UP Department of Philosophy

23/06/2026

[YOUTUBE REPLAY] You've heard of the Early Wittgenstein and the Later Wittgenstein, but have you heard of the "Middle" Wittgenstein? Have you ever wondered what could have caused Wittgenstein to radically change his views? Could the Later Wittgenstein--generally considered to be the "better" of the two--have mistakenly abandoned some his earlier views which he shouldn't have? What happened during those crucial years of his transition?

On Monday, 18 May 2026, Professor Michael Potter, one of the world's leading experts on the History of Analytic Philosophy, Philosophy of Mathematics, Set Theory, and Logic, delivered a lecture entitled "Wittgenstein's Blue Book".

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You've heard of the Early Wittgenstein and the Later Wittgenstein, ...

21/06/2026

[UPD-Cambridge Philosophy Lecture Series 2026: Session 4]

MEET THE SPEAKERS!

On Tuesday, 30 June 2026, from 5-7 PM on Zoom, Professor Sarah Fine, DPhil (Oxon.), one of the world's leading experts on Philosophy of Immigration, will be delivering a lecture entitled "Not at Home". This will be the fourth and final session of our lecture series.

ABSTRACT:

In this talk, I explore the idea of countries as homes. The histories of 'home' and 'country' are intertwined. I critically examine the thought that people should (or ought to be able to) feel at home in “their” countries. Focusing on themes of comfort and control, I consider whether we should give up on the idea that people ought to be able to feel at home in their countries.

ABOUT THE LECTURER:

Sarah Fine, DPhil (Oxon.) is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College. She specialises in issues related to migration, borders, and citizenship, as well as methodology in philosophy. She has a particular interest in work connecting philosophy with the arts, and has been involved in a range of research-led arts collaborations.

She studied at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and taught in the Department of Philosophy at King’s College London for 9 years.

ABOUT THE REACTOR:

Prof. K.C. M. Abalos-Orendain, PhD earned her undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines, where she also began her academic career immediately thereafter as an Instructor. She later transitioned into writing, first as a writer for a local entertainment channel, and subsequently as a freelance writer and editor for various websites and magazines.

In 2012, she was awarded the Japanese Government Scholarship. She then finished her graduate and doctoral studies in Ethics at Kobe University. Her master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation focused on the analysis of cosmopolitan norms and the rights of Filipino migrant workers.

In 2018, she returned to the University of the Philippines, where she currently teaches Socio-Political Philosophy, Applied Ethics, Japanese Philosophy, and Contemporary Philosophy.

Prof. Abalos-Orendain has received multiple distinctions, including the UP Diliman Centennial Faculty Grant (2021, 2022, 2023) and the Centennial Professorial Award (2025). She is also a recipient of the ONE UP Professorial Chair Award in Applied Ethics for Outstanding Teaching and Public Service (2022–2024; 2025–2027). She served as Chair of the Department of Philosophy from 2021 to 2023, and later as Director of the UP System Office of Alumni Relations from 2023 to 2024.

Register in the link below if you haven't already:
https://forms.gle/fMTPrF5oFqBcH4t38

Registration is free and open to the public!

For questions or clarifications, e-mail project head Mika Gana at [email protected] or Henry Fernando at [email protected].

Posters by Tati Inumerables

See you soon!

18/06/2026

The UP Department of Philosophy mourns the passing of Mr. Jairus Colendres, one of its dear students of the Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy program. Mr. Colendres also earned his Master of Arts in Philosophy Degree from the Department. His dedication and contribution to education will be cherished and remembered.

We extend our condolences to his family and friends. Our thoughts are with them in this difficult time.

18/06/2026

[YOUTUBE REPLAY] What does biology tell us about race and gender? Are they social constructs that were (arbitrarily?) created by humans, or are they naturally occurring things in the world? What does this question imply about matters of identity or what we owe one another?

