About the Institute for
Philosophy in Public Life
The mission of the
Institute for Philosophy in Public Life is to bridge the gap between academic
philosophy and the general public. It was founded to cultivate statewide,
national, and international discussions between philosophy professionals and
others who have an interest in the subject regardless of experience or
credentials. The Institute was conceived on the premise that anyone can do
philosophy, that the subject area easily relates to everyone's daily lives, and
that any lack of understanding is largely a problem of translating
between academics and non-academics.
The Institute seeks to
cultivate philosophy in numerous media. First and foremost, the institute
sponsors a month call-in radio show on Prairie Public Radio. Broadcast on
the second Sunday of each month at 5:00 p.m. central standard time (starting
February 8th, 2009), Why? Philosophical
discussions about everyday life will feature philosophers and others
whose work addresses the fundamental questions of the human experience.
Listeners will get to call in, e-mail, or send advance questions so as to direct
the conversation to areas they find most interesting, It is the hope of the host
and the guest that the radio show will be a vibrant discussion with people of
all experience-levels in philosophy. From time to time Why? will travel to towns across
the state, recording the episode at town-hall style meetings during which the
members of the audience get to participate directly in the conversation.
The Institute also
plays host to fellows, both regional and national, who will visit UND to advance
their own research and present their work in a manner that is accessible to the
general public. Visiting fellows will remain at UND for two weeks during which
they will give public lectures or presentations and, often, appear as guests on
the radio show. Regional fellows will have access to UND and Institute
facilities for a year during which they too will further their own research and
present their work to lay audiences. Financial assistance and stipends are
available to visiting fellows.
In addition to hosting
lectures, the radio show, and visiting fellows, the Institute plans a film
series and discussion groups around the state, a collection of popular
philosophy books at the UND Chester Fritz library and, eventually, a journal
presenting non-technical translations of academic philosophical research.
Finally, all
institute events will be archived on this website for free 24-hour access.
Lectures, discussions, Why? episodes, and audio vignettes recounting
people's thoughts on philosophy in their lives will provide a spectrum of
material for those interested in philosophy but who may not have access to
IPPL's live events. Anyone can submit their own
vignette for possible posting. Click here
for more details.
The Institute for
Philosophy in Public Life is funded as a partnership between the University of
North Dakota College of Arts & Sciences and the North Dakota Humanities Council.
It is a non-partisan institute created to advance philosophy of all types. Its name pays homage to
The
Institute for Ethics in Public Life, an inspiring organization on the campus of
the State University of New York, Plattsburgh, the undergraduate alma mater of IPPL's director and founder, Jack Russell Weinstein.
For more information,
please write to ippl@und.edu. The opinions of
the director or its guests and fellows do not necessarily represent the views of
The University of North Dakota, College of Arts & Sciences or The North Dakota
Humanities Council.
