Celebration of Learning 2022 Oral Presentations IV

Oral Presentations IV will run from 2:30-3:45 p.m.

Creative Writing Olin 305 (Session B)

In the Spotlight, With Thousands of Eyes

Presented by Melida Castro; Noah Fackler; Bryn Gatz; Spencer Harvey; Liam Edmund Kelly; Isabela Oliveira; Michelle Renee M. Quinn; Jules Rollberg; Justin Runde; Audrianna Schneider; Mark Wroblewski; advisor Dr. Rebecca Wee

Freistat Center Olin 209 (Session C)

Heidegger for the Real World

Presented by Dr. Heidi Storl and Rosalie Looijaard; advisor Dr. Heidi Storl

Our research examines some of the practical and ethical implications of Heidegger's work. Dr. Storl's work is informed by Virginia Woolf's literature and focuses on the role of empathy in Heidegger's work, while Rosalie's work focuses on the normative implications that arise from Heidegger's metaphysical picture of what it means to be human. In order to further inform our research, we visited a scholar of Heidegger at the University of New Mexico, which was made possible by the generosity of the William F. Freistat Center.

Encountering Japanese Militarism and Its Legacies

Presented by Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence and Brittany Murphy; advisor Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence

Our collaborative research interrogates legacies of Japanese militarism, with an emphasis on sites of memory and archival traces related to the Pearl Harbor attack of December 7, 1941 and its aftermath. With generous funding from a William F. Freistat grant, we travelled to Hawaii in March 2022 and conducted research at the Moir Reading Room of the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii State Archives, and Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. Hawaii is a potent place of Pacific War memory as a site of Japanese aggression and Japanese-American incarceration. In this presentation, we will share our itinerary and major research findings with the campus community.

Jean Bodin's Colloquium of the Seven about Secrets of the Sublime: Towards an Online Student Edition

Presented by Dr. Mischa Hooker, Jameshia Walls and Kellis Montgomery; advisor Dr. Mischa Hooker

Philosophy Old Main 117 (Session E)

Emotional Support Animals: Should We Burden Other Species With Our Mental Health?

Presented by Kerry Devaney; advisor Dr. Heidi Storl

While there are hundreds upon hundreds of articles touting the benefits of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) across the internet; next to none reflect upon the morality of these kinds of relationships. Is it ethical to burden other species with our mental health issues? Pet ownership has been shown to be immensely beneficial to people with or without mental illness. This relationship, however, has not been proven to be entirely mutual. Animal wellness is deeply entrenched in the amount of hours spent per day being entertained and cared for by their owners. If that person is suffering from some form of mental illness or disability it could possibly decrease said person's ability to care for their animal in a full and complete manner. One study has shown that dog's cortisol (long-term stress) levels "synchronize" with our own cortisol levels (Sundman et al. 1). If it is possible that our mental health could negatively impact the care of our pets; then it is necessary for this relationship to be scrutinized in order to assure both parties are in a safe and healthy environment. However, mental illness and disability should not exclude someone from pet ownership in any way. Completely denying these people the possibility of a beneficial connection with another species raises issues of fairness in society. A balance must be found between animal welfare and ensuring equality of all persons seeking animal companions in order to optimize benefits for both the person and the animal companion.

Free Will and Artificial Intelligence

Presented by Jaecylyn Bendixen; advisor Dr. Doug Parvin

In this work arguments by Harry Frankfurt, John Fischer, and Robert Kane which were previously presented in favor of the existence of free will were analyzed and discussed to determine their ability to apply to current and potential examples of artificial intelligence.

Normativity of Logic: The Dialogical Account and the Aboutness Question

Presented by Dr. Deke Gould

I argue that the dialogical account of the normativity of logic does not succeed, and that a different direction will be required. I propose an alternative that begins with its sights set on the subject matter of logic, and I sketch an account that relies on a distinction between the broadest possible conception of logic and the narrower study of the many artificial language systems that tend to occupy most logicians’ attention. I urge that a conflation of these two activities is the source of many disputes concerning the normativity of logic.

Religion Old Main 132 (Session G)

Mindfulness Meditation and Spiritual Health

Presented by Emma Nuckles; advisor Dr. Michelle Wolff

My SI project is about Mindfulness Meditation and Spiritual Health. The core focus of my project is looking at the benefits of meditation, and some of the concerns of meditation. One of the big questions that I tackled and was interested in while researching was "Does practicing or engaging in meditation makes an individual religious?" I came to the conclusion that practicing and or engaging in meditation practices is up to the individual (based on an individual's perspective).

The Negative Stigma of Religion Regarding Mental Health

Presented by John Roche; advisor Dr. Michelle Wolff

This presentation will discuss the negative impact the influx of mental illness has on old world religions, such as Christianity and Islam. In contemporary times, religion is a touchy subject for many and has had a negative stigma compared to any other time period. Since religion is responsible for much of our society's structure, it was bound to be blamed for every issue we have had as a species through millennium. I wanted to discuss how the negative outcomes from our society, specifically the increase in mental health cases, is not a result entirely from religion by itself, but rather that religion actually promotes well-being and self-care in most denominations. There may be issues that have been caused from religions influences on humanity, but we shouldn't abandon this element to our lives all together.

Religion and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: A New Approach to Public Education

Presented by  Anna Bross; advisor Dr. Michelle Wolff

This presentation will focus on the argument that religion is an essential part of culturally relevant pedagogy, and should be used in the classroom to further student learning, engagement, and achievement. This is in response to the question: how is religion an important aspect of culturally relevant pedagogy, or culturally relevant education? Students' race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status are usually seen as the major components of culturally relevant pedagogy. What is often forgotten, though, is the fact that religion is an important part of many students' cultures, and is a crucial part of the world that we live in as a whole. The achievement gap between students is one way to look at the importance of culturally relevant education. Studies have shown that this pedagogical approach to education can lessen the achievement gap and create higher achievement levels. As the achievement gap is widening now, it is imperative that teachers use every aspect of culturally relevant pedagogy, including religion, to combat this issue and improve each students' learning and knowledge. Throughout this presentation, I will analyze texts that criticize our public education system, explore how religion can be integrated into education, and connect religion to the diversity of students. This will allow me to conclude that religion needs to be brought into the public education system by the educators and through the curriculum so that students can see their backgrounds better represented, learn about a wider variety of religions and cultures, and have higher achievement rates.

Theology Behind Bars: Atonement Theories and Incarceration

Presented by Annelisa Burns; advisor Dr. Jason Mahn

This paper investigates how different atonement theories and different understandings of God can be differently helpful to Americans who are incarcerated, the majority of whom are Black. The paper begins by researching how many atonement theories, or ways in which theologians attempt to explain Jesus's death on the cross, deal with themes of justice. Theories like penal substitution use language of paying debts or of sin demanding repentance or punishment. The paper then uses critical race theory to ask whether or not that language is helpful to incarcerated Black people, who are currently being punished. Is God no better than the American justice system, since both demand punishment?

I argue that when examined under critical race theory, atonement theories like penal substitution will be unhelpful to incarcerated Black Americans. Penal substitution is too compatible with the understanding of "justice" that the American legal system is built on, an understanding of "justice" that harms Black people. Alternatively, the atonement theory of satisfaction, I argue, more closely models restorative justice. Satisfaction theory also involves the notion of repentance. I argue that Christian understandings of repentance have a place in restorative justice systems and examine, in this paper, what that looks like in practice.