On Monday, 11 May 2026, Professor Alexander Bird, Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy, Chair of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and Honorary Fellow at St. John's College, Oxford, delivered the second lecture of our series entitled "Natural Kinds in Biology."

What does biology tell us about race and gender? Are they social co...

09/06/2026

[YOUTUBE REPLAY] On Monday, 4 May 2026, Professor Will Hornett from the University of Cambridge gave his lecture on "The Form of Agency", a lecture on philosophy of action, online via Zoom. His lecture was followed by a Q&A portion where audience members can raise their own questions and clarifications. Moreover, for the first time ever, short responses were delivered by two of our exceptional students whose research interests also lie in philosophy of action: Ron Imperial (I MA Philosophy) and Sean Ingalla (IV BA Philosophy).

This is the first of four lectures under the UPD-Cambridge Philosop...

09/06/2026

We congratulate our two BA Philosophy majors, Sean Ingalla (IV BA Philosophy) and Paul Cano (II BA Philosophy), for successfully presenting their research at the culmination of the 1st De La Salle University Undergraduate Epistemology Workshop last Saturday, 6 June 2026.

Sean and Paul were selected as two of only four featured student participants, joining Khristia Canta and Elyjah Anciano from DLSU.

Sean presented "Beyond the Raft and the Pyramid: A Compatibilist Account of Epistemic Justification", while Paul presented "Of the Lottery Paradox and Machine Learning Models."

The workshop officially began with an onlinee colloquium last 30 April 2026. During this initial session, the selected participants received feedback on their work and were officially paired with their respective mentors. Sean and Paul developed their papers through a series of intensive one-on-one consultations with our very own Instr. Kurt Tubera, who spent his undergraduate years at DLSU.

To top things off, the research papers that resulted from the workshop are projected to be published in the near future!

We congratulate everyone who participated in the workshop, especially our very own Sean and Paul. The department is extremely proud of you!

We would also like to thank our friends from the DLSU Department of Philosophy under their Chairperson, Professor Mark Dacela.

Photos from: De La Salle University Department of Philosophy

08/06/2026

The UP Diliman Department of Philosophy congratulates its following students for presenting their research at Diskurso: Philosophy at the Margins, a philosophy undergraduate conference hosted by the UPLB Sophia Circle. The event was hosted at the NCAS Auditorium last 5 June 2026.

Gleanna Crizzen Abello (I BA Philosophy) presented "Post-Colonial Miseducation: On the Reduction of Education to Economic Utility."

Karlo Mikel Terrell (II BA Philosophy) presented "Ideal vs. Real: Contrasting a Contractarian and Care Approach Towards Su***de."

Peter Gene Tronco (II BA Philosophy) presented "'Hindi Totoo 'Yan': Epistemic Injustice in the Time of Duterte's War on Drugs."

Karl Alfred Olalia (III BA Philosophy) presented "From the Sacred: Precolonial Filipino Animism and the Challenge to Anthropicentric Environmental Ethics."

Congratulations to Ana, Mikel, Gene, and Karl. The department is extremely proud of you!

08/06/2026

"Ang bahagharing bandila na ating itinataas ay hindi lamang simbolo ng kapayapaan. Ito rin ay bandila ng paglaban. ✊🌈"

Nakikiisa ang UP Diliman Department of Philosophy sa pagdiriwang ng Pride Month. Kasama kami sa pagsulong ng isang tunay na ligtas na espasyo at paggalang sa dignidad ng lahat!

03/06/2026

PAGPUPUGAY AT PASASALAMAT KAY PROP. ZOSIMO E. LEE

The UP Department of Philosophy, along with the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, invites you to a PARANGAL in honor of the life and memory of Prof. Zosimo E. Lee, PhD. The tribute will be held on 06 June 2026, 6:00 PM, at Room 308, St. Peter Chapels, Quezon Avenue. We hope you can join us as we come together to remember Prof. Lee, honor his legacy, and celebrate his many contributions to philosophy, education, and the lives of those he touched. Further details of the program will be shared soon.