Most people, religious or not, would agree that belief is a necessary part of a religious life, regardless of religion or sect. Consider Christianity, for exampleis it necessary to believe that Jesus is the Messiah to be a Christian? It seems like a no-brainer.

Not so fast, says Mark Wrathall, BYU graduate and professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford. In a keynote address Wrathall delivered at a recent conference on philosophical theology at BYU, he challenged the idea that belief is essential in religion. The conferencepart of the Latter-day Saint Philosophical Theology Projectfacilitated a mingling of religion and philosophy in a number of lectures from November 17 to November 19.

Wrathall began his lecture by directly addressing the philosopher who inspired it: Professor Emeritus James E. Faulconer. Wrathall studied under Faulconer (who was in attendance at the conference) as an undergraduate at BYU. Faulconer, a scholar of religious and contemporary European philosophy, taught at BYU for over four decades and influenced countless students (including Wrathall), but he retired officially this year.

After thanking Faulconer for his mentorship and praising him for his scholarship, Wrathall went on to argue against one of Faulconers ideas. Specifically, he countered a claim implicit in Faulconers writing: that religious beliefs are necessary for the religious life. I suspect that this thesisthat religious life doesnt require distinctively religious beliefswill strike some of you as implausible, if not downright crazy.

Wrathall explained that the key issue is a disparity between faith and belief that most religious people take for granted. Our beliefs are things we take to be true based on our logic and experiences. If we learn new information, our beliefs can change. For example, if we believe that it will rain on a given day, but the day comes and the skies are clear, then we will probably change our belief that it will rain.

Faith is a different thing entirely. Its commonplace to treat belief and faith as synonyms . . . but there are important differences, Wrathall said. Faith involves reliance and trust, and it endures in the face of doubts, whereas belief is simply something we take to be true. I can have faith in things or people without a corresponding belief, and I can believe things that I dont have faith in, he said. Thats why I can say that I believe the war in Ukraine is inhumane, but I wouldnt say that I have faith that the war in Ukraine is inhumane.

This doesnt mean that faith and belief are mutually exclusive or irreconcilable; faith is often accompanied by belief. For instance, one who has faith in God may also hold the belief that God exists. But one can have faith

the corresponding belief, he said.

Of course, religious life involves more than faith or belief. Essential to pretty much every religion are its practices. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for example, has many practices that constitute essential parts of the religionfrom participating in ordinances to attending weekly meetings to ministering. To be a Latter-day Saint is a matter of practice rather than belief, Wrathall said. All the practices that Latter-day Saints engage in have the ultimate end of building a flourishing community in Christ. This is a position that Wrathall and Faulconer agree on.

Given this, can members of the Church participate in Church practices without having beliefs in all the tenets of the Church? Of course, Wrathall explained. A practice can establish a structure that determines the meanings of actions and events quite independently of the beliefs, desires, and intentions of the practitioners. Essentially, the practices we participate in dont necessarily rely on how we feel and think as practitioners.

Still, lots of aspects of participation in the Latter-day Saint faith appear to depend on belief. For example, members are considered worthy for baptism if they answer affirmatively to questions such as Do you

that God is our Eternal Father?

If belief is indeed as difficult to attain as Wrathall claimed, then it may be much more probable that members have faith in these things, rather than beliefs. Members may not be able to say that God is their Father based on their logic and experiences, but they can have faith that He is.

The belief that there is a God, and that we are His children, will come under a lot of cognitive stress when we confront the full extent and horror of the suffering of the homeless, of addicts, of criminals and their victims, Wrathall said. When it comes to serving others, faith is arguably a better motivator than belief. Trust and confidence in God will sustain us . . . even when we are struggling and doubting.

Wrathalls argument poses implications not just for religious philosophers but for religious practitioners as well. Approaching the issue from a standpoint that combines religion and the logic of philosophy can help us work through difficult questions like this.

Philosophizing about religion can help us understand our own practices, Wrathall said. But most of all, philosophy is able to force us to question our certainty, our complacency, and our self-satisfaction.

