Philosophy and the Public Realm: Proceedings of the Fifth Oneonta Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

This is the fifth volume in a unique series that combines the work of promising college students with essays by distinguished scholars. In "Whose Democracy? Which Rights?," Henry Rosemont Jr. of St. Mary's College conducts a probing critique of western values, modern philosophy, and social and political theory. Arguing that concepts like human rights, liberty, and individualism fail to capture what it is to be a human being, Professor Rosemont advocates a careful reconsideration of Classical Confucianism.

In "Pragmatism and the Future of Confucianism," Joanna Crosby of Morgan State University argues that life on the streets of China is more complex than many scholars care to acknowledge. In an intriguing twist in cross-cultural studies, Professor Crosby examines the possibility that American Pragmatism as well as Confucianism, both philosophies that emphasize practice over theory and actuality over metaphysics, can help heal the damage inflicted on Chinese culture by the Cultural Revolution.

The essays by Professors Rosemont and Crosby were delivered as keynote presentations at Oneonta's Fifth Annual Undergraduate Philosophy Conference. Rounding out the volume are contributions from students at Belmont University, Binghamton University, East Tennessee State University, Macalester College, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Pennsylvania State University, St. Mary's College, St. Vincent's College, Suffolk University, SUNY Potsdam, and Virginia Commonwealth University.