Leonard Finkelman, assistant professor of philosophy at Linfield College, will lead two nights of discussion on the philosophy of dinosaurs. Watch a video.
The first event kicks off with a screening of “Jurassic Park” on Wednesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. in 219 T.J. Day Hall. Following the movie, Finkelman will lead a discussion of the scientific and philosophical problems raised by cloning extinct species.
Finkelman will present a second lecture, “Fuzzy Logic: Assessing the Evidence for Dinosaur Feathers,” on Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. in 219 T.J. Day Hall. In his lecture, he will provide evidence that dinosaurs had feathers and explain how different kinds of proof have contributed to scientific progress. In addition, Finkelman will discuss how philosophy fits into this study of dinosaurs.
Before joining the Linfield faculty in 2014, Finkelman received his bachelor of arts degree in philosophy at the University of Virginia and his Ph.D. in philosophy at City University of New York Graduate Center. His scholarly interests include philosophy of biology with an emphasis on concepts in evolution and extinction. He has also co-authored the articles “The Value of Public Philosophy to Philosophers” and “The Extended (Evolutionary) Debate: Where Science Meets Philosophy.”
The lectures are sponsored by PLACE (Program for Liberal Arts and Community Engagement), exploring this year’s theme “How Do We Know? Paths to Wisdom.” Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Finkelman at 503-883-2760 or dinosaurphilosophy@linfield.edu.
