Melissa Burchard, UNC Asheville assistant philosophy professor, and local activist Diann Bragg will kick off UNCA’s annual philosophy lecture series with a talk on "Sexual Orientation" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 5, at UNCA’s Kellogg Center, 11 Broyles Rd., Hendersonville. An open discussion will follow their talk.

The program is part of the year-long, nine-part series co-sponsored by UNCA’s Philosophy Department and the Institute for Applied Philosophy. The series, "Philosophical Reasoning and Contemporary Issues," is designed to foster discussion on philosophically significant issues of the day. All events are open to the public. A donation of $5 will be suggested at the door.

Additional topics and speakers are:

-- October 3: "Organized Religion," Brian Butler, UNCA assistant philosophy professor and Katie Peters, UNCA visiting history professor

-- November 7: "Aging and Old Age," Ron Manheimer, director of the N.C. Center for Creative Retirement

-- December 5: "End of Life," Don Emon, president of the Hendersonville Hemlock Society

-- "Gender," Pamela Nickless, director of UNCA’s Women’s Studies Program, and Sarah Worth, Furman University assistant philosophy professor

-- February 6: "Government," John McClain, UNCA humanities lecturer

-- March 6: "Race," Dolly Mullen, UNCA assistant political science professor, and Heon Lee, UNCA assistant sociology professor

-- April 3: "Treatment of the Ill," Penny Brunner, UNCA management and accountancy lecturer

-- May 1: "The Death Penalty," Keith Bramlet, UNCA sociology lecturer

For driving directions, call the Kellogg Center at 828/890-2821. For more information about the series, call the Institute for Applied Philosophy at 828/891-5068.