Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

College of Arts & Sciences

Philosophy Colloquium Series

The Department of Philosophy at the University of Wyoming provides a series of speakers throughout the semester on a variety of topics. Speakers and dates are available of upcoming events as well as past events.

Fall 2017 - Spring 2018

Monday, 9/25/17

Dr. Christopher Shields, Professor at University of Notre Dame, will present, "Goodness is Meant in Many Ways: an Academic Dispute," on Monday, Sept 25, 2017 in the Classroom Building, Room 142 at 4:10 p.m. 

Aristotle criticizes Plato’s Form of the Good by insisting that goodness is not ‘something common, universal, and one’ (κοινόν τι καθόλου καὶ ἕν; EN1096a28).  In so speaking, he means to assail Plato’s university assumption to the effect that goodness admits of a single, non-disjunctive essence-specifying account.  Instead, counters Aristotle, ‘goodness is meant in as many ways as being’ (τἀγαθὸν ἰσαχῶς λέγεται τῷ ὄντι; EN 1096a23-24)—where being is predicated variously across ten distinct categories. In proceeding this way, then, Aristotle yokes his account of the multiplicity of goodness to his doctrine of categories, and especially to his contention that one category, substance (οὐσία), is prior to the remaining, non-substantial categories.  His primary argument for this form of categorical priority in connection with goodness in Nicomachean Ethics i 6  is, however, truncated and obscure; once reconstructed and evaluated, however, Aristotle’s primary argument against university leaves ample room for a Platonic rejoinder.

Prior academic year events can be viewed in the "past events" link.

Be sure to check back for more information on future lectures.