Dr. Noel Hubler, professor of philosophy and political science, published his first book, Overcoming Uncertainty in Ancient Greek Political Philosophy. The book, published by Palgrave MacMillan, breaks new historical ground by investigating the conflicting notions of opinion and uncertainty in Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics and exploring the resulting implications for their political theories. At the same time, the book makes a theoretical contribution by arguing that only Aristotle’s recognition of opinion as subjectively and objectively uncertain can ground a deliberative republic.

Dr. Matthew Sayers, associate professor of religion and director of religion and philosophy, was interviewed by Dennis Owens, ABC’s anchor, for a story about the Catholic Church and priests who serve as exorcists.

Dr. Robert Valgenti, chair and professor of philosophy and director of the E.A.T. (EAT) Research Program, received the 2018 “Excellence in Instruction” award from the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society. They, along with the Association for the Study of Food and Society, co-sponsor international food studies conferences annually, including five of which Professor Valgenti and his EAT student researchers have attended and presented in the past.

Mary Auker-Endres ’10, religion and philosophy, recently announced that she will run against the incumbent in the next election for the legislative district that covers northwestern Lancaster County. She will run as a Democrat against eight-term seat hold Rep. David Hickernell, a Republican.

Rebecca Worhach ’16 (art & art history), Rebekka Carpenter ’18 (art & visual culture and historical communications double major, physics minor), Sarah Johnson ’18 (art & art history, world classics minor), and Audrey Reiley ’18 (art & art history with minors in world classics and philosophy) co-presented a session, “Developing Innovative Projects for Gallery Education Outreach,” at the Pennsylvania State Arts and Education Symposium in Camp Hill Nov. 2. Worhach, an assistant in the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery, and the three seniors co-presented with Dr. Barbara McNulty, director of the Gallery and assistant professor of art history, on the follow LVC exhibits:

Audrey Reiley—Jerry Pinkney: Imaginings (Jan. 15–Mar. 13, 2016)

Sarah Johnson—LVC Reimagined: Transformative Architecture (April 1–May 15, 2016)

Rebecca Worhach—Now Showing: An American Century at the Movies (Sept. 2–Oct. 16, 2016)

Rebekka Carpenter—Dutchirican: A Latino History in Central Pennsylvania (June 30–Aug. 13, 2017)

A workshop proposed by Dr. Barbara McNulty, director of the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery, was accepted for inclusion in next month’s Pennsylvania Arts and Education Symposium. Current students Epiphany Bliesath ’20 (art & visual culture and business administration double major), Sarah Johnson ’18 (art & art history major, world classics minor), and Audrey Reiley ’18 (art & art history major, world classics and philosophy double minor), will participate in the workshop, as will former Gallery interns Caitlin Courogen ’16 and Becca Worhach ’16, both art & art history majors. Candice Heishman ’18 and Rachel Frantz ’18, both art & visual culture majors, will serve as Gallery attendants.

Dr. Jeff Robbins—professor of religion, director of American studies, and director of the undergraduate research symposium—is featured in the most recent promotional video for the Westar Institute.

Dr. Robbins serves on the board of directors for Westar, which is dedicated to fostering and communicating the results of cutting-edge scholarship on the history and evolution of the Christian tradition, thereby raising the level of public discourse about questions that matter in society and culture. He also chairs Westar’s academic seminar on “God and the Human Future.”

James Harrington and the Logic of the Balance: Aristotle Transformed, written by Dr. Noel Hubler, interim chair and professor of philosophy, was selected as a featured paper for the Political Thought and Philosophy Division at the American Political Science Association meeting in San Francisco Sept. 1.

Harrington is the chief interpreter of Classical Republicanism to 17th Century England, whose influence extended to the American Founding Fathers. Although his status as a Republican theorist has been challenged by several historians, Dr. Hubler showed that Harrington is indeed a Republican theorist, drawing the main principles of his theory from Aristotle, modifying some of them under the influence of Francis Bacon’s scientific theories.