News

Remembering and imagining as attitudes

3.7.25

Chain Reaction

3.5.25

Why is Pain Bad?

1.28.25

Alex Wentzell's Paper Published

10.17.24

“Scientific Understanding as Narrative Intelligibility”

8.19.24

2024 Summer Philosophy Academy

7.31.24

The Philosophy Department launched a new program that provides a free one-week course for high school students

Peace of mind: The science and philosophy of mental health

2.9.24

What does it mean to be mentally healthy? The answer has changed over time, says philosopher and historian of science Anya Plutynski. Her research on early 20th-century “mental hygiene” practitioners shows that some providers of the era sought to establish factors and skills that boosted patients’ mental health and prevented symptoms of mental illness from arising. That’s a different goal today’s standard of care, which more often equates mental health with the mere absence of the symptoms of mental illness. With her book-in-progress, “Making Mental Health,” Plutynski, a Faculty Fellow in the Center for the Humanities, is tracking the history of this early movement and considering why their approach was abandoned.

Unlocking the Power: Why You Should Consider Hiring Philosophy Graduates

2.7.24

A philosophy graduate can help you unleash your true potential as a business leader — and help you take your business to new heights

Christopher Colacchia defends "Emotions that Feel Bad are Bad"

2.2.24

Eric Brown on The Dangerous Game of Persuasion

2.1.24

Eric Brown publishes piece on persuasion in ancient Greece in The Common Reader

1.25.24

In Memoriam: Mark Rollins

12.1.23

Carl Craver paper published.

8.21.23

Thinking about Mechanisms

Congratulations! Zoe Jenkin

4.14.23

CNN Producer Cynde Strand Visits The Storytelling Lab (Video Lecture)

4.6.23

Oxford Bibliographies Online: Euripides' Orestes

4.6.23

The forgotten wall

4.6.23

A scholar of Caribbean literatures and cultures, PhD candidate Karla Aguilar Velásquez sees her research as deeply connected with her practice as curator and museum educator. She shares her recent work with COCA that invites visitors to interact with the exhibitions — and each other.

Yanjie Li Recieves Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence

4.6.23

Graduate students from a range of departments and programs were selected for their exceptional contributions in the classroom.

Cassen published in Psyche digital magazine

4.5.23

An award-winning writer prepares to take students inside the literary industry

4.5.23

As part of the Center for the Literary Arts Speaker Series, award-winning author Anna Moschovakis will participate in a panel discussion and reading April 13 and 14.

Xuming He to chair new Department of Statistics and Data Science

4.5.23

Xuming He is a renowned leader in the fields of robust statistics, quantile regression, Bayesian inference, and post-selection inference. He will join Arts & Sciences from the University of Michigan.

Cassen published in Smithsonian Magazine

4.5.23

Penczykowski, Medley share seed grant to precisely measure St. Louis climate

4.4.23

Taylor Geospatial Institute grant will support project to measure neighborhood-by-neighborhood variations in St. Louis-area climate.

Tom Keeline writes article on the life of Ronald Knox

4.4.23

Eng wins Early Career Achievement Award from the Association for Asian American Studies

4.4.23

The award recognizes a junior scholar who has made valuable contributions to the field of Asian American and Pacific Islander studies early in their career.

Ramos’ 'Bedlam in the New World' wins best book award

4.4.23

"Bedlam in the New World: A Mexican Madhouse in the Age of Enlightenment" has won a best book award and an honorable mention.

Nine members of the Classics department participate in CAMWS Annual Meeting

4.4.23

Volcanoes on Venus … Wow! New map here

4.4.23

Esther Kurtz awarded BECHS-Africa Fellowship

4.4.23

Graham Renz defends "Painless Hylomorphism"

4.3.23

Congratulations, Dr. Renz!

This is your brain on everyday life

4.3.23

A new study by Zachariah Reagh offers fresh insights into how the brain goes to great lengths to processes and remember everyday events.