Funko Pop figurines and comic booksnot what most people expect to see on a professors office shelf. But these are the tools of the trade for Professor Joe Darowski (English). The English Departments recent decision to add Media and Culture Studies as one of the new English major tracks has sparked interest in the legitimacy of studying pop culture in a university setting. Dr. Darowskis expertise in this area as an adjunct professor specializing in contemporary American pop culture and media studies gives him a unique perspective to comment on these debates. He believes that pop culture deserves to be seen as a legitimate academic field, and that students will find value in studying it at the university level.

What Does Pop Culture Contain?

Pop culture includes any mass-produced and mass-consumed entertainment. Darowski explains that academics who study pop culture apply the same critical and analytical skills and theories to pop culture objects such as graphic texts, film, and merchandise as they would apply to a traditional text.

Many cultural aspects of society disappear over time: clothing trends, current events, slang, types of humor, popular sentiment. Pop culture preserves those aspects like a time capsule, showing the culture of a specific time and place that mainstream media of the time often misses. Pop culture tends to address taboo topics and be more representative of what people really think. It also includes new forms of media that havent become commonly accepted yet, such as comic books, graphic novels, and slam poetry. The study of pop culture can reveal all this preserved information about society.

What Is the Debate Surrounding Pop Culture?

Many academics question if pop culture merits dedicated scholarship and teaching. There are always quite a few English classes that focus on classic works that have been granted a place in the

Shakespeare, Chaucer and so on. Classes that teach about pop culture specifically are less common. Some scholars are hesitant to teach pop culture because of its popularity, implying that what is appealing to a large audience must not be technically difficult or worthy of deeper analysis.

Professor Jamie Horrocks (English) became interested in pop culture studies when Darowski moved into the office next to hers. When she heard that Darowski studied comic books she became curious about the academic legitimacy of Darowskis work. Through many back-and-forth discussions, Dr. Horrocks came to accept the value of pop culture. She and her colleague Professor Dennis Cutchins (English) discussed the value of pop culture, and Horrocks brought up how all literature began as pop culture. She used the genre elevation of the novel as an example. The novel was not always the legitimate form of literature that we see it as today. Horrocks says, Novels were

trashy. When the novel was first invented it was the equivalent of a TikTok video. But today they are the primary literary format genre. In this same way, pop culture that we see as trashy today may become a respected piece of literature in the future.

Why Is Pop Culture Valuable?

Darowski says, [Pop culture] is such a force in American culture that it would be strange not to talk about it. The sheer number of people watching Marvel movies is impressive. Such movies start to become deeply personal for fans through repeated viewing, cosplay, and so on. Trying to understand why those movies are resonating to that degree with audiences is worthwhile.

In considering why pop culture

worth studying, Dr. Cutchins points out that Shakespeare wrote plays the common man could enjoy. Both Shakespeare and Chaucer were the great pop artists of their contemporary cultures, yet we still find their work has literary value today. Similarly, Harriet Beecher Stowes

(another pop culture icon) became American literary canon that we still study. Cutchins believes pop culture has an inherent value that is often obscured by its initial popularity.

Drawing an example of what he means from a classic

scene, Cutchins explains that Spock returns to earth in our time (hundreds of years in his past) and sees a trashy novel, picks it up, and says, Ah, the classics. A movie, comic book, or other form of pop culture may not be seen as valuable in the moment of its creation. But over time, it may rise in critical value. Darowskis specialty is that he can see the value in a work at the time of its creation and popularity.

How Do We Measure Value?

Cutchins says, It is bizarre and unaccountable how certain texts become important over time. He explains that we measure the value of a piece of media in several ways, including the number of viewers, the profit generated, the time since creation, inclusion in literary anthologies, and the number of college courses taught about it. But how does the authority of seven million viewers stack up against the authority of the

? Both indicate value in different spheres, academia versus public opinion, and they dont have to be mutually exclusive. Some texts cross the divide and become both popular and seen as legitimate; for example,

is both a graphic novel and canonized in the

.

