Treasurer: Austin Figueroa. The planning committee is currently organizing the program and selecting speakers. Stay tuned. More information forthcoming as soon as topics, speakers and dates are confirmed.

Congratulations again!