Professor and Six Westminster Students Attend Conference

Dr. David Goldberg, assistant professor of philosophy, and six Westminster College students recently attended the Midsouth Philosophy Conference at the University of Memphis.

While at the conference, Goldberg and Ashley Williams, a senior philosophy major, presented papers.

"My paper, Power and Monstrosity: An Analysis of Woman's Place in the World,' attempted to critique the genological progress of female oppression in Western society through the lens of Michel Foucault's concept of power," Williams said.

Goldberg's paper, "I Want My Beef, A Response to Singer," is about Peter Singer's work "Animal Liberation," which adopts the view of Jeremy Bentham that the criteria that should be used in determining who gets moral consideration is that of pain and suffering.

"Singer contends that when this criteria is used, we are led to a position in which our ingestion of animals is a morally represensible maltreatment of animals reflecting a species-centric position," Goldberg said.  "My paper looks at the grounds for this postion and argues that both Bentham and Singer inadequately differentiate between pain and suffering, coalescing the later into the former."

The students who attended the conference are:

Williams is a daughter of Debra Cochran and Ronald Williams, Washington, and a graduate of Washington High School

 Bradley Steines, a senior political science major, is a son of Gerald and Kathy Steines, Beaver Falls and a graduate of Blackhawk High School.

 Bryan Bischof, a freshman physics major,  is a son of Steve and Diana Salvatora Gibsonia, and Valley High School.

 Kara Gerhart, a senior philosophy major, is a daughter of Michael and Linda Gerhart Donegal, and a graduate of Mount Pleasant Area High School.

 Lyndsay Smith, a senior public relations major, is a daughter of Dwayne and Karen Smith, Export, and a graduate of Kiski Area High School.

 Leah Zachewicz, a junior English major, is a daughter of Bruce Zachewicz Enon Valley, and a graduate of Blackhawk High School.

Goldberg, who has been with Westminster College since 2002, earned his undergraduate degree and master's from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. from Duquesne University.

For more information, contact Goldberg at (724) 946-7153 or e-mail goldbedw@westminster.edu.

L-R Leah Zachewicz, Lyndsay Smith, Bradley Steines, Kara Gerhart, Ashley Williams, and Bryan Bischof