Darowski mentions how pop cultures value can also be measured by what it teaches us about the time period of its creation. For example, why has Superman survived for over eighty years as a pop culture icon, and what does each new incarnation of his character say about us? Studying the Superman story told during World War II, the Superman story told during the Cold War, and the Superman story told post-September 11 reveals different values in each generation. Enduring stories share important messages about the people who perpetuate them, and these messages give pop culture value. Analyzing current pop culture can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves.

Why Should You Study Pop Culture?

When Darowski hands out his final paper assignment in his Writing 150 class, in which he emphasizes pop culture, he says, There are probably a dozen different majors in this class. You are all going to do different things with your lives. I cant give you a final assignment that is going to be applicable to every one of your majors, but most of you are going to go to a movie or watch TV again in your life after this. Im giving you a tool set to think more deeply about the media that you are consuming, the entertainment you are choosing to pass your time with. I think that is a tool set everyone should have.

Pop culture is everywherein our news media, film, music, advertising, local restaurants and grocery stores, on the radio, and in conversations with friends. So when you do come across pop culture, treat it like canonical literature, take a long look to see the nuanced messages it shares. You might be surprised at what you find.

You can learn more by listening to Joe Darowskis weekly podcast called

, where he discusses great characters from great stories.

You look snatched today, a teenage girl might say to her friend. As her friend blushes over the compliment, the middle-aged man sitting next to them scratches his head in confusion. What is

? he might think to himself. Why dont they just say what they mean? Why is this man so confused? The girls used what we call

.

refers to language particular to a specific group, meaning that it can effectively function as a secret code that people use to communicate with each other. While new slang terms might sound strange or even absurd to those who dont use those terms, slang creates a sense of belonging among those who do. Assistant Professor Lisa Morgan Johnson (Sociolinguistics, Varieties of English) shares her thoughts on the spread and function of slang, along with how it creates belonging and contributes to the constant evolution of language.

Johnson says that slang typically spreads from smaller groups to larger groups. Small groups, such as friends, church communities, ethnic groups, and geographical communities, create slang to foster solidarity and to better communicate with each other. When people outside of these groups hear them use these words, the outsiders might adopt these words into their speech. Johnson says, Over time, they [slang words] become used by a wider public and are not necessarily associated with that group anymore.

For example, speakers of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) create many of the slang words that become popular for those who dont speak AAVE. Examples of this include

(meaning to be energized, likely under the influence of drugs and alcohol),

(meaning gossip about another person or organization), and

(meaning good or attractive).

Because of the constantly changing and spoken nature of slang, linguists struggle to track when or where slang comes from. Johnson says that when she studies slang and teen speech, she uses Urban Dictionary as a resource to understand when and how people use certain words and phrases. But sometimes even Urban Dictionary does not always have a good definition of new or local slang.

Sometimes, we use slang words so often that they lose their distinctiveness, and we adopt them into everyday language. Certain groups of people used to use

and

as slang, but now, the average person uses them. Johnson says, Some of those things might die out, so you can hear somebody using slang from two years ago, and it can sound really dated sometimes, right? And other things just become part of the everyday lexicon and dont seem like slang anymore. . . . So, you just have to see what stands the test of time. Dictionaries constantly update and look for new words, which allows slang to develop into everyday speech.

However, before a word transitions into everyday speech, Johnson has found that many people consider it incorrect language, particularly in teenagers speech. When Johnson tells people that she studies the way teenagers talk, she says, They say something like I hope you teach them to talk correctly. . . . I try to explain to them that, first of all, linguists dont believe in correct and incorrect language. Were very interested in what people do with language.

One of the biggest things peopleparticularly young peopledo with language involves creating slang. Every generation has created slang words specific to their age group. For instance, many people in older generations will remember using words such as

or

as teenagers, which likely confused their parents. Today, teenagers will say things such as

or

, and while those words may sound unintelligible to outsiders, they communicate very specific, clear ideas to those who do understand them. While Generation Z may invent new slang today, they will inevitably get older and become unable to understand their childrens language.

and

epitomize slang used by Generation Z that could baffle older generations.

