Students host first undergraduate philosophy conference

Students are organizing Cornell’s first undergraduate philosophy conference March 23, which will include students from Northeastern University, New York University, Barnard College, Cornell and other campuses. 

Sophie Gottfried ‘25, conference organizer, said she held a philosophy conference on Zoom in high school during the pandemic. “It was really, really rewarding, and everyone had an amazing time,” she said, adding that it is especially critical for students in college to have an experience like this, when students can opt into deep conversations “when people are discovering themselves.”

The conference will begin at 9 a.m. in the Klarman Atrium. Students and members of campus are invited to register here. 

David Shoemaker, professor in the Sage School of Philosophy, will be speaking at the conference on the issue of resolving quarrels. He is advising this conference’s activities, and has loved his time at Cornell. “The undergraduates at Cornell are by far the best I have taught anywhere,” he said. 

Both students and professors will be speaking at the event. There will be talks by professors, small group colloquia led by students and a philosophy poster session where students can share philosophical ideas in a format similar to a STEM research symposium.

Gottfried is grateful to Shoemaker and two  philosophy department coordinators, Pamela Hanna and Melissa Totman, who have all helped with the planning of the conference.