Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

The Philosophy Club offers the opportunity for students from all fields to meet and discuss philosophical issues, explore professional possibilities and organize the annual Undergraduate Philosophy Conference. Initiated in 1995, the conference has become one of the most respected events of its kind, hosting students from prestigious universities, such as Harvard and the University of Chicago, and from as far away as Hawaii, to present and discuss papers on a variety of topics. 

The 29th annual Undergraduate Philosophy Conference was held May 2 and May 3, 2025, and featured a keynote address titled “Aesthetics of Continual Clearance” by Dr. Michael Koch, associate professor of philosophy at SUNY Oneonta.

Student presenters from colleges and universities as far away as California and Hawaii presented scholarly papers on topics ranging from “A Kant-Inspired Feminist Approach to Sex Robots” to “Codependence, Intuition and Religious Experience.”

Four SUNY Oneonta students were selected to present papers:

• Nick Aliani, a Philosophy and English dual major from Bay Shore, NY., presented “A Mind In the Material.”
   
• Amoun Ghorayeb, a Biology major from Stillwater, N.Y., presented “Bioethics and Legality Behind Type 2 Diabetes Interventional Research in the United States.”
   
• Michael Ghorayeb, a 4+1 Biology BS/MS student from Stillwater, N.Y., presented “Exploring the Dynamic Interplay Between Being and Becoming.”
   
• Brianna Liao-Greene, a Philosophy and Business Admibistration major from Valley Stream, N.Y., presented “On Creating a Comprehensive Definition of Life.”