(said hundred percent) often means absolutely. For example, if your friend asked you, Should we get pizza tonight? you might respond with, Yeah, 100%.

If someone has

short for

it means that person has superior flirting skills or has a lot of romantic interests. If someone says, I was sitting in class, and this girl asked for my number, his friend might say, W rizz. (With

indicating that the friend has a lot of charisma, or

).

Older generations might harrumph about young people using these new words or phrases, but slang will always exist. We dont need to understand what slang means, but we can understand its purpose. So, rather than correcting someones use of slang, consider looking it up and learning something new that day. You might find your new favorite word.

Check out The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang and Jonathon Greens Dictionary of Slang to learn more about some slang words we use.

Sophisticated philosophy often scares those who arent familiar with it; some people even run away from a philosophical argument, assuming that they wont be able to understand or relate to it. Yet philosophic principles riddle the literature and media that most people consume. Assistant Professor Justin White (Agency and 19th and 20th-century European Philosophy) strove to make philosophy easier to understand by looking at it within the popular TV series

In a lecture on

Thursday, February 16, 2023, White described how the character Zukos transformation throughout the series demonstrates philosophic principles of change.

White began by explaining a few philosophical terms that would play a major role in his lecture:

, or how people interact with the world, and

, or how people see themselves and want to act. Who people want to be often doesnt line up with how they act in the moment, making them assume change is impossible. Zuko faces similar internal conflict through the misalignment of his practical identity and his conception of self.

This misalignment of conception of self and practical identity results in Zuko acting in ways that dont match how he sees himself. White said, His world is still shaped by an identity he wants to shed. The changes in both practical identity and conception of self are what mark Zukos redemption arc.

At the start of the series, Zukos conception of self is a fighter who overcomes struggle through strength. Zuko says, Ive always had to struggle and fight, and thats made me strong. Its made me who I am. To him, capturing the Avatar will prove this, so his practical identity, or actions, are laser focused on this one goal. Zukos practical identity matches his conception of self perfectly, meaning that he has no internal conflict about his actions at this point. Zuko thinks of himself as a good person, even though the audience can see that he isnt good at this point in the story.

White stated that these two aspects of self must come into conflict for Zuko to want to change. And they do when a massive storm brews. As the storm grows worse, he ends up allowing the Avatar to fly away in order to get his crew to safety. This action of saving the crew doesnt match his conception of self because he sees himself as someone who will do anything to catch the Avatar, including sacrificing innocent soldiers. But when he has to actually risk those lives, he chooses not to. We see him struggle with that decision before acting. White explained that this action lays the groundwork for further changes in his actions and sense of self.

For Zuko to continue changing, White stated that he must continue acting in ways that dont line up with his conception of self. Within

, Zuko does this by saving an Earth Kingdom boy, returning to his uncle, Iroh, and setting the Avatars sky bison free. With his practical identity now at odds with his conception of self, this conception begins to shift. Zuko falls ill and struggles with his conflicting ideals. He emerges a new person, but his confidence is tested when his sister, Azula, lays a trap for him and Iroh.

Azula forces Zuko to choose a side, offering him quite literally everything he has ever wanted. Zukos heart, his sense of self, is conflicted and fractured in this moment. White explained that Zuko sees himself differently than he used to, and his allegiance to the Fire Nation is weakened, but he still wants to regain his fathers affection. His practical identity takes over, and he sides with Azula, betraying Iroh and returning to the Fire Nation as a prince.

When he returns home, Zuko has everything: his title, the respect of his people, his fathers love, his childhood crush, and the defeat of the Avatar. But he isnt happy. Zuko says, I admit it. I have everything Ive always wanted. But its not at all how I thought it would be. White described this moment as a moral vertigo where Zukos actions clash with who he wants to be, the person his uncle always believed him capable of being.

