September 27th, 2010
Philosophers to address abuses of rhetoric

STAFF REPORT

Jean Kazez, a philosopher at Southern Methodist University, is giving two lectures Monday as part of the Philosophy Dialogue Series at Texas State.

Kazez will speak at 11 a.m. Monday on “Necessities and the Meaning of Life,” then again at 2 p.m. on “Brave New Animal: Advancing Ethics through Technology.”

All of this week’s dialogue events take place in Psychology 132. This week’s discussions will address abuses of rhetoric.

The dialogue series continues Tuesday at noon, when dialogue students take up “Rhetoric and Relativism.”

Wednesday at noon, Linda Mackey of the philosophy department will speak on “Gandhi and King on the Power of Truth.” At 1 p.m. Wednesday, retired former U.S. State Department language services director Harry Obst will discuss “The Challenges of Foreign Language Interpreting at the White House.” At 2 p.m., sociology graduate student Nichole McNiel and Deborah Harris of the sociology department will discuss “The Feminine Ethos of Wilderness Recreation Advertising.”

At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, the dialogue students will discuss “Rhetorical Strategies: Rational Persuasion or Immoral Manipulation?” Friday at 12:30 p.m., the Talk of the Times open forum will take place.

Co-sponsors of the Philosophy Dialogue Series include the American Democracy Project, College of Liberal Arts, Common Experience, Gina Weatherhead Dialogue Fund, the New York Times, National Endowment for the Humanities, Phi Sigma Tau, University Seminar, University Honors Program, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President for Student Affairs.