Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at Ohio State

Dr. Sabrina Little writes about the use of overcorrection in shaping character in "Sometimes, the Road to Virtue Comes by Way of Vice" for Psyche.

Dr. Little writes, "...character change is messy and can involve toggling between vices. This process is marked not by increasing degrees of flourishing but by different types of unflourishing as we incline in the direction of an opposing vice. This lack of flourishing may continue until we get it right, assuming that we eventually do."

Read the full article at https://go.osu.edu/DNgX

One of our new faculty members, Dr. Jacob Bruggeman, spoke with the Jack Miller Center about his work, which examines the intersection of technology and American political life and order.

Read the full interview at https://go.osu.edu/DNWP.

Yesterday, Executive Director Lee Strang moderated the Columbus Metropolitan Club's forum, "Designing a Democracy for the Next 250 Years." The forum focused on asking "how American communities can move from reflection to renewal -- and what responsibility today's leaders and citizens have to future generations of Americans."

Watch the forum at https://go.osu.edu/DNZH or listen to the podcast on your favorite podcast app!

Dr. William Simpson and Dr. Matthew Owen of Yakima Valley College have authored a chapter in a new publication, "E.J. Lowe's Metaphysiscs and Philosophical Theology," released today!

This chapter argues that Christian theology presupposes the possibility of nonphysical causes producing physical effects: some events, such as the resurrection, lack sufficient physical causes. It goes on to challenge the claim that the causal closure of the physical world—the view that any physical effect must have a sufficient, purely physical cause—is established by empirical science. Ultimately, the authors demonstrate that causal closure is a metaphysical rather than scientific commitment; one which is neither empirically verified nor theologically neutral.

You can learn more about the book at https://go.osu.edu/DNCY!

Dr. Brianna Frakes gave her Buckeye Talks on Tap presentation on Tuesday.

Her talk, "To the Gates of Richmond: The Civil War in Virginia," focused on the 1862 Peninsula Campaign and how the Union Army's failure to capture Richmond forced Abraham Lincoln to recalibrate the Union's military and political goals around emancipation.

There was a great turnout and it was a lot of fun! Congratulations, Dr. Frakes!

Dr. Sabrina Little writes for Psychology Today in "Will Sports Prepare Me for Life?"

The article examines how sports are believed to form character and argues that sports participation may not necessarily yield improved character from participants.

Read the full article at https://go.osu.edu/DNU9!

Dr. Daniel Gullotta published a review of "American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington" by H.W. Brands for FUSION.

"For better and worse this is the father of the country," Gullotta writes, "and in the republic's 250th year Brands leaves us to decide what to do with George Washington."

Read the full review at https://go.osu.edu/DNSq.

Chase Center Executive Director Lee Strang will join a panel of other thought leaders this Wednesday at the Columbus Metropolitan Club's latest luncheon, "Designing a Democracy for the Next 250 Years." Register at https://go.osu.edu/DNPz

The event will be held at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 West Broad St., Columbus.

From the Club's website:

"Can the age-old promise of American democracy be refined, improved, nurtured, and preserved? With a panel of key thought leaders, we explore what the next era of democracy in America will demand, including ethical and corruption-free leadership, responsive institutions, stable and solid democratic norms, civic education, and redesigned systems and processes that better serve the public.

"Centering Ohio and Columbus as testing grounds, we ask how American communities can move from reflection to renewal—and what responsibility today’s leaders and citizens have to future generations of Americans.

"Featuring Robert Alt, President and CEO, The Buckeye Institute; Rita McNeil Danish, Interim CEO, The Matriots; Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Endowed Associate Professor of History, The Ohio State University, with moderator Lee Strang, Inaugural Executive Director, Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society, The Ohio State University."

Join us in welcoming one of our two new postdoctoral scholars, who will be joining the Chase Center this fall!

Dr. James McFetridge Wilson is a graduate of Deep Springs College, the University of Virginia, and Duke Divinity School.

He recently earned a PhD in Theology from the University of Cambridge. His research explores modernist literature and secularization, classical metaphysics, and Augustine’s Trinitarian thought.

Before joining the Chase Center, he held a fellowship at the University of Notre Dame, where he taught in the Department of Theology.

Read about all our new faculty and postdocs at https://go.osu.edu/DNEa