Aporia means a conundrum or state of puzzlement. This research conference explores new and old puzzling states through various topics within philosophy and religious studies. An undergraduate conference allows students to present their original work, develop communication skills, and gain experience in a scholarly setting. It fosters critical thinking, builds academic community, and encourages continued thinking and research by recognizing student efforts. Overall, it prepares students for future academic and professional paths.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
All sessions meet in Science Center 1405, Armstrong Campus .
Approximate 15 minutetalks with 10 minutes Q & A for each presenter .

9am Philosophy of Law Session
9:00- 9:25 Kensington Eden, “Civic Obligations and Natural Duties:
Can the law ever be moral?”
9:25- 9:50 Maia Brown, “Don’t Put Government in The Corner”
9:50- 10 Break

10am 20th Century Self and Co - Emergence Session
10:00- 10:25 David Kennedy, “Kierkegaard’s ‘Radical Self’ in the
20th Century: Transforming Theo - drama into Ego - drama”
10:25- 10:50 Allen Arkwright, “ Jesus von Nazareth, Führer der Deutschen :
An Examination of Nazi Theology ”
10:50- 11:15 Chris Homer, “In the Space Where Events Occur:
Philosophy of Co- Emergence”
11:15- 11:20 Break

11:20am Algorithm and Complexity Session
11:20- 11:45 Alexis McCardle, “The Western Empathy Algorithm”
11:45- 12:10 Gavin Johnson, “Rendered Within: Epistemological Limits
And Radical Humility in Complexity”

12:10–1:10pm Lunch Break

1:10–1:50pm Keynote on Philosophy and Performance Art
Luke McGrath -- "A Bassist Responds (Intuitively)"

This paper is a response to Barbara Montero's critique of the principle
of automaticity in her work "A Dancer Reflects," which is itself a
response to the McDowell - Dreyfus debate. The debate focuses on a
disagreement between John McDowell and Hubert Dreyfus regarding
whether perception is permeated by rationality (McDowell) or is
fundamentally unreflective and bodily (Dreyfus) .

2pm Ethics and Praxis Session
2:00- 2:25 Nickolas Langes, “What’s So Funny? A Breakdown of Moral
Culpability and Racial Humor”
2:25- 2:50 Eric Fordham, “The Forgetting of Praxis: Towards a Philosophy
of Action in Marx”
2:50- 3 Break

3pm Hegelian Influences Session
3:00- 3:25 Evan Pearson, “A Historic Undermining: Present - Tense
Skepticism and Moral Relativity from Hegel”
3:25- 3:50 Emily Watson, “Arrested Becoming: A Hegelian - Marxist
Critique of the Modern Psychological Understanding of
Personality Stability”
3:50- 4 Break

4pm AI and Automation Session
4:00- 4:25 Cade Huff, “Interpassivity as a Critical Tool for Examining
AI Use”
4:25- 4:50 Samuel Nelson, "Being Human in a Machine World"
4:50- 5 Break

5pm Love, Being and Happiness Session
5:00- 5:25 Samuel Skidmore - Hess, “Love, Being, and Expression:
Beauvoir’s Criti que of Love”
5:25- 5:50 Tristan Sanchez, “Love and Happiness ”