Garland E. Allen III (1936–2023): Leading historian of biology and social justice activist

3.31.23

Garland (“Gar”) E. Allen III, a leader in the history of genetics and eugenics, died on 10 February at age 86. Gar was at heart an activist, pushing for social justice and promoting inclusion before the concept gained its current urgency. He loved intellectual give-and-take and took pride in the lively philosophical debate generated by the books he authored. A supportive mentor, Gar devoted himself to making vulnerable students feel comfortable in university life.

Q & A: David Schuman, Director of The Writing Program

3.30.23

In light of his recent promotion, the Duncker Digest staff wanted to dig-in with David Schuman, Director of The Writing Program, and learn a little more about him, his teaching philosophy, and the creative process itself. Despite Hurst Visits, dissertations, and a generally busy spring semester, Dave was kind enough to get back to us right away!

NASA’s Uranus Mission Is Running Out of Time

3.30.23

Bill McKinnon talks to Scientific American about NASA mission to Uranus

Augmented reality allows students to practice Italian in a virtual classroom

3.30.23

A saloon in the American Old West became a virtual environment for Iva Youkilis’ students to discuss, debate, and practice vocabulary about games — all in Italian.

Scientists share ‘comprehensive’ map of volcanoes on Venus — all 85,000 of them

3.29.23

Planetary scientists Paul Byrne and Rebecca Hahn in Arts & Sciences have created the first comprehensive map of volcanoes on Venus, pinpointing 85,000 of them. Their study was posted online in JGR Planets, and the dataset is publicly available.

WashU to host StanCon 2023

3.29.23

The four-day conference on Stan programming and Bayesian modeling will take place June 20-23.

Scientists share ‘comprehensive’ map of volcanoes on Venus — all 85,000 of them

3.29.23

Paul Byrne and Rebecca Hahn map 85,000 volcanoes on Venus

Doctoral Student David Balmaceda Selected for Bouchet Graduate Honor Society

3.28.23

The Bouchet Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.

WashU & Slavery Project Partners with St. Louis County Parks to Interpret Slavery at General Daniel Bissell House

3.28.23

Derek Braverman contributes to Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Public Health

3.22.23

Siegel and Craver's "Phenomenal Laws and Mechanistic Explanations" to appear in Philosophy of Science

3.22.23

WashU Philosophy at the 2023 Pacific APA

3.21.23

We’ll be in San Francisco next week!

WashU Philosophers at SSPP 2023

3.7.23

We'll be in Louisville this weekend

Graham Renz's "Do Substances Have Formal Parts?" to appear in Analytic Philosophy

3.1.23

Philosophy Student: Dean's Distinguished Graduate Fellows

10.27.22

Carl Phillips explores the concept of Community in his latest piece for Yale Review

10.13.22

It’s time to reconsider Philip Roth

10.11.22

In a new book about the celebrated American novelist, Matthew Shipe explores Roth’s half-century struggle with the question of what it means to be American.

Congratulations, Phil Dybvig

10.10.22

The Department of Economics congratulates Phil Dybvig, the Boatmen's Bancshares Professor of Banking and Finance in the Olin School of Business and Professor of Economics (by courtesy) in Arts & Sciences, on the 2022 Nobel Prize in Economics he shared with Ben Bernanke and Doug Diamond. Phil has been a generous colleague and an especially supportive mentor for our PhD students. We are all very proud of his accomplishments.

Washington University Review of Philosophy Vol. 2

9.1.22

Jon Kvanvig's Book Reviewed

7.11.22

Reviewed by Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

Jack Mayer’s short film "Philia" wins best LGBTQ film at the Experimental Forum international film and video art festival

7.11.22

FMS is proud to announce that major Jack Mayer’s short film, Philia, has won best LGBTQ film at the Experimental Forum Film Festival. Experimental Forum is an international film and video art festival showcasing experimental film and artists’ moving image from auteur filmmakers and innovative video artists from around the globe.

Welcome 2022-2023 McDonnell Postdoctoral Fellows

6.15.22

Graduating PNP Student Jacquelyn Li: Paper Accepted

5.10.22

Olivia Poolos Work Recognized in "College Podcast Challenge"

5.3.22

Undergraduate Olivia Dres wins NEXT Award

4.27.22

Nishi Luthra Award

3.28.22

Ron Mallon Awarded Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award

3.28.22

Carl Craver wins National Science Foundation Grant

3.4.22

Craver wins National Science Foundation grant

How I found my major

3.3.22

Ahead of this year's Major-Minor Fair, junior Jisung Lee writes about how he discovered his course of study in Arts & Sciences.

