3rd Annual Student Philosophers Conference

Philosophers have been inspiring us and teaching us critical thinking skills for centuries; now Southwest Minnesota State University is bringing the philosophers to you with the third annual Student Philosophers Conference. It will be held March 30, 1:15 p.m.-4 p.m. in the Conference Center lower ballroom. Student papers will be presented before the key-note at 3 p.m. It is free and open to the public
Three students were chosen to present their papers after open submissions across the student body. Senior  Joshua Straub will be presenting a paper on the benefits of multiplayer online video games in the disabled community.  Sophomore Tanner Barrington’s paper titled “Machevellian Love and Fear” challenges the idea that ruling with fear is more effective than ruling with love.  Junior Theresa Klingbile’s paper explores the similarities between the Communist Manifesto and the Occupy Wall Street protests.
The keynote will be given by Emily Esch. Her talk is titled “Knowing Thyself,” and examines the relationship between personal self concept and the accuracy of those beliefs. Esch is an associate professor at St. Benedict and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.