Saint Louis University’s Department of Philosophy hosts three recurring conference series--the Henle, Res Philosophica, and graduate conferences--as well as two speakers series.
Henle Conference
Held every other year, the Henle Conference was founded in 1993 by Eleonore Stump, the Robert J. Henle Chair of Philosophy. The Henle conference brings internationally renowned scholars to Saint Louis University to present work on topics relevant to the interests of the philosophy department.
Each Henle conference is organized by a different faculty member, according to his or her own area of interest. Past areas of focus include Descartes’ philosophy, experimental knowledge, philosophy of perception, medieval metaphysics, and the philosophy of Aristotle and Plato.
Res Philosophica Conference
The Res Philosophica Conferences, funded by the journal, are organized by different faculty members in collaboration with the editor. Papers from the conference are published in a special issue of Res Philosophica. These conferences occur every other year, in the off-years of the Henle Conference. Recent topics and years include Mass Incarceration and Racial Justice (2019), Race and Gender (2017), Bridging Formal and Traditional Epistemology (2016), and Transformative Experiences (2014).
Graduate Student Conference
The Graduate Student Conference is an annual event, typically held during fall term. Each year, the Philosophy Graduate Student Association chooses and organizes a conference around a central philosophical theme or topic. Traditionally, one or two prominent philosophers are invited to give a keynote lecture on the conference topic. In this way, the conference not only provides a venue for graduate students to present their work, but also offers students a unique opportunity to interact with eminent scholars in their field of interest.
Department Colloquium Series
The Department of Philosophy invites philosophers to present and discuss their work with our faculty and graduate students throughout the academic year. Lectures typically run for one hour, followed by a 45-minute discussion period. Unless otherwise noted, talks take place on Friday afternoons in room 142 of Adorjan Hall.
Res Philosophica Speaker Series
Res Philosophica, the department's journal, sponsors a few lectures each academic year. Speakers are nominated by faculty. Papers presented are published in the Res Philosophica.
Wade Memorial Lecture
The Wade Memorial Lecture is held annually in honor of William Wade, S.J., who chaired the department from 1943 to 1966. Wade was responsible for building an outstanding department that included James Collins, Leonard Eslick, George Klubertanz, S.J., Robert J. Henle, S.J., and others. Throughout the years, Wade lecturers have reflected the growing and changing interests of SLU’s philosophy department, and are most often keynote speakers at the Henle Conference.
Ad Hoc Conferences and Speakers
In addition to these regular conferences and speaker series, members of the department often organize individual conferences devoted to philosophical topics of special interest. In recent history, for example, the department has hosted the fifth meeting of the Saint Louis Area Philosophy of Science Association, organized by Kent Staley, Ph.D., the first annual Midwest Annual Workshop in Metaphysics, organized by Jonathan Jacobs, Ph.D., and the third annual Midwest Epistemology Workshop by John Greco, Ph.D.