2022 Helen Stenner Memorial Prize

3.3.22

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Carl Phillips combines new poems with selected works in "Then the War"

2.18.22

Phillips’ fifteenth book of poems, Then the War: and Selected Poems, 2007 – 2020, looks forward as it reflects on past work.

Hawkeye Award

12.29.21

Hawkeyed Chloe Altschul and Andy Robaina are shown being presented with their coveted Hawkeye Award mugs by Professor John Heil, their instructor and the author of the book they so carefully vetted.

Meghan Kirkwood & Phil Maciak's Beyond Boundaries Podcast: St. Louis & the Documentary Image

11.15.21

How I chose my major

10.21.21

Ahead of this year's Major-Minor Fair, sophomore Gracie Hime writes about how she discovered her course of study in Arts & Sciences.

The road less traveled: an alum’s journey from biology to the history and philosophy of science

8.11.21

Jarrett Joubert, like many undergraduate students, was initially interested in the traditional pre-med path. He completed his undergrad at Grinnell College in Iowa, followed by a master’s in biology and postbac premed certification in 2017 through University College at Washington University in St. Louis.

Matthew Shipe writes opening chapter for "Philip Roth in Context"

7.15.21

Phillip Maciak co-edits and contributes essay to LA Review of Books "Streaming Symposium"

7.15.21

Plutynski wins Lakatos Award for book about the philosophical questions surrounding cancer

5.25.21

In an archival episode Hold That Thought, Anya Plutynski shares her story of being diagnosed with breast cancer, her opinions on debates over breast cancer screening, and ideas from her award-winning book.

Carl Phillips Wins Jackson Poetry Prize, $75,000 Award

5.17.21

Cut & Paste: Poet Carl Phillips Explores The Politics Of The Everyday

4.29.21

Emily Prychitko Defends "Event Perception"

4.26.21

Congratulations, Dr. Emily Prychitko!

Maria Altepeter awarded Society of Christian Philosophers Graduate Student Cross-Training Fellowship

4.22.21

Congratulations, Maria!

Judith Carlisle awarded $5,000 for Divided City Summer Research Grant proposal, “Trauma, Segregation, and Racial Violence”

4.19.21

Congratulations, Judith!

Max Klapow to present at 2021 CAIR Conference on Inequality and Social Justice

4.8.21

Congratulations to senior Max Klapow on the acceptance of his submission to CAIR Conference on Inequality and Social Justice

Carl Phillips reads his poem “Dirt Being Dirt”

4.8.21

This National Poetry Month, Carl Phillips explores “the idea of refusing to change the self.”

Seeking Applications for McDonnell Postdoctoral Fellowship Position

3.11.21

The Department of Philosophy is accepting applications for a McDonnell Postdoctoral Fellowship for the 2021-2022 academic year in the Department's program in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology (PNP).

Ben Henke wins Neuroscience and Philosophy Essay Prize

3.9.21

Henke wins 9th Annual Essay Prize of the Centre for Philosophical Psychology

Cameron Evans Defends "Oppression and the Limits of Individual Moral Progress"

3.5.21

Congratulations, Dr. Cameron Evans!

Ben Henke Presents at Eastern APA 2021

1.11.21

PNP Graduate Students to Present at Central APA 2021

1.11.21

Three PNP Graduate Students will be presenting papers at the Central APA in February 2021.

Summer McKenna of PNP Program a Finalist for Rhodes Scholarship

11.25.20

Summer McKenna, a senior majoring in modern Middle Eastern studies and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology in Arts & Sciences, aims to educate and mediate as she represents the United States abroad.

Maria Doulatova publishes "Emotion's Role in the Unity of Consciousness" in Philosophical Psychology

9.23.20

Mark Rollins Retires

5.29.20

Professor Mark Rollins who joined the Department of Philosophy in 1987 is retiring this summer.

