Skip to main content
College of Humanities
Philosophy
Donate



Undergraduate LDS Philosophy Workshop

“And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (Doctrine & Covenants 88: 118)

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Taylor-Grey Miller, Department of Philosophy

Location: Philosophy Department Seminar Room (4088 JFSB)

Scheduled Dates:

Thursday Nov 14: 7-8:30pm

Thursday Nov 21: 7-8:30pm

Thursday Dec 12: 7-8:30pm

Call for Participants:

BYU affords its students and faculty a unique opportunity to learn in the light of the restored gospel, and the university has recently emphasized the importance of pursuing a “gospel methodology” in our research. The Department of Philosophy in conjunction with the LDS Philosophy Project is initiating an annual undergraduate research workshop over the next two semesters with the aim of aiding students in undertaking their own research projects in LDS philosophy. LDS philosophy broadly construed includes any philosophical research that engages philosophically with some aspects of core Latter-day Saint commitments and/or practices. Types of projects can include but are not limited to

1. Using philosophical methods to illuminate/give a theory of an LDS theological commitment.

2. Using philosophical methods/concepts to clarify a certain reading of scripture.

3. Showing how a general philosophical problem can be addressed by appeal to resources in the LDS tradition.

4. Using philosophical methods/concepts to raise a challenge for certain understandings of scripture or theology.

5. Giving a comparative philosophical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of an LDS and non-LDS conception of some theological matter.

6. Showing how a philosophical perspective or issue can be transposed faithfully into an LDS theological setting.

To participate in this workshop, students should include a 200-400 word sketch of the topic of the research project they aim to undertake and at least 1 or 2 papers from the relevant philosophical literature that they plan to engage with. The seminar aims to help students produce a final research paper that can be submitted to a departmental essay contest (in Winter 2025) that carries a significant prize bursary. (Not the Yarn Contest, but a new essay contest for these papers.) Sessions in the workshop will be devoted to helping students advance in these research projects and expand their horizons for what faithful LDS Philosophy can be.

Interested students need to have completed Philosophy 300 to participate. They should email Dr. Miller (taylorgrey.miller@gmail.com) their research sketch before the first meeting on November 14. Please direct questions to Dr. Miller or Dr. Jensen (davidj@byu.edu).