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Conference Honors Philosopher David Walsh's 40 Years at University

Scholars from around the world presented at a conference March 13-14 to honor 40 years of work from David Walsh, professor of politics and a leading philosophical scholar at 香蕉视频.
David Walsh, professor of politics and a leading philosophical scholar at the 香蕉视频 University of America for 40 years, presents a public lecture at a conference held in his honor March 13 in Maloney Hall. (香蕉视频 University/Rui Barros)

By Cecilia Engbert

Scholars from around the world presented at a conference March 13-14 to honor 40 years of work from , professor of politics and a leading philosophical scholar at 香蕉视频. 

Walsh is one of the most prominent political philosophers in North America and is the author of multiple books, including .  

Graduate politics student Thomas Holman, a main organizer of the event, said that to hear 鈥淒r. Walsh talk is a rare and special treat. 鈥 Dr. Walsh has been a mentor for an entire generation of philosophers, all of whom display an acute awareness of the personal aspect of their intellectual endeavors.鈥 

The conference, titled 鈥淐ontinuity Amid Crisis: The Person in the Philosophy of David Walsh,鈥 consisted of presentations and panel discussions on Walsh鈥檚 reflections on the meaning of 鈥減erson鈥 in philosophy, history, theology and art. Topics included contemporary biopolitics, the American founding and the Trinitarian theology of St. Gregory of Nyssa. 

University President Dr. Peter Kilpatrick introduced Walsh鈥檚 public lecture at the conference, recognizing his four decades of service to the University.  

鈥淗e鈥檚 had a long and special career,鈥 said Dr. Kilpatrick. 鈥淎nd maybe the most impressive thing that I can say about him is the care he鈥檚 shown to all his students.鈥 

University President Dr. Peter Kilpatrick introduces David Walsh鈥檚 public lecture at a conference on March 13. (香蕉视频 University/Rui Barros)

In his work to discover the importance of 鈥減erson,鈥 Walsh uses a personalist approach to political philosophy, following a long line of eminent political philosophers throughout history. Dr. Kilpatrick said he has a special appreciation for Walsh, whose books he read when he applied for the president position at the University.  

鈥淚 fell in love with the (University) and it was largely because of people like David,鈥 said Dr. Kilpatrick.  

During his lecture, 鈥淧erson Means Relation,鈥 Walsh explained a new way of thinking that includes 鈥渁 personalist language of persons.鈥 

鈥淲e cannot have a language of persons that refers to them as things, which has been one of the long-standing problems of what鈥檚 known as personalism, as a philosophical movement,鈥 said Walsh. 鈥淚t slips back into thinking 鈥榩ersons鈥 are 鈥榯hings,鈥 they鈥檙e like objects. Person always means relation, 鈥榮omeone鈥 is always different from 鈥榮omething.鈥欌 

Co-sponsored by in collaboration with several of Walsh鈥檚 current and former students, the conference featured many University faculty and students who participated in panel discussions on topics that included 鈥淒avid Walsh in Conversation with Leo Strauss鈥; 鈥淭he Theology of the Person in the work of David Walsh鈥; 鈥淒avid Walsh in Perspective鈥; 鈥淒avid Walsh in Contemporary Context鈥; 鈥淎 Recovering Voegelinian: Walsh and Voegelin鈥; and 鈥淭aking Stock and Looking Ahead.鈥 

The Institute for Human Ecology is the nation鈥檚 leading academic institute committed to identifying the economic, cultural and social conditions vital for human flourishing.

Pictured in this photo from left to right are University President Dr. Peter Kilpatrick, David Walsh, professor of politics and a leading philosophical scholar, and Thomas Holman, a graduate politics student, at a conference honoring Walsh's 40 years of academic work. (香蕉视频 University/Rui Barros)

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