UHWO 3rd Annual Hawaii Undergraduate Philosophy Conference a success

University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu
Contact:
Julie Funasaki Yuen, (808) 689-2604
Public Info Officer, University of Hawaii - West Oahu
Posted: Feb 28, 2013

The University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu (UHWO) recently hosted the 3rd Annual Hawai‘i Undergraduate Philosophy Conference at its campus in Kapolei. On Feb. 23, undergraduate students from colleges across the state presented papers on philosophical topics.
 
UH West O‘ahu’s Dexsie Marcos took home the “Best Discussant” award for her comments on a fellow student’s paper titled “Toys and Society.” The award for “Best Paper” went to John-Robert Trask Watson of UH Manoa for his paper titled “Forgiveness in Action is Lovely,” and “Best Presentation” was awarded to UH Manoa’s Gregory K. Joseph II for his paper “John Dewey and Max Stirner on Irresponsible Utterances: Obdurate Libertarianism and Strongly Supervening Individualism.” All presentations were judged on content, clarity and style.
 
UHWO Distinguished Visiting Scholar Dr. Ashby Butnor of Metropolitan State University of Denver gave the keynote address. Butnor earned her doctorate in comparative philosophy and graduate certificate in advanced feminist studies at UH Manoa. Her recent scholarship focuses on embodied ethical skill and the cultivation of moral perception and action through bodily training. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on the intersection of feminist and Buddhist ethics as well as philosophical pedagogy. Butnor is also the co-editor of the forthcoming anthology Feminist-Asian Comparative Philosophy: Liberating Traditions (Columbia University Press) as well as the faculty coordinator for the First-Year Experience program.
 
“The Hawai‘i Undergraduate Philosophy Conference provides a great platform for local undergraduates to share their research with their peers and the general public,” said UH West O‘ahu Professor of Philosophy and Philosophy Conference Coordinator Li-Hsiang Lisa Rosenlee. “Dr. Butnor’s expertise in the areas of feminist studies, comparative philosophy and service-learning seminar for first-year students greatly benefited faculty and students.”
 
The 3rd Annual Hawai‘i Undergraduate Philosophy Conference was free and open to the public and took place at the UH West O‘ahu Campus Center. The conference was sponsored by UH West O‘ahu, UH Manoa and Hawaii Pacific University.
 
The UHWO Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program is made possible by the generosity of the James C. and Juanita Wo Foundation.
 
For more information, contact Dr. Li-Hsiang Lisa Rosenlee at lihsiang@hawaii.edu.
 
About UH West O‘ahu
UH West O‘ahu became a four-year, regional comprehensive university when it served its first class of freshmen in fall 2007. The campus offers quality education, small classes and personalized attention at convenient locations. UH West O‘ahu serves approximately 2,000 students at its brand new, state-of-the-art campus that opened in the City of Kapolei in 2012. For more information, visit uhwo.hawaii.edu, twitter.com/uhwestoahu, facebook.com/uhwestoahu or call (808) 689-2800 or toll-free (866) 299-8656.