On February 4, 2006, ten students and our four Philosophy faculty traveled 50 miles Northeast of Jackson on the second Philosophy Department Retreat (the first retreat was February 11-13, 2005 in rural Florence, Mississippi at remote-feeling lakeside cabins); we were curious to discover our lodgings: “The Big House.” The old mansion nestled about a mile from the main grounds of the Gray Conference Center, among wooded forests, lakes and nature paths; it had magically inviting spaces; students and faculty cooed and laughed in delight upon discovering this warm and storied structure that would be our lodgings.

Seniors William Massey and Evan Paretti began unloading their massive pots of prepped sauces and vegetables for the evening meal immediately upon arrival. During the first two talks, the aroma and promise of their homecooking in the comfort of the Big House draped us like soft blankets. My presentation, “The Idea of Trauma,” introduced interdisciplinary work being done by philosophers, psychiatrists and anthropologists in trauma studies, and debated the merits of two competing concepts of trauma. Examining the explicitly racist anthropology of Immanual Kant, Dr. Steve Smith asked, “What Does it Mean that Kant is Outrageous on Race?” to uncover what is needed for a more trustworthy version of the rationalist universalism for which Kant's ethics is famous.

As Dr. Smith’s talk ended, the sun peeked through the clouds, and most students and faculty headed outside to explore the surroundings before dinner. It’s recent tradition that Senior Seminar students are in charge of the first night’s dinner. William and Evan went all out. For our group of fourteen, they not only had plenty of food, but a choice of two main courses: lasagne and spicy chicken alfredo, plus salad and baked parmesan bread. Dr. Patrick Hopkins brought his legendary cheesecake, putting us into a stupor after most of us ate pieces from two: one of tart lemon, and another of chocolate rum.

I believe rendering us virtually unconscious was Dr. Hopkins’ strategy for mitigating against challenges to his talk, “An Argument Against Freedom,” which immediately followed dessert. What I can remember from the talk, is of course, an example about stupor-inducing food. Many people’s lives in the U.S. would be better, Dr. Hopkins argued, if they had fewer consumer choices, for instance, what if supermarkets and fast food chains no longer offered (or never offered) junk food?—the only food available nationwide were healthy foods? How would that change the lives of Americans? Not to be outdone in the realm of controversial positions, Dr. Ted Ammon argued his position of “Enlightened Anarchy.” If Dr. Hopkins argued for removing “harmful” options, Dr. Ammon spoke for removing rules that litigate against them, effectively instituting communities that nurture the self-harmed—like drug addicts—leading them toward new lifestyles through caring not penalizing.

After the talks the evening stars and chirping cicadas beckoned us to the lake. We gathered around the bunch of logs that had been arranged for a bonfire. This part of our evening was disappointing, since the logs were rainsoaked and struggled to give more than a bit of flame. William, Evan and Ben Turner were undeterred though. After much hanging out and tending, they reported in the morning, the fire became massive and they stayed up for hours. The rest of us congregated inside for Pictionary, which was hilarious! Alandra Davis and Dr. Hopkins won, but not without competition from Gin Pope and Dr. Smith. What teams Wendy Brady and Dr. Brown; and Amelia Bobo and Katie Hamm lacked in pictionary aplomb, they made up for in comic relief, as their drawings supplied the others’ evening entertainment.

Breakfast and the waft of hot coffee greeted us at particular hours as we came downstairs the next morning to scrambled eggs, biscuits, sausage, muffins—and there was also, of course, left over cheesecake! By noon we had said our goodbyes and headed South for Millsaps.

We would like to thank Jack Dunbar, whose generous support of the endowed Philosophy Department Dunbar Lecture also helps make possible accommodations and meals for retreat participants.

Our budding tradition of the Semi-annual Philosophy Department Retreat gives philosophy students and faculty opportunities to share philosophical ideas and downtime in a relaxed, fresh and often nature-oriented environment. Retreats combine informal philosophical talks by our four faculty members, communal meals cooked by participant volunteers, and unscheduled activities in the great outdoors (yahoo!).

Email Dr. Kristen Brown