To the Class of 2020

5.15.20

Best wishes to all our Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology graduates in the Class of 2020!

Maria Doulatova awarded 2020 Stenner Prize for Graduates

5.8.20

Congratulations, Maria!

Congratulations to Dr. Christiane Merritt!

5.8.20

Welcome new McDonnell Postdoctoral Fellows!

4.29.20

Joining the department in Fall 2020, welcome Riana Betzler and André Sant’Anna!

Final Colloquium of the year held online

4.24.20

PNP Graduate Student Rick Shang shares doctoral research

PNP junior Max Klapow receives Truman Scholarship

4.17.20

Congratulations, Max!

Joining our faculty in Fall 2020 - Lori Watson and Rebecca Copenhaver

3.10.20

We welcome Lori and Becko to our department.

Graham Renz publishes "'Assessing Recent Agent-Based Approaches to Right-Action (and More)"

3.4.20

Graham Renz's "'Assessing Recent Agent-Based Approaches to Right-Action (and More)" has been accepted for publication in Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. Congratulations, Graham!

Midwest Memory Mayhem in Ampersand

2.14.20

Casey O'Callaghan publishes "A Multisensory Philosophy of Perception" with Oxford University Press

12.18.19

Joining our faculty in Fall 2020 - Zoe Jenkin and Jake Quilty-Dunn

10.30.19

We welcome Zoe and Jake to our department.

Gracey Belote and Judith Carlisle Recognized by the Teaching Center

9.11.19

Congratulations to Gracey Belote and Judith Carlisle for their recognition in participation of the EPIC Learning Community!.

Will Fleisher publishes "Endorsement and Assertion"

8.30.19

Will Fleisher's "Endorsement and Assertion" is now forthcoming in Noûs. Congratulations, Will!

Kate Schmidt to MSU Denver

4.29.19

Kate Schmidt (Ph.D., PNP 2019) has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Congratulations to Kate Schmidt PhD!

4.16.19

Kate Schmidt defends dissertation, "Epistemic Justice and Epistemic Participation."

Katie Rapier to Boston College

3.28.19

Katie Rapier (Ph.D., PNP, 2019) has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Boston College...

PNP Ph.D. Santiago Amaya has received a US $1.2 million grant for a project on Free Will in Latin America

2.13.19

The project consists in a series of seminars and research activities focused on free will, agency, and responsibility.

Congratulations to Katie Rapier PhD!

1.28.19

We congratulate graduate student Katie Rapier in successfully defending her dissertation "Moral Pathology". 

PNP Graduate Students honored by The Teaching Center

8.2.18

The annual event makes visible participants’ commitment to pedagogical training and reflective teaching practices.

How to Think about "Implicit Bias"

3.29.18

John Doris highlights two misunderstandings that anyone who wants to understand implicit bias should know about in Scientific American.

Nissiya Adjei is Recipient of the 2018 Ralph Bunche Scholars Award

3.2.18

Congratulations to Nissiya, a Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Major.

Lee recognized for her work on behalf of first-year students

2.12.18

Congratulations to Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Major Jessie Lee!

Rick Shang Awarded Two-year Imaging Science Pathway Trainee Fellowship

9.27.17

Congratulations to Rick Shang!

Carl Craver and Mark Povich co-author accepted paper.

4.18.17

"The Directionality of Distinctively Mathematical Explanations" has been accepted for publication in Studies in History and Philosophy of Science.

Undergraduates majors chosen for Phi Beta Kappa.

3.16.17

We are honored to announce that Deniz Ariturk, Katharine Chang, Soumya Gogia, David Gruskin, Rishi Patel, and Rishi Shah have been selected for induction into Phi Beta Kappa.

Congratulations Dr. Mark Povich!

3.10.17

Mark Povich has successfully defended his dissertation "Model and World: Generalizing the Ontic Conception of Scientific Explanation"

David Rose, Rutgers University, joins the PNP in Fall 2017

2.27.17

We are delighted to announce that David Rose (Rutgers) will join us next year as a McDonnell Post-doctoral Fellow.