The Dr. Bernard Cobetto Lecture on Contemporary Ethical Issues will explore the concepts of freedom and community. Sally J. Scholz, PhD, a professor of philosophy at Villanova University, will discuss “How Community Preserves Freedom.”
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will occur Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (150 Finoli Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601).
Scholz asks, “In an era often characterized by polarization, disagreement, conflict, and fear, might we find commonality by reexamining our collective commitment to freedom?” Through an exploration of four dominant philosophical conceptions of freedom, she will reflect on the obligations of community and the responsibility to work together to preserve and nurture freedom for others.
“Freedom is often understood in terms of noninterference: you are free to do whatever you want so long as it doesn’t interfere with me and what I want. But that account of freedom does not seem to capture the many ways that individual freedom can be underdeveloped, imperceptibly eroded, or situationally blocked,” explained Scholz. “Maintaining freedom requires a lot more thought and action to ensure not only the liberty to pursue individual visions of the good life, but also to secure the communal conditions that allow freedom in its many forms to flourish.”
Scholz writes on issues and ideas in social and political philosophy, including topics ranging from the obligations of solidarity to social responses to oppression, violence, and war. She is the author or co-editor of numerous books and journal issues, among them the monograph Political Solidarity, and collections on Philosophical Perspectives on Democracy in the 21st Century, and The Contradictions of Freedom. Scholz is a leader in the profession of philosophy, having worked as editor or associate editor of numerous publications, and chairing many national committees for the American Philosophical Association. Her current book project is a work tentatively title Civic Solidarity Unbound about the moral relations among inhabitants of a polity.
“Dr. Scholz is an accomplished scholar and teacher,” said William C. Pamerleau II, PhD, professor of philosophy and Cobetto Lecture committee chair. “She brings years of experience researching and speaking about freedom and how it relates to our community to this event, and her warm and approachable delivery is just the right fit for our campus and the Greensburg community.”
About the Cobetto Lecture:
The Dr. Bernard Cobetto Lecture Series was established in 2005 at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg by Bernard Cobetto, MD, and his wife, Ellen. It is held each year and focuses on contemporary ethical issues. Dr. Cobetto was a 1945 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and a 1947 graduate of the University’s School of Medicine. Sadly, both Dr. Cobetto and Ellen recently passed, in 2022 and 2020, respectively. They, were residents of Greensburg.
About Pitt-Greensburg:
Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pitt-Greensburg offers 31 baccalaureate degree programs, including new majors in Nursing, Healthcare Management, Public Policy, and Education, as well as 30 minors and four certificate programs. With nearly 1,400 students, more than 10,000 alumni, and faculty and staff numbering 260, Pitt-Greensburg provides a vibrant, diverse community that is a dynamic model of a 21st century liberal arts education. As part of the University of Pittsburgh system, Pitt-Greensburg offers the resources of a world-renowned university combined with the individualized and immersive experiences of a small liberal arts college. Creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit permeate the campus and extend into its many collaborative projects with the Westmoreland County community. Nestled in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands, the campus is a five-minute drive from uptown and less than an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh.