Sr. Maura Campbell Lecture Series

Our third Sr. Maura Campbell lecture series speaker will present on Monday, November 11, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Alumni theater.  His name is Dr. Andrew Culbreth, and he is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Boston College.   His presentation is entitled:  “Aristotle on Courage, Pleasure and Hope.”

His description of the presentation is : ” Although Aristotle seems to disparage hope in several passages, he also claims that courageous people are of good hope (NE 1116a2-4). In this paper, I argue that hope is necessary for Aristotelian courage because hope makes courageous agents properly inclined to act at the expense of harm and disadvantage. Hope in the face of danger helps us focus on the worthwhileness of our action despite the pains and harms that we might suffer. This account allows us to explain how, in Aristotle’s theory, someone can simultaneously be courageous (and not just self-controlled) and yet experience the fear of pain or death. Moreover, it provides us with tools to understand how someone can stare down adversity or danger and nevertheless risk their life or safety for the sake of a good cause, even if they do not live to see the results of their action.”