Zukos confusion leads him to recognize that he wants to be a good person. The way he views himself changes, and he vows to change his practical identity, or actions, to fit his new sense of self. His first act toward being a good person is to offer his services to the Avatar (whom Zuko didnt actually defeat) in helping end the war.

One of the Avatars allies goes to Zukos tent in the middle of the night to try to see if Zuko really has changed. She startles him, and he accidentally burns her feet, leading him to cry out, Why am I so bad at being good?

Attacking an intruder fits Zukos life up to that point. But attacking a desired ally conflicts with his new self-image. White said, Even if conscious aspirations about who we want to be figure into our typical being in the world, such aspirations do not change who we are and how we live as thoroughly or as quickly as we like.

Zuko doesnt give up though, he keeps trying to act in accordance with his new self-image and is accepted by Team Avatar. As he travels with them, he becomes better at aligning his actions with his new sense of self, while still retaining parts of his residual identity (such as being a fighter who overcomes struggle through strength).

During a later duel, Azula attacks one of Zukos new allies, and Zuko throws himself in front of the potentially fatal attack, showing that he has finally become good at being good. He sees the world in a new light, and he reacts instinctively in accordance with this new viewpoint.

White concluded, Zukos transformation highlights common (if complicated) aspects of personal change. When we are striving to become a better person, we commonly find ourselves being bad at being gooddesiring things we wish we didnt and doing things we wish we wouldnt. Zuko reminds us that becoming a new personto become good at being goodis often a struggle. Our new sense of self requires us to change our actions, persist through setbacks, and recognize that our residual identities may linger even as we work to leave them behind.

Check out Dr. White's book chapter that inspired this lecture, "Being Bad at Being Good: Zuko's Transformation and Residual Practical Identities," which is part of the book

. His more technical academic paper that covers the same principles is Backsliding and Bad Faith: Aspiration, Disavowal, and (Residual) Practical Identities which will be published in the

later this month.

Spiritual art is more than just a pretty picture. It enhances spiritual understanding and directs viewers gazes heavenward when they look beyond the obvious. Unfortunately, society tends to overlook the symbolism and only focus on the obvious, literal aspects. Local artist Joseph Brickey presented Using Sacred Geometry in Art at an October 2 LDSPMA conference, presenting insights on how to look past the obvious and recognize religious symbolism in art.

Brickey began by introducing an ancient hermetic teaching known as as above, so below, referring to the belief that things were created spiritually before they were created physically. As above, so below also implies a continuing relationship between spiritual and physical creations and ideas. Renaissance artists were keenly aware of this principle and implemented it in their works.

The Golden Ratio

One of the most common forms of geometric symbolism in religious art is the golden ratio. Initially beginning as a mathematic concept, the golden ratio of 1:0.62 divides lines in an aesthetically pleasing way. In art, the golden ratio refers to a midpoint when a segment is divided, creating beauty, balance, and harmony in the artwork. When used in religious art, the golden ratio implies a sacred nature of perfection and completeness.

The first painting Brickey introduced carried unexpected religious undertones and a hidden use of the golden ratio: Raphaels

. The painting highlights classical philosophers with a wealth of knowledge, not only of the temporal world but also of the spiritual world. At the center stand Plato and Aristotle, representing a central search for human truth. Plato points upwards, tangibly pointing to the infinite, while Aristotle, holding his book,

, motions toward the earth. The horizontal and vertical lines of the philosophers perfectly reflect the dimensions of the golden ratio.

Raphael also painted the immortal gods above the philosophers, implying a sense of heavenly knowledge. The golden ratio creates an invisible line where the above and the below meet, mirroring where heavenly and earthly knowledge also meet.

One of Catholicisms most sacred works of art also contains the golden ratio: Michelangelos Sistine Chapel. In

, Michelangelo used the golden ratio to create balance and symmetry. Adam appears in the lesser domain with God in the greater domain. Their fingers come together and create golden ratio, showing Adams perfect harmony with God.

