5/18
Philosophy
Penn senior named Truman Scholar
Senior Sakshi Sehgal, a philosophy major who has submatriculated into the philosophy master’s program, has received a merit-based Harry S. Truman Scholarship of as much as $30,000 for graduate or professional school to prepare for a career in public service.
Penn junior Chinaza Ruth Okonkwo named a Beinecke Scholar
Junior Chinaza Ruth Okonkwo has been awarded a 2021 Beinecke Scholarship to pursue a graduate education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. She is one of only 16 Beinecke Scholars chosen this year.
Fostering the next generation of Black philosophers at Penn
In the past decade, the department has become a hub for race theory and a welcoming environment for a diverse group of young academics, mentored by those who have paved the way before them.
The link between perceptions of autonomy and global views of income inequality
Research from the Center for Social Norms & Behavioral Dynamics finds that people who feel independent think that most others are, too. They also underestimate the level of poverty in the United States.
Science, politics, and vaccine acceptance
As the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed across the country, new research out of the Department of Philosophy shows that knowledge about the nature of science can combat political biases.
On Galápagos beaches, human presence conclusively affects sea lions
Penn researchers, in conjunction with Galapagueño high school students, found that on more crowded beaches, the endangered animals are less aggressive to people.
How have new social norms emerged as COVID-19 has spread?
In a study of nine countries, researcher Cristina Bicchieri found that motivating people to modify behavior requires changing their expectations about the actions and thoughts of those who matter to them.
Understanding death
In the latest episode of Penn Today’s “Understand This ...” podcast series, assistant professor of Religious Studies Jolyon Thomas and Director of Pastoral Services James Browning explore dialogues around death.
Rooting out systemic bias in neuroscience publishing
An interdisciplinary research team has found statistical evidence of women being undercited in academic literature. They are now studying similar effects along racial lines.
Kok-Chor Tan on how external factors inform individual responses to COVID-19
The professor of philosophy says the ways in which individuals are affected by the pandemic are a result of a complex tapestry of economic, social, and cultural factors.
In the News
Expect to see AI ‘weaponized to deceive voters’ in this year’s presidential election
Cristina Bicchieri of the School of Arts & Sciences says that AI-generated misinformation exacerbates already-entrenched political polarization throughout America.
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No labels, no candidate: Rejections pile up as time runs short
William Ewald of Penn Carey Law says that a contingent presidential election would be a disaster in the current political climate.
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Trump warns of ‘Pandora’s box’ of perpetual presidential prosecutions if charges against him stand
Claire Finkelstein of Penn Carey Law says that someone running for the presidency would normally reassure voters that they’re following the law, not that they’re immune to the criminal process.
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There’s no way the Georgia prosecutions of Donald Trump and Mark Meadows belong in federal court
In an Op-Ed, Claire Finkelstein of Penn Carey Law explains why the Hatch Act prevents Donald Trump and Mark Meadows from transferring their criminal cases in Georgia to federal court.
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Georgia indictment to ‘solidify’ Trump’s support for now, analysts say
Claire Finkelstein of Penn Carey Law says that the large number of Trump confidants indicted alongside him in Georgia increases the likelihood that some may turn on the former president.
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Will Georgia case against Trump end up in federal court?
Claire Finkelstein of Penn Carey Law doesn’t believe that Donald Trump can prevail in arguing that he was acting in his capacity as president while trying to win an election.
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