The post appeared first on Philosophy.

The post appeared first on Philosophy.

The post appeared first on Philosophy.

We are excited to congratulate Jack Ragan on being named a recipient of the 2026 Provost Scholar Award and the prestigious Peter J. Ricketts Outstanding Provost Scholar Award.

Jack is a fourth-year Honours Philosophy student, who has distinguished himself through exceptional academic achievement. His commitment to undergraduate research is equally impressive, with publications in multiple scholarly journals and additional work forthcoming, demonstrating a level of academic excellence well beyond the undergraduate level.

Beyond the classroom, Jack has made meaningful contributions to the university community. He has served as a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Ambassador for Philosophy, supported student learning as an undergraduate teaching assistant, and actively participated in the Students as Partners Program.

The Peter J. Ricketts Outstanding Provost Scholar Award, valued at an additional $2,000, recognizes one exceptional student among the Provost Scholar Award recipients each year. Jack’s selection for this honour highlights his remarkable combination of academic excellence, leadership, research impact, and community engagement.

Please join us in congratulating Jack on this outstanding achievement and celebrating his continued success.

The post Celebrating Jack Ragan: 2026 Provost Scholar Award Recipient appeared first on Philosophy.

The post What’s Open and Closed: Easter Weekend appeared first on Philosophy.

After many years of dedicated work, we are especially proud to celebrate one of our own faculty members, Kyla Bruff, on the publication of The Palgrave Schelling Handbook, co-edited with Sean McGrath and Joseph Carew. The publication of this collection marks a very exciting moment for Schelling research in English, with 28 chapters written by prominent international Schelling scholars!

Dr. Bruff’s contribution to the project has been especially significant. In addition to her role as co-editor, she authored a substantial introduction to Schelling’s philosophy as well as a chapter exploring Schelling’s relationship to the Frankfurt School. The Palgrave Schelling Handbook is now digitally published and available for purchase online.

Access the publication:

The post Kyla Bruff Co-Edits Major New Publication on Schelling appeared first on Philosophy.

The post New Publication by Ian MacLean-Evans appeared first on Philosophy.

The 2026 Ontario Ethics Bowl was hosted at the University of Toronto, Mississauga, this past weekend. Teams from across the province travelled to compete for a chance to qualify for nationals. 

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´’s Department of Philosophy faculty, Professors Melissa Frankel and Kyla Bruff, judged the competition. 

Canterbury High School, the Ottawa Regional Champions, took home the Ottawa Provincial Championship trophy. The team must now prepare for the Canadian National Ethics Bowl which will be hosted in Winnipeg, Manitoba in April 2026.

Thank you to the teams, moderators, judges, parents, and teachers who made the event possible. 

The post Provincial Ethics Bowl Recap appeared first on Philosophy.

Registration for the summer session opens on Thurs. March 19, 2026 for degree students and Mon. March 23, 2026 for special students.

The summer schedule is available through ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Central () and registration instructions are on the Registration website.

If you face any issues registering, contact the Departmental Administrator, Lauren Wells-McGregor.

Early Summer (May/June)

PHIL 1200 (0.5 cr): The Meaning of Life
Modality: IN-PERSON. Campus presence is required. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:35 PM – 5:25 PM
An introduction to concerns expressed by the perennial philosophical question, “What is the meaning of life?”  Students will be familiarized with the major philosophical approaches to life’s meaning through a consideration of various contemporary and late modern works in the philosophy of life.

PHIL 1550 (0.5 cr): Intro to Ethical and Social Issues
Modality: ONLINE. Campus presence is not required. Live sessions are non-mandatory. Monday and Wednesdays, 11:35 AM – 2:25 PM
An introduction to understanding, assessing, and formulating ethical arguments concerning controversial issues. Particular issues studied may include, world hunger, capital punishment, terrorism, euthanasia, abortion, pornography and hate speech, animal rights, the environment, and topics in theories of race, gender and disability.

PHIL 2380 (0.5 cr): Introduction to Environmental Ethics
Modality: ONLINE. Unscheduled. Campus presence is not required.
Major questions in environmental ethics: How should human beings view their relationship to the rest of nature? Is responsible stewardship of the environment compatible with current technology? Must future generations be protected? Do animals, other life forms, endangered species, ecosystems and/or the biosphere have value/rights?.

PHIL 2501 (0.5 cr): Introduction to Philosophy of Mind
Modality: ONLINE: Scheduled. Campus presence is not required. Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:35 PM – 5:25 PM
An introduction to major philosophical issues concerning human cognition. Topics may include: the relation of mind to body, knowledge of other minds, the relation of mental states to personhood and personal identity, mental illness, consciousness, intentionality, action, mental realism.

Late Summer (July/August)

PHIL 2001 (0.5 cr): Introduction to Symbolic Logic
Modality: ONLINE: Scheduled. Campus presence is not required. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:35 PM – 8:25 PM
An introduction to the techniques and philosophical implications of formal logic with emphasis on translation of expressions into symbolic form, testing for logical correctness, the formulation and application of rules of inference, and the relation between logic and language.  Open to first-year students.

PHIL 2330 (0.5 cr): Happiness and the Good Life
Modality: ONLINE. Campus presence is not required. Live sessions are non-mandatory. Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:35 PM – 5:25 PM
A philosophical exploration of what makes a good human life. Topics may include the role of happiness, well-being, and flourishing in a good life, the relations between these aspects, and the extent to which they depend on luck and social considerations.

PHIL 2340 (0.5 cr): Philosophy and Popular Culture
Modality: ONLINE: Unscheduled. Campus presence is not required. 
Philosophy is all around us, it permeates culture. This course explores philosophical questions through the lens of popular culture. The material used may include films, shows, music, novels, video games, advertising, comic books, and so on.

The post Summer 2026 Course Offerings appeared first on Philosophy.

Worried about filing your taxes this year? Don’t be—the is hosting their free annual tax clinic from March 23 – 28.

The post appeared first on Philosophy.