Duane Davis to Speak at the University of Aalborg, Denmark

UNC Asheville assistant philosophy professor Duane Davis has been invited to give two talks in March as a special guest speaker at the University of Aalborg in Denmark.

Davis will discuss 20th century French thinker Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s training as a psychologist in his talk on "Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology and the Social Sciences." Davis will argue that many of Merleau-Ponty’s later insights, usually recognized as purely philosophical, are in fact fundamentally related to his interest in the social sciences.

Davis will also give a talk on "Hypochondria: Baudrillard’s Maladie," which asks the question of whether any social critique can be offered. Jean Baudrillard, a contemporary French sociologist and philosopher, has suggested that social critique is no longer possible. Davis poses the question whether alienation is social hypochondria: are we sick or feigning sickness? And is the feigning of sickness itself a real sickness that can be critiqued? Davis will use the 17th century French playwright Jean-Baptiste Moliere and his play "The Hypochondriac" to pose these questions.

Davis joined UNCA’s faculty in 1998. He holds a bachelor’s degree (1985) from Purdue and a master’s degree (1991) and doctorate (1992) from Pennsylvania State University.

Media Contacts:

• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526