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Workshop in Ancient Philosophy

By Nolan Gray

(March 18, 2014) - Whether you’re haggling in the agora in 400 BCE, or sitting in traffic in 2014 CE, humanity seems to have a universal desire to understand truth, ethics, and the “good life.”

“Philosophy in the broadest sense is all about what’s true and what’s good. Yet philosophy is also about how we should ask questions about the good and the true,” said Eric Sanday, Associate Professor in the University of Kentucky’s Department of Philosophy. “A historical approach to these questions involves determining how ancient authors understood these issues.”

At the upcoming Lexington Workshop in Ancient Philosophy, academics from across the country will explore this very theme: what did the ancient thinkers make of these universal problems? Co-hosted by the Philosophy Department at the University of Kentucky and the Departments of Philosophy and Classics at Transylvania University, the conference will be held on March 21-22 on the campuses of the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University.

The conference will explore broad range of questions and thinkers, ranging from the genesis of the cosmos to the nature of an ethical life. Saturday evening, Professor Gabriel Richardson Lear of the University of Chicago will give the keynote address, “Aristotle on Happiness and Long Life.”

“I’m interested to see what other people are working on. Especially looking forward to the conversation,” said Sanday.

For more information, be sure to check out the Workshop in Ancient Philosophy website.

Alternatively, one can contact Eric Sanday at eric.sanday@uky.edu