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Department of Philosophy

Events

The Department is active in sponsoring and hosting events for our students, faculty, and the public.  All are invited to publicly advertised events.  Past events can be seen via the links in the menu.

Upcoming Events for Spring 2025:


            Ryan Darr (Yale University)

                  Teleology Transformed: Richard Cumberland and the Origin of Consequentialism
                  April 25, 2025, 3:30-5 PM, CLHIPP 335

The story of the rise of consequentialism — a view in ethics that assesses actions solely by the outcomes they cause — is often traced to the secular utilitarianism of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The story of consequentialism, however, is longer and more theological than this common story suggests. This paper demonstrates the emergence of consequentialist forms of thought in the work of the seventeenth century philosopher Richard Cumberland. It positions Cumberland within the Christian natural law tradition and argues that his innovations in that tradition, which are subtle but quite profound, shift the nature of teleological thinking in ethics. Attending to Cumberland's thought not only helps to correct our historical understanding but also to open new ways of thinking about ethical teleology today. 

For Info Contact: Tyke Nunez


Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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