Ramona Ilea

Ramona Ilea

Photo taken by Shannon M. Rush

(http://www.shannonmrush.com/)

during my Environmental Ethics class.

Office: Drake House (map)
Office hours: M 1:00-2:00, WF 1:30-2:30
Office phone: 503-352-2760
Fax: 503-352-2775
Email: ramona.ilea@pacificu.edu

Schedule: Spring 2008

Course Time
PHIL/DS 307: Ethics, Medicine, and Health Care WF 3:00PM-4:30PM
PHIL/ENV 321: Environmental Ethics TTh 2:25PM-3:55PM
PHIL 324: Practicum in Ethics Individual Times

Education


Ph.D.: Philosophy, University of Minnesota, July 2006

          Dissertation: Moral Arguments and Social Change

          Advisors: Naomi Scheman (Univ. of Minnesota), Helen Longino (Stanford Univ.)

M.A.: Philosophy, University of Minnesota, May 2003

B.A.: Philosophy, University of Toronto, May 2000



Research Interests


There is a common conception that philosophy is interesting and deep, but it does not make much of a difference in the real world. This is in part because in the 20th century, philosophers in the Anglo-American, or analytic, tradition aspired to the objectivity of the sciences; and this aspiration led philosophers to think that they needed to be neutral on controversial social/political issues. My work fits within a growing movement to reverse this trend. I argue that it is possible for philosophical work to contribute to public debates and social issues in ways that do not undermine our roles as philosophers. Furthermore, I aim to show philosophers interested in doing publicly engaged philosophy how to do so in a responsible and effective manner by articulating the methodologies implicit in the work of exemplary engaged philosophers. Through systematic and rigorous thinking about our distinctive roles, skills, and knowledge, philosophers will be better able to make valuable contributions to important social issues. Philosophers' engagement in the world, collaboration with others, and the motivation to search more deeply for new and innovative ideas will enrich and further issues of public concern.

My dissertation, "Moral Arguments and Social Change," was an analysis of philosophy's potential for making an impact in the public domain.

My next project, for which I received a Faculty Development Grant, is to edit and publish a book called Philosophy and Activism.

My publications and conference presentations include: “Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach and Non-Human Animals: Theory and Public Policy,” “The ‘Mutant’ Cure or Social Change? Debating Disability and the X-Men,” "Hume and Singer on Sympathy," "Publicly Engaged Philosophy," "The Relationship between Poverty, Health, and Environmental Problems and the Spread of Factory Farms to Developing Countries," "Parmenides' Two Routes of Inquiry: Reassembling the Jigsaw Puzzle," "Biotechnologies of Gender: Coercive or Liberatory?" "Gender Identity Disorder: A Disorder?" and "Women and Art: Embodiment and Self-Representation"



Teaching Interests


My teaching and my research are highly connected. When I teach, I aim to show students that studying philosophy is not just intellectually stimulating but also a powerful tool that can enable us to understand, analyze, and change the world.

When we teach philosophy courses at Pacific University we do not use graduate teaching assistants, which means that your classes will be taught by professors and that you will have plenty of opportunity to get to know the faculty in your discipline.

The courses that I regularly teach are:

                                                                                    

Organizing Conferences and Colloquia


  1. Coordinator, Large Public Lecture by Peter Singer (attendance: 1,300 people) and Small Group Workshops with Peter Singer, University of Minnesota, March 2006
  2. Coordinator, Animals and Ethics Discussion Series, University of Minnesota, February - March 2006
  3. Assistant to Program Chair, Minnesota Inter-seasonal Conference in Ethics, Spring 2004
  4. Coordinator, Colloquium with Martha Nussbaum, University of Minnesota, December 2003
  5. Assistant to Program Chair, Minnesota Philosophical Society Conference, October 2002
  6. Co-Organizer, The 12th Annual Graduate Interdisciplinary Feminist Colloquium, York University, March 2000



Other Service

  1. Faculty adviser for the Philosophy Club, Fall 2007-Present
  2. Faculty Representative in the Undergraduate Community Council (PUCC) and the Campus Life subcommitee, Spring 2007-Present
  3. Member of the Feminist Studies Curriculum Committee, Fall 2006-Present
  4. Member of the Sustainability Advisory Group for the University's Dining Services, Spring 2007, Spring 2008-present
  5. Library Liaison for the Department of Philosophy, Spring 2007-Present
  6. Member of the Planning Committee of the First Year Seminar, Spring 2007, Present
  7. Member of the Pacific University Art Committee, Fall 2007-Spring 2008
  8. Member of the Steering Committee of "Focus the Nation" at Pacific University, a collaborative, educational event on global warming, Fall 2006-Jan 2008
  9. Faculty adviser for EASY: Environmental Action SocietY, Fall 2006-Fall 2007
  10. Judge at the Ethics Bowl Practice Drill, March 2007

 

Hobbies

 

I like to do crafty things out of recycled materials. Here is an outfit -- including the earrings and skirt -- made from 27 ice cream containers ("Purely Decadent" -- the best ice cream ever!!).  I wore it on Halloween last year; it was also featured in the "Junk 2 Funk" fashion show. Right now, I'm making a shower curtain out of bread bags (I have so many!) and another dress from 800+ tea packets (collected from family, friends, and a student who works in a coffee shop). Unlike other kinds of activism I do, this hobby is not a social justice project. It's just relaxing!