Philosophy Students Present Their Senior Capstones

Four graduating philosophy majors delivered their capstone presentations on Tuesday, October 27. Students enrolled in the course are asked to offer a presentation on a philosophical topic that is of personal interest to them and also showcases the skills they have gained while completing the philosophy major.

Gabi Soto presented "What consent can't tell you: the boundaries of sexual morality", which aimed to present a notion of healthy sex that was richer than a model based only on mutual consent. Nate Hadley explored the concept of religious worship, and explained what is at the core of this notion. Ryan Rechsteiner offered a deep philosophical critique of the ways we understand the structure of goals and meaning in our lives. Kyrin Nell offered an argument for God's existence based on the fine-tuning of cosmic constants, while also making room for God's "hiddenness" from obvious proofs.

Each student fielded objections and questions from the audience, which included fellow students, professors, and family, and each demonstrated their ability to explore, explain, and defend claims about difficult and profound philosophical questions.