Baylor Honors College Welcomes University of Dallas Philosophy Professor for Lecture

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Dr. Joshua S. Parens, professor of philosophy at the University of Dallas, will lecture on "Judaism and Philosophy: Maimonides' Revolution" at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in Memorial Drawing Room of Honors Residential College on the Baylor University campus. The event, presented by the Baylor Honors College, is free and open to the public.

Parens is an expert in Islamic and Jewish medieval philosophy, early modern philosophy, metaphysics, political philosophy and Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza. After receiving his bachelor's degree from St. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M., Parens earned his master's degree in 1988 and doctoral degree in 1992, both from the University of Chicago.

He has published two books, "An Islamic Philosophy of Virtuous Religions: Introducing Alfarabi" (2006) and "Metaphysics as Rhetoric: Alfarabi's 'Summary of Plato's Laws'" (1995). He also has written articles including "Maimonidean Ethics Revisited: Development and Asceticism in Maimonides?" and "Multiculturalism and the Problem of Particularism."

The lecture is a part of the Fall 2011 Lecture Series hosted by the Honors College. Each semester, the Honors College welcomes professionals to conduct interactive lectures on a variety of topics, from the problems of modernism to the philosophical and spiritual significance of contemporary film.
For more information, call the Honors College at (254) 710-7689.
by Katy McDowall, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805