Philosophy professors publish books on topics ranging from embodied cognition to 'Wonderland'

Philosophy professors publish books on topics ranging from embodied cognition to 'Wonderland'

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | [email protected]

Three professors in Oklahoma State University's Department of Philosophy - Drs. Ryan Armstrong, Eric Reitan and Shannon Spaulding - recently announced book publications with topics ranging from embodied cognition to theology to "Alice in Wonderland."

Dr. Shannon Spaulding

Spaulding and Dr. Lawrence Shapiro, professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, edited the second edition of "The Routledge Handbook of Embodied Cognition." The revised edition brings new perspectives and updates to the framework as it has evolved over the past two decades.

Spaulding and Shapiro's edition covers topics such as evolutionary biology, computer science, philosophy, education, developmental psychology and neuroscience. It also includes new chapters on AI, robotics, predictive processing and critiques of embodied cognition. These additions reflect technological advancements and use embodied cognition for understanding.

"As the embodied cognition research program has developed over the last 10 to 20 years, we have seen the framework applied to a wide variety of topics," Spaulding said. "As the research program has blossomed, critiques of the empirical and theoretical foundations of the view have also grown. We think it is appropriate to include those critiques alongside the application of embodied cognition so that the book can be a true field guide for those curious about embodied cognition."

Dr. Ryan Armstrong

Armstrong's latest work, "The Book of Job in Wonderland", will be published by Oxford University Press on Oct. 8. The book offers a comparative analysis of the Bible's Book of Job and Lewis Caroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," uncovering parallels between two seemingly unrelated works.

In "The Book of Job in Wonderland," Armstrong delves into the legal themes of Job and compares them to the famous trial scene in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." In addition to his comparative analysis, Armstrong incorporates interpretations from rabbis, theologians and artists throughout history, revealing unique insights that emerge from a blend of Jewish, Christian and literary traditions.

"The Book of Job and 'Wonderland' are full of comedy, but they're often reinterpreted as horror," Armstrong said. "Seeing trends like this makes me go back to the original texts and ask, 'What is it that stands out to other readers?'

"I got a sudden 'ah-ha' moment when I was reading a Hebrew commentary by a medieval Jewish rabbi, but it didn't quite account for all the data. Then I found a Latin commentary by an 18th century Christian minister that filled in the gaps. It was only by putting these two together that I was able to find a solution that worked."

Armstrong said he wrote "The Book of Job in Wonderland" to be accessible to his students and interested non-scholars. He hopes readers will connect with the struggles of both stories as they navigate worlds that seem nonsensical and unjust.

Dr. Eric Reitan

Later this academic year, Cascade Books will publish Reitan's new book, tentatively titled "Troubled Paradise: Limited Salvation and the Problem of Heavenly Grief." The book is a deep dive into a problem in the philosophy of religion and philosophical theology called the problem of heavenly grief, which arises for any version of theology that denies universal salvation.

Learn more about the Department of Philosophy at OSU here.

Story By: Allie Putman, CAS graduate assistant | [email protected]

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.