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Symposium to challenge religion, politics and education

Provocative discussions on allegations of deception in the Bush administration, the rationale behind religion and the question of teachers lying to their students will be features of the Philosophy Department’s annual Nammour Symposium on April 25 and 26 at Sacramento State. Two sessions will be held each day from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. in the University Union Hinde Auditorium.

Professors, poets and media experts will examine this year’s theme “Beautiful Lies, Terrible Truths” and discuss the ways lies give people a sense of security.

“The speakers will help explain to what extent we find it comforting or useful to believe things we don’t have evidence for,” said Randolph Mayes, Sacramento State philosophy professor.

The symposium will kick off on Tuesday, April 25 at 10 a.m. with a panel of student essay contest winners who will discuss the theme of this year’s event. A discussion about academic integrity and the limit of how far poets can steer from the truth will begin at 1 p.m.

Religion and the logic of believing in something that cannot be seen or heard will be the topic of the 10 a.m. panel on Wednesday, April 26. Widely recognized Sacramento State government professor William Dorman will present a lecture at 1 p.m. on what he views as dishonesty in the White House in his speech “Leading with Lies.”

Media relations expert Rebekah Donaldson will conclude the symposium with a talk on some of the less-publicized positive effects corporations have on the mainstream media.

The symposium is named in honor of philosophy Professor Jamil Nammour who taught at Sacramento State from 1969 to 1986. The first symposium was held in the spring of 1979.

For more information contact the Philosophy Department at 278-6424.

— Megan Lloyd-Jones