MTSU’s April 17 Applied Philosophy Lyceum speaker to explore the ‘fractured self’

Alexis Dianda, associate professor of philosophy from Xavier University, will present at Middle Tennessee State University’s first Applied Philosophy Lyceum of the spring at 5 p.m. Friday, April 17, in Room 164 of the College of Education building on campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU graphic illustration by Stephanie Wagner)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s first Applied Philosophy Lyceum of the spring will feature Alexis Dianda, associate professor of philosophy from Xavier University, exploring the unfixed nature of identity through the lens of renowned American psychologist and philosopher William James.

Dianda will present at 5 p.m. Friday, April 17, in Room 164 of the College of Education building, 1756 MTSU Blvd. The event is free and open to the public — drop-ins are encouraged! — and will include a Q&A and reception with refreshments.

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, which began as two separate departments, has put on their respective lyceum “public halls for lectures and discussions” for several decades, with the philosophy lyceums specifically launching in 1992.

“They offer a platform for some of the most preeminent public philosophers in the world to demonstrate the vitality and value of philosophy when applied to issues of universal concern,” said Phil Oliver, philosophy professor and main organizer of the event.

They have featured around 80 speakers since the event’s inception, with funding provided through the department and the College of Liberal Arts. Oliver said speakers are chosen in consensus with department peers.

The ‘fractured self’

Though Canadian, Dianda became interested in the philosophical underpinnings of the U.S. by studying figures like William James, eventually moving to America and navigating its idiosyncrasies and complexities, according to her interview with the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy.

William James is considered the “father of American psychology” and one of the preeminent thinkers of the 19th century, with his work spanning several areas of psychology and philosophy, including the idea of the self as “divided, plural and permeable.” Dianda will explore this premise in her discussion through cases of insanity, hypnotism, conversion and neurosis, Oliver said.