Anatomy

Additionally, Brickey noted that Michelangelo included spiritual symbolism through his study and implementation of anatomy. Michelangelo arranged the figures around God so they resembled the brain, representing Gods gift to Adam of not only life, but truth, light, and intelligence.

As Brickey studied Michelangelo on his own, he realized that not only did God look like a brain, but that Adams pose resembled the anatomy of a heart. My conclusion was what Michelangelo was saying was the heart of man turned to the mind of God, he said.

Ahkets

Brickeys most ancient idea for recognizing religious geometry dates back to the

, an Egyptian ideogram that depicts the sun rising over a mountain. It represents the infinite framed against the temporary. The Pyramids of Giza are an example of the ahket in Egyptian architecture, implying a relationship between the temporal framing the infinite. At certain points in the year, the Egyptian temples were oriented to frame the meeting of heaven and earth.

Christs head and outstretched arms on the cross also create an ahket gesture. The horizontal and vertical lines of the cross with Christ in the center represent the joining of earth and heaven, just like the sun and the pyramids.

Brickey concluded with an invitation to look for deep meanings, particularly in religious art. He referenced our cultural inability to look past the obvious to look towards the heavenly. Brickey referred to a connected view of beauty and holiness, also known as the covenant or temple view. When we see beauty and holiness together, thats the covenant view, thats the temple view, Brickey said. Theres no way you can leave the covenant path without losing the covenant view.

Afrophobia: the normalization and legitimization of a set of behaviors that benefit Whites and generate excessive fear and great aversion toward Africans. The United Nations recently defined Afrophobia, as it continues to be a significant problem worldwide. In a lecture hosted by the French & Italian Department on September 22, award-winning Togolese Italian author Kossi Komla-Ebri told BYU students how to combat Afrophobia: recognize their own prejudices, become more educated about the inheritance of colonialism, and become aware of the dangerous tendency worldwide to interpret difference (especially racial difference) as a threat.

Komla-Ebri explained that Italy is home to many immigrants due to its long coastline and central Mediterranean location between Africa and the rest of Europe. Immigrants battle racism daily from many that still perceive them as lesser because of the color of their skin. One reason for continuing prejudice comes from a form of media that infiltrates life at every turn: advertisements.

Product advertisements can perpetuate racist language within the collective unconscious. Komla-Ebri gave the example of a recent pasta advertisement proclaiming they have the shells with the fine fascist taste. Ads like these pervade everyday life and send false messages that the history of colonialism and fascism wasnt so bad. Another popular advertisement, this one for soap, features Calimero the black chicken. The narrator tells Calimero, Youre not black. Youre just dirty. Then the black chick is washed white. Such ads send an underlying message that immigrants, or those who are visibly different, cannot be accepted as they are and justifies the fear of differences.

Komla-Ebri emphasized that he holds no resentment against Italians or Italian culture. His wife and children are proudly Italian and Komla-Ebri chooses to write and speak in Italian. Komla-Ebri simply used Italy as a case study to showcase the prejudice and fear of difference that can be found worldwide. But in order for the world to build equitable societies, everyone needs to acknowledge the existence of racism and cast it aside. Easier said than done, Komla-Ebri explained; after all, racism persists because it benefits those with power. It allows Whites to feel superior, seeing themselves as saviors for the Black Africans they are helping. Komla-Ebri denounced this behavior, saying it shows no respect for individual dignity and that racism traps those of African descent with false narratives of poverty and a lack of education.

Komla-Ebri then talked about other forms of racism such as microaggressions and institutional racism. Black Italians face a series of microaggressions daily from fellow Italians, such as the frequent assumption that no Black individual can speak Italian, leading to demeaning interactions and language from their fellow countrymen. Black Italian women confront hyper-sexualization and aggressive sexual behavior from men. Institutional racism has led to legal traps that keep Black Italians from receiving fair governmental treatment. Komla-Ebri explained this duality of racist treatment as hypervisibility as

but invisible legally. Most countries determine citizenship the same way; children receive their parents citizenship status, regardless of where they are born. So if a parent is unable to become an Italian citizen, their children may be born and raised in Italy, but they are not considered Italian citizens. Citizenship is often denied to immigrants or made incredibly difficult to obtain, and this struggle becomes passed to the next generation. Currently over one million second-generation African Italians born and raised in Italy do not have citizenship status.

