Alumni Philosophers Present at National Conference

Numerous Thomas Aquinas College alumni — including several who have are now members of the teaching faculty — led sessions and presented papers at the annual meeting of American Catholic Philosophical Association last weekend. The gathering, held in Los Angeles under the theme “Philosophy in the Abrahamic Traditions,” drew more than 100 scholars from across the United States.

At the ACPA’s request, Thomas Aquinas College hosted two of the Conference’s satellite sessions, both on the subject of Aristotelian Natural Philosophy.  The first was chaired by Dean Brian T. Kelly (’88) and the second by Senior Tutor Glen Coughlin (’81). Dr. Coughlin also hosted a third session in his capacity as president of the Society for Aristotelian Studies, a national organization.

Several other alumni also spoke and/or presented papers at the conference:

• Dr. Thomas Cavanaugh (’85)
  Professor of Philosophy, University of San Francisco
  “Socrates’ Burial? The Question of an Individual’s Immortality”
• Dr. Anthony Andres (’87)
  Tutor, Thomas Aquinas College
  “Charles De Koninck on Contingency”
• Dr. Anthony Crifasi (’92)
  Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Benedictine College
  “Aquinas on the Passions’ Contribution to Moral Reasoning” (commentator)
• Dr. David Arias, (’02)
  Tutor, Thomas Aquinas College
  “Hylomorphism and Organ Transplants”
• Dr. Daniel Shields (’05)
  Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Xavier University
  “Aquinas on the Moral Life of the Non-Believer”
• Mr. David Grothoff (’07)
  Graduate Student, Catholic University of America
  “Geometrical Proportion and Continuity in Aristotle's Physics”
• Mr. John Brungardt (’08)
  Graduate Student, Catholic University of America
  “The Existence of the Primum Mobile in Medieval and Modern Science”
• Mr. Ryan Shea (’08)
  Graduate Student, Catholic University of America
  “The Figure Analogy in De Anima II.3 and the Methodology of Aristotelian Natural Philosophy”