Department of Philosophy

  • Big Questions

    Philosophy is the creative and critical reflection on enduring questions concerning the nature of the world and our place in it. For example, philosophy asks metaphysical questions about what exists, epistemic questions about what we can claim to know, and ethical questions about the nature of the good life and right action. In addition, philosophy involves the study and practice of good reasoning and clear thinking, skills that are essential to any discipline or profession.

    Check out the UAA Ethics Center

The Department of Philosophy

Philosophy, as the center of the humanities, the foundation for the sciences and the core of the liberal arts, supports the mission of CAS and the 2017 UAA Strategic Plan by preparing Alaskans to become knowledgeable and contributing citizens in a diverse world.  Members of the department are committed to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and public service, and seek to extend the mission of the University by promoting freedom of inquiry, integrity in study and action, and the transmission of knowledge and understanding. Faculty advance scholarship, research, and learning in the history of ideas and ethics. They contribute to the vitality of the natural and social sciences, health professions, art, education, government and public policy, business, technology, and justice studies. The department's emphasis on intellectual strenuousness uniquely prepares students for variety of graduate studies as well as public leadership. Through community engagement, faculty and students raise public discussion of significant issues and provide leadership in addressing conflicts and solving problems in Alaska and beyond.

Presenter lecturing in front of a crowd

Call for Papers!

Submit an abstract to present at UAA’s 19th Annual Undergraduate Philosophy Conference.

  • 250 words, on any topic in philosophy.
  • Describe your paper topic and include your thesis and basic arguments.
  • Submit by Friday, March 29th

Send your abstract and any questions to Dr. John Mouracade, jmmouracade@alaska.edu.

 

 

Philosophy Panel Discussion - Moral Distress in Veterinary and Human Medicine: Advancing Professional Resilience

Tuesday, April 2 at 5:30 PM in LIB 307

Panel is open to the public, and will include refreshments. 

Lisa Moses

Dr. Lisa Moses (Harvard Medical School)
Lisa Moses is a board-certified veterinary internist and a bioethicist. She is a faculty member at Harvard Medical School’s Center for Bioethics, where she teaches and does research. She is also a Bioethics Scholar at Yale University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, and is a senior advisor at The Hastings Center. For almost 30 years, Dr. Moses was a senior staff veterinarian at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, where she founded the Pain and Palliative Care Service. Currently, Dr. Moses teaches and studies various aspects of veterinary medical and animal research ethics. Her research and writing is divided between veterinary medical ethics, notably in moral distress and futile care and animal research ethics in technology like xenotransplantation, cloning, and gene drive.  

Etienne Côté photo

Dr. Étienne Côté (Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island)

Dr. Étienne Côté is a board-certified cardiologist and internist at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. His professional interests include clinical communication, feline cardiology, cardiac-extracardiac interactions, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. His publications include Clinical Veterinary Advisor (editions 1-3), Feline Cardiology, and Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine (8th ed, 2017; 9th ed, 2024). He is the recipient of the AVC Atlantic Award of Excellence in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care (2018), and the Daniel Elmer Salmon Award for Excellence in Alumni Affairs (2023), and was inducted as Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (2021), and Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2022).


For more information contact: Prof. Raymond Anthony - rxanthony@alaska.edu

Sponsored by the Elizabeth Tower Endowment for Canadian Studies, The UAA Department of Philosophy and Ethics Center and the Veterinary Technology and Assisting Programs, Matanuska-Susitna College of UAA.

To join via zoom, please use the following link.

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Practice: Veterinary Medicine & Moral Distress

Monday, April 1 at 11:30 AM in FSM room 202, Mat-Su College Campus

Refreshments provided. 

Dr. Étienne Côté and Dr. Lisa Moses will facilitate a veterinary ethical dilemma workshop for practitioners and techs on addressing moral distress. For more information, please contact Prof. Raymond Anthony - rxanthony@alaska.edu or Dr. Judy Montalbano - jemontalbano@alaska.edu

 

Philosophy Students and Faculty in the News!

The Ethics Bowl

Alaska Ethics Bowl: Discuss...Debate...Win!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participate in the Ethics Bowl