Despite the many issues that Afrophobia has created in Italy, Komla-Ebri remains hopeful that the situation will get better. He called on everyone in attendance to stand for what is right. He said, Races do not create racism: it is racism that creates different races. Students and faculty asked what they can do to help, and Komla-Ebri suggested a few options.

The most impactful change both Americans and Italians can make however is to truly respect and value everyone they meet regardless of race. As humanity confronts its racist actions past and present, it can work toward a more harmonious future.

Unlike other popular languages in the College of Humanities, American Sign Language (ASL) is housed under the Center for Language Studies (CLS). The program consists of 350400 students each semester. Recently, ASL administrators and students have revamped the program to create more opportunities for students to get involved.

Courses

BYU offers a wide range of ASL classes, like introductory conversation, Deaf literature, and even a Latter-day Saint religious services signing class. Janelle Bullock, a coordinator for the program, says that the instructors want to offer a wide variety of skill-level courses, just like other languages.

Some students want even more immersion and practice outside of their classes to increase their fluency and proficiency. The ASL program highly encourages these students to live in the Language Immersion Student Residences. This special housing allows opportunities for students studying a second language to be immersed in their program. Although there is only female housing right now, the program hopes to expand to male housing one day.

Unfortunately, ASL courses do not count for major or minor credit; however, the program is currently working on getting an ASL minor approved at BYU. Even without the minor, students recognize the value of the language and are incentivized by the possibility of using it in the real world. ASL students here are so different. Students who are in my classroom want to be there and learn ASL not just because they need one credit for a requirement. I think that brings a special kind of motivation, and I just love seeing that in students, ASL faculty and club advisor Emilynn Bleazard says.

ASL Club

Cami Wilding, a coordinator for the ASL program who is deaf, says that the ASL Club provides some of the best ways to get more involved with the language. Activities often involve practicing and using ASL in different situations, such as helping with a service project or attending a fireside. The club alternates meeting on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and each event attracts between 80 and 100 students. One aspect of the club sets them apart from any other club on campus: everything is silent. Students are encouraged to use only signing in an environment that is respectful of Deaf culture.

One of the clubs most popular events is the annual Silent Weekend, a weekend-long event where local universities and deaf people are invited to play games, watch movies, eat dinner, and engage with speakers from the community to share their thoughts about different topics.

We try our best to make the club really accessible for everyone. Well put the instructions on the PowerPoint and sign everything. Were open to anyone who wants to come, Bleazard says.

Conversation Labs

Aside from the club, another newer tool for students is the ASL conversation labs. These labs have a mix of students, all from different classes, who come together to work on proficiency skills. Students sign up for a 45-minute time slot once a week, when they can achieve their practice goals and play games that help them use target vocabulary. As they practice with their group of 8 to 10 students, the students receive credit for their ASL course.

When Wilding and Bullock began working for the ASL program, they revamped the labs to better serve students by implementing the labs into the course curriculum and making the activities more engaging. Labs arent just required courseworktheyre fun ways for students to get involved. Students immerse themselves in the culture and gain experience by playing popular cultural games. These games help them interact with the community. We try to give them those opportunities so they can at least be familiar with things that they can take with them out into the community when theyre ready to be involved, Bullock says.

Wilding says that the creation of the labs gave students more opportunities for leadership positions and language experience. The other neat thing is now students have a goal that if they want to be a lab instructor someday, they know they have to be proficient and take certain classes, she says. Theyre using [ASL] in real life scenarios rather than just going over lists of vocab, Bleazard says.

BYU is known as the language university, and we would love for ASL to be lumped in with one of those languages that can give students opportunities, Bullock says. Additionally, the program has started utilizing American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards, which measure levels of proficiency in a target language. Including these standards in the ASL program has helped faculty become more aware of proficiency and teaching the language to different skill levels.

