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The science and history of philosopher George Santayana

02 Dec 2019

PPE student presents summer research at international conference

student Juan Facundo鈥檚 independent student summer research project gained an international audience this fall. The fourth-year student was invited to present at an international philosophy conference at Tennessee鈥檚 Vanderbilt University in October.

JuanFacundo_PhilresearchFacundo was the only undergraduate student to present at the conference, showing the links between different figures and ideas in the history of philosophy. His presentation, An unexpected perspective: T.G. Henderson鈥檚 and Winthrop Bell鈥檚 Understanding of Santayana鈥檚 Treatment of the Concept of Essence, was based on his summer research project, supported through Mount Allison鈥檚 Independent Student Research Grant program and supervised by philosophy professor Dr. Robbie Moser.

鈥淭his was my first summer doing research. I had completed an independent study around philosopher George Santayana鈥檚 works and interpretation of them, this was an extension of work that I had started as an exchange student at Vanderbilt last year through the with Fulbright Canada,鈥 says Facundo. 鈥淚 wanted to continue my studies when I came back to Mount A and was able to through the summer program with Dr. Moser.鈥

Moser says Facundo鈥檚 work brought together some interesting perspectives and philosophical connections.

鈥淛uan鈥檚 summer work started with the question of how to reconcile scientific reliance on determinism and causes with cultural reliance on freedom and reasons. His research took him deeply into pioneering work by some early- and mid-twentieth century philosophers such as Alfred North Whitehead, Wilfrid Sellars and George Santayana,鈥 says Moser. 鈥淭he social and intellectual connections Juan unearthed in his archival and textual work are generative and quite interesting, and he continues to uncover new material and he contributes to productive discussion with philosophical researchers.鈥

Facundo鈥檚 research soon led him to the writings of Mount Allison graduate (Class of 1904), Canadian scholar and historian, who is also said to have served as spy following the Second World War. Bell had written extensively on the work of Santayana; his papers are housed in the 痳豆TV视频 Archives.

鈥淚 ended up working with [University Archivist] David Mawhinney for a big part of my project, it was awesome,鈥 says Facundo. 鈥淗e helped me source and transcribe Winthrop Bell鈥檚 notes. I also got a hold of T.G. Henderson鈥檚 original PhD thesis supervised by Alfred Whitehead while at Harvard. I noticed that Bell鈥檚 and Henderson鈥檚 writings seemed to have similar observations on philosopher Santayana鈥檚 work. It was a bit surreal to have this kind of access 鈥 looking at Dr. Bell鈥檚 handwritten notes 鈥 for my project right on campus.鈥

Facundo is currently looking at different options following Mount Allison including law and graduate studies. A mature student, he started his career in aviation, earning a certificate in aviation management from Algonquin College and working as a pilot with an airline in Colombia, Avianca, and as a flight instructor with the Moncton Flight College. He has lived in Colombia, Spain, and Ontario and says he came to Mount Allison in part because of the PPE program.

Outside of his studies, Facundo volunteers with Big Brothers of Moncton, Sackville鈥檚 Lettuce Eat program, and Mount Allison鈥檚 Amnesty International Chapter, which he helped revive on campus three years ago. He is also a familiar sight in Sackville walking his two dogs, Prudence and Chester.

Photo caption: Facundo right, with Dr. Michael Hodges at the conference held at Vanderbilt this fall.

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