Chuck Nikles - "Daydreaming: Worthwhile or Worrisome?"

Chuck Nikles, Ph.D., Faculty in Psychology

Friday, March 26^th - from noon to 12:50

Room C1016

Abstract:

Daydreaming has had a bad reputation throughout much of modern human history.  It’s been viewed as a sign of laziness (at best) and a sign of mental illness (at worst).  This presentation will address the scientific evidence on daydreaming, identifying several benefits of this very common activity and some circumstances under which it may predict disordered thought processes.

Biographical Statement:

Chuck Nikles majored in psychology and philosophy at the University of Minnesota, Morris before continuing on to earn his Ph.D. in personality psychology at the U of M, Twin Cities.  He started at Normandale in spring of 2005 and primarily teaches General Psychology, Personality, and Human Sexuality.  His main area of interest is human consciousness (focusing particularly on daydreaming & night dreaming), and he plans to offer a topics course on the subject in Fall 2010.

Resources from Chuck's talk on daydreaming:
For general audiences:
-Klinger, E (1990). Daydreaming: Using waking fantasy and imagery for self-knowledge and creativity.
-Singer, J.L. (1975). The inner world of daydreaming

For those willing to risk brain explosion (e.g. Honors students):
-Klinger, E. (1971). Structure and functions of fantasy

For those allergic to books:
http://www.philoctetes.org/Past_Programs/Daydreaming_Night_Dreaming_and_Stimulus_Independent_Thought
Roundtable (October 6, 2007): Daydreaming, Night-Dreaming, and Stimulus-Independent Thought (featuring Klinger and Singer)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chuck Nikles at:
Charles.Nikles@Normandale.edu 

Corrinne Bedecarre and Chris Ferro - "Binge Drinking: The Ethics of Choosing to Lose Control"

Presented by Corrinne Bedecarre and Chris Ferro, Faculty in Philosophy
Friday, March 5^th from noon – 12:50 p.m.
Room C1016

Why do people choose to binge drink, and can drinking possibly be a virtue (when done in moderation)? Bedecarre and Ferro's research covers Aristotelian Virtue Theory and action theory, respectively, as methods for exploring the concept of binge drinking. Aristotle tells us that we should follow the "middle way" between virtue and vice - but should we necessarily see drinking as a vice? There are thousands of English words that are synonyms for being drunk - why is drinking so important to us, and what benefit does losing control provide us?

Presenter Bios

Corrinne Bedecarré has been philosophically engaged by questions of rationality, feminism and society for many years. Her presentations and writing began in concerns about critical thinking and pedagogy; in particular how sustained consideration of complex moral and social issues review ideological commitments. The issues which she has found particularly compelling include racism and racial identity and feminist responses to sexuality, sexual assault, mothering and education. For the last few years, Bedecarre’ has been looking at everyday applications of moral reasoning at the level of society moral reasoning.  She examined claims about dieting and problems of female empowerment in “Does the Hag Diet?: Feminist Analysis of Dieting” and the ethics of binge drinking.  She continues in this talk to review how virtue theory provides a useful framework for evaluating the ethical ambiguities of intoxication.

Chris Ferro received his PhD in philosophy from the University of Chicago in 2007, and before moving to Minneapolis this past fall he spent two years teaching for the philosophy department at Tulane University in New Orleans. He is currently a part-time faculty member both here at Normandale and at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. His dissertation work was on the nature of human agency, intention, and practical rationality, and he currently has teaching and research interests in (among other things) the philosophy of mind, ethics, and the history of philosophy.