Faculty and club advisors encourage students who are interested in ASL to come and experience the program. Who knows? You may just find a new community to serve and immerse yourself in.

Want to get involved with ASL at BYU? Check out the ASL Clubs Instagram page for the activity schedule or the programs website for the list of courses offered.

Socratic dialogues, ethical concepts, and allocation versus reallocationthe Intermountain Philosophy Conference covered dozens of philosophical topics from professors all over Utah during their annual gathering. On March 29, 2024, emeritus professor of philosophy Dan Graham opened this years conference with his keynote address titled This Means War! Platos Second Defense of Socrates. In it, he discussed how Platos

differed from other Socratic dialogues and what it revealed about Socratess final trial.

In the

, Plato writes a narrative about Socrates debating sophistsa group of philosophers focused on rhetoricabout the meaning of rhetoric and persuasion in the educational and political scene in Athens. Graham compared Platos

and Socratic dialogues, saying, Although universally classified as an early or Socratic dialogue, it seems to break all the rules. It examines no definition of virtue. Its too long winded, too constructive, too preachy. Because of this difference, Graham asked a question: why did the

go beyond the usual structure of the Socratic dialogue?

Plato wrote the

as an ongoing defense of Socrates against the sophists. Because of their unrelenting attacks on his mentor, Platos tone sounds angrier and less playfula marked departure from other Socratic dialogueswhich shows us how deeply personal this defense has become for him.

Graham also discussed how

revealed more about the educational and political landscape of Athens leading up to and following Socratess execution. Graham said that Socrates believed the point of political and social science is not to win elections, but to make people better citizenssomething that conflicted with the belief of sophists. So, when ancient Greek jurors agreed to execute Socrates, they made a political statement siding with the sophistsalthough history ultimately sided with the Socratics.

As Graham explained, Platos thorough and emotional defense of Socrates provided a persuasive argument for the Socratic traditions, effectively shaping the study of philosophy. Graham said, People in the Socratic tradition came to be known as philosophers. People in the rhetorical became sophists. With Platos plainly stated arguments in the

, he helped shape Socratess legacy by revealing more explicit details about his execution and the political and educational landscape in Athens.

The Intermountain Philosophy Conference gave philosophy professors from universities in the intermountain area the chance to learn from each others research and engage in philosophical debate and conversation. Other BYU presenters at the Intermountain Philosophy Conference included

Assistant Professor Derek Haderlie (Metaethics, Metaphysics), Thick and Thin Ethical Concepts

Assistant Professor Angela Wentz Faulconer (Moral and Political Philosophy), Bringing Aid versus Doing Harm: Allocation versus Reallocation in Contexts of Scarcity

Associate Chair Travis Anderson (Phenomenology), Kants Contribution to Affect Theory

Assistant Professor Nate Rockwood (Early Modern Philosophy), Locke on Scientific Knowledge

Read more about Grahams research on Plato and Socrates.

Visit the Philosophy Departments website for more information about the major, minor, and events.

We strive to cultivate mutual respect and empathy for all people, no matter their ethnicity, race, cultural background, or sexual orientation. Elder Ballard said at a BYU devotional in February 2020:

Through discrimination, racism, sexism, and other social ills, we will often impose false identities on others that keep them and us from progressing. This can stop when we see all people as children

of God. We consider every person divine in origin, nature, and potential. Each possesses seeds of divinity. And each is a beloved spirit [child] of heavenly parents.

We invite all to participate in open and honest inquiry in our classrooms where we deal with complicated social and moral issues. In these conversations we seek to. . .

We fall short of our ideals when we. . .

The College of Humanities is attuned to the reality of an increasingly diverse Church membership. We aspire to better understand our own language and history, to use language to connect and

heal rather than to divide and harm. We invite students, staff, and faculty to use their time in our College to strive toward conduct worthy of Christian discipleship, where we are no more strangers

and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).