Verum Dicere!

In keeping with the ancient tradition of our discipline as presented in Plato’s dialogue the Symposium, beginning this academic year 2008/2009 all graduating majors will be invited to participate in a departmental Symposium. Participation in the Symposium is a requirement for all seniors, but all majors and minors are invited to take part in it. The purpose is to allow students the opportunity to engage in a “full-out” dialogue and comprehensive discussion of their ideas. Students and faculty will share in the experience of libation, food, song, prose and dialogue. Truth will be served, singing is optional!  
 
The format for our Symposium will follow the same procedures as those in Plato’s dialogue. (If you have not read Plato’s Symposium, please do so.) Moving in a clock-wise manner each senior student will deliver a five to ten minute speech of a main philosophical idea. In turn, each student will respond to the previous presenter before elaborating on his or her own thoughts on the subject at hand. Themes and topics for discussion will be established in advance by faculty and students. In addition to an oral presentation senior students will be required to prepare a short abstract and a three page written synopsis of their positions with references and footnotes. Student presentations will be evaluated on the basis of content, insight, and critical apparatus.      
 
Our Symposium, sponsored by the Philosophy department, will take place near the end of the spring semester. To prepare for the Symposium all graduating seniors need to make an appointment with professor Giancola, the Symposium Hostess, (dgiancol@suffolk.edu) early this Fall. Student may also consult Professor Cherkasova (echerkas@suffolk.edu) or Professor Link (mlink@suffolk.edu) regarding this requirement and possible topics for presentation.