Nov. 11, 2008
One of world’s top environmental experts to give address at UW-Stevens Point
A leading global environmental thinker is giving a free lecture
at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) on Thursday,
Nov. 20.
Holmes Rolston III, a University Distinguished Professor and
professor of philosophy at Colorado State University, will
speak at 6:30 p.m., at the Dreyfus University Center Theater.
The lecture is open to the campus and community and sponsored
by the Department of Philosophy at UWSP.
Rolston has achieved world acclaim for his critical thinking on
issues such as global warming, loss of biodiversity, sustainable
economic development, consumerism, and the importance of
environmental literacy. Rolston is a prolific author and
has written six books including “Genes, Genesis and God,”
“Science and Religion: A Critical Survey,” “Philosophy Gone
Wild,” and “Environmental Ethics.” His books have been used
as texts in 150 colleges and universities.
UWSP historically has also been at the forefront of
conservation and environmental literacy. In 1896 the
university at Stevens Point began a slow but steady
climb in what would become the nation’s preeminent
undergraduate natural resource program. It began with
the arrival of a small collection of birds including a
great horned owl and a cooper’s hawk (“The World Is Ours”
by Justus Paul). Environmental philosophy has been a key
component of the philosophy department since the early
1970s. Today, all UWSP students must be proficient in
environmental literacy in order to graduate.
“This campus, and indeed the whole community, has a rare
opportunity to hear from one of the world’s preeminent
environmental thinkers,” said Chris Diehm, assistant professor
of philosophy. “Our department and college are honored to welcome
Professor Rolston to Central Wisconsin and give our students and
residents a wonderful opportunity to hear from one of America’s
true environmental giants.”
Rolston is past president of the International Society for
Environmental Ethics and has served on the Board of Governors
of the Society for Conservation Biology. He serves on the
Advisory Board, American Association for the Advancement of
Science, and the Program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and
Religion. Rolston is a backpacker, field naturalist and
bryologist.
Contact: Contact: Chris Diehm, 715-346-4948,
cdiehm@uwsp.edu
