Students hailing from as far as Canada and California came together to answer the question, "What is the role of philosophy in religion?" at the Second Annual Dartmouth Undergraduate Philosophy Conference this weekend hosted by Aporia, the College's undergraduate journal of philosophy.
Citing the controversy between science and religion that resurfaced with Darwin's 200th birthday this year, Aporia editor-in-chief Jenny Strakovsky '09 wrote in the journal's latest issue that one goal of the conference was to "explore the connection between philosophy and religion and learn how they could potentially work together."
"Religion is a part of many people's lives, although it is not studied widely," Strakovsky said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
The journal's Spring 2009 issue emphasized the strained relationship between science and religion and the need for interdisciplinary discussions. The journal's theme parallels that of the conference, which includes titles like "Forum: Faith and Reason" and "Arguments for the Existence of God."
Strakovsky said she hoped the conference would facilitate discussions between peers who are mainly used to experiencing philosophy within the classroom.
Strakovsky also noted the wide range of presenters and the competitiveness of the application process.
"This year, we have 23 presenters out of 75 applicants," she said, adding, "Fifteen of them are from other schools, including one from Canada."
The conference's first-place prize went to Jane Tucker '09 for her essay, "On the Dangers of Enlightenment and Its Possible Salvation," in which she asked she explored the argument of Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno that enlightenment may lead to atrocities, questioning what can be done to resolve that link if the pair's argument is accurate. Tucker was already well-known at the conference due to her entry last year, "A Duty to Care: On Friendship and White Lies," a feminist critique of lying.
Approximately 30 students attended her presentation this year, in which she discussed the importance of humanities and literature in the Age of Enlightenment.
Tucker argued that the advancement of thought and knowledge can be used as an instrument of control.
"Enlightenment forbids difference and squashes intellect and creativity," she said.
The focal point of her thesis was the 1929 novel Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse, in which the protagonist is a social recluse who initially believes that suicide may serve as an immediate cure-all. Hesse is highly critical of European society, painting it as narrow-minded, disdainful of intellectuals and artists, and obsessed only with practical considerations.
Tucker argued that the dehumanizing attitude described in Hesse's novel is present throughout Western society and is a natural result of the Enlightenment. She said it is tempered in literature like Steppenwolf, which balances the isolating effects of the Enlightenment by encouraging empathy and a respect for the unknown.
Matthew Burke, a member of the Class of 2009 at Boston College, served as the discussion critic for Tucker's panel.
In leading the discussion, Burke asked, "Should humanities-as-therapy be limited to literature? What about art? What about music?"
The original of this article incorrectly stated that Jane Tucker '09 presented an essay asking the question "Does enlightenment lead to atrocities?" In fact, Tucker's paper addressed the argument by Max Horkheimer and Theordor Adorno that enlightenment may lead to atrocities, and questioned what can be done to resolve the issue if that argument is accurate. The article also incorrectly titled a former essay by Tucker as "White Lies," rather than "A Duty to Care: On Friendship and White Lies."