Philosophy at Lehman
Below are some of the initiatives and prizes sponsored or supported by the Philosophy Department.
Philosophy Club
The Lehman College Philosophy Club is a society of students united by a passion for philosophical thought. The club organizes events and meetings for the entire college community, including the 'Talk Philosophy' student discussion groups, the 'Philosophy in Film' series, and talks by faculty from Lehman and from other colleges. Members do not have to be philosophy majors. You can sign up for information about their events by 'liking' their Facebook page here.
Phi Sigma Tau - Chapter Lamda Chi
Phi Sigma Tau is the International Honors Society in Philosophy. The aims of Phi Sigma Tau are expressed in the Greek motto "Philounton Sophian Timay," which means “the honor of those who love wisdom.” The society exists to award distinction to students who have high achievements and personal interest in the subject of philosophy, to promote student interest in research and advanced study in the field, to facilitate the publication of student research, to encourage a professional spirit and friendship among those who have a marked ability in the field, and to promote philosophy among the general collegiate public.
Students interested in joining Phi Sigma Tau must have completed three semesters of collegiate work generally and have completed two semester-length courses in the philosophy department, with a minimum 3.0 GPA in those courses. Interested students should contact Prof. James Mahon.
The Jerome Weinstock Essay Prize
The Jerome Weinstock Essay Prize is an annual prize that honors the best paper written for a philosophy course. The paper can be on any topic. The entries are reviewed by the Philosophy Department and the winner is presented with a certificate and monetary prize ($300) at the annual initiation ceremony of Phi Sigma Tau, the International Honors Society in Philosophy.
Jerome A. Weinstock (A.B., magna cum laude, Columbia College, 1965; Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, 1969) was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lehman College and a member of the Doctoral Faculty at CUNY Graduate Center. He was the author of several articles in the areas of metaphysics, the philosophy of religion, and the history of philosophy, and was a young philosopher of very substantial promise. He died of a heart attack on June 6, 1974, at the age of 30.
The Richard C. Tieger Memorial Award
The Richard C. Tieger Memorial Award is an annual award presented at graduation to deserving students from the Philosophy and Chemistry departments. The award was created by the faculty of Lehman College in honor of Richard C. Tieger (1972-2001) who earned degrees in both chemistry and philosophy from Lehman College and who dreamed of pursuing a Ph.D in philosophy and of teaching philosophy at the college level. At the age of 6 he fought a bout with cancer and received many radiation treatments; in his last semester of study at Lehman he was diagnosed with acute leukemia, from which he died at the age of 28.
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni | Lewis Gordon, University of Connecticut
Lewis Gordon graduated from Lehman College as a Lehman Scholar with a B.A. in philosophy and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He completed his PhD in philosophy at Yale University. He has taught at Brown University, Purdue University, and Temple University. He is currently Professor of Philosophy and African-American Studies at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Professor Gordon works in the areas of Africana philosophy, philosophy of culture, philosophy of human and life sciences, phenomenology and philosophy of existence, social and political philosophy, philosophy of education, and philosophy of religion and Afro-Jewish Studies. Click here to listen to Dr. Gordon's keynote address at Lehman College's Phi Beta Kappa induction and to read a transcript of an interview with him.
Alumni | Rosamond Rhodes, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Rosamond Rhodes graduated from City College with a B.A. in philosophy and then completed her M.A. in philosophy at Lehman College. She completed her PhD in philosophy at the Graduate Center at CUNY. She is a Professor of Medical Education and Director of Bioethics Education at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. There she oversees the medical ethics curriculum for students in all four years of medical school, for house staff in eleven residency programs, for graduate post-doctoral fellows in the biomedical sciences, and for students in the genetics counseling program. She directs a program of faculty medical ethics education and collaborates with faculty members on a variety of research projects. Professor Rhodes serves as a member of Mount Sinai's Ethics Committee and IACUC. Dr. Rhodes is also Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, CUNY.
Calling all graduates! Did you graduate from Lehman College with a major or minor in Philosophy? Keep in touch! We would love to hear from you. Send an e-mail to julie.maybee@lehman.cuny.edu or call 718-960-7111.
