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WESLEYAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY EXPLORES PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE The Wesleyan Philosophical Society (WPS) met at Duke University Divinity School for its 7th annual meeting. The March 13, 2008 event brought together philosophers to explore contemporary themes in philosophy of science. Under the leadership of program chair, Robert Thompson, about twenty five papers were presented. This was the largest number of paper presentations in society history. Topics explored included evolution, creation ex nihilo, intelligent design, ecology, philosophy of science, robotics, biology and morals, love, pragmatism, philosophy of mind, methodological naturalism, and others. WPS President, L. Bryan Williams, titled his presidential address, Via Media Philosophy: A Wesleyan Theory of Pilgrimage Unto Deep Truths, Material and Nonmaterial. The Warner Pacific College scholar said that the philosopher, theologian, and scientist must each discern the relevance of statements unto truth that confront their intellectual pursuits. Williams offered a new way of considering philosophy and science he calls via media philosophy. He says that via media philosophy is a conceptual technique that seeks truth between known statements unto truths. When a truthful tradition meets another truthful but different, if not opposing, tradition, the potential rewards of new truthful insights are often worth the risk of the convergence. Williams employs this technique as a Christian, believing that Christianity, when able to provide healthy contexts and resources, provides the orientation for clarifying deep truths. The society joined again with the Society for the Study of Psychology and Wesleyan Theology for a joint meeting. The plenary speaker for the joint meeting was Don Browning, prolific author and professor emeritus of the University of Chicago Divinity School. Browning explored legal and theological issues related to families and children. With regard to WPS leadership changes, Robert Thompson moves from 1st Vice President and program chair to the presidency. Eric Severson of Eastern Nazarene College was elected 2nd Vice President. Brint Montgomery remains as webmaster, and Oord remains as promotional secretary. First Vice President, Heather Ross, moves to program chair for the 2009 WPS meeting. The meeting will be March 5 at Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Ross has chosen the theme and conference title, I More Than the Others: A Response to Evil and Suffering. See the WPS website for the full call for paper proposals for the 2009 meeting. Other information on WPS can be found at the society website: http://wps.snu.edu. The society meets again next year in conjunction with the Society of the Study of Psychology and Wesleyan Theology (SSPWT). Check website updates for hotel and meeting site information. The Wesleyan Theological Society will hold its annual meeting March 5-7 at Anderson University following the WPS meeting at the same location. CONTACT:
Thomas Jay Oord, Ph.D. |
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Send mail to
brint@snu.edu with
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