The UFV Philosophy department held a Cookies & Books event recently. Students were invited to browse tables covered with hundreds of high-quality philosophy books, and then take home — at no charge — any they found interesting. As an added incentive, Professor Emeritus Moira Kloster contributed a variety of free philosophically-themed cookies. What is a philosophically-themed cookie? Anastasia Anderson explained that Oreo cookies with black pastry and white filling were presented as logician’s cookies, because logicians prefer their epistemology in black and white. There were also gingerbread men wearing togas. The event began with some 30 boxes full of mostly philosophy books that had been donated by both retired and currently active faculty. Glenn Baier said that not only philosophy majors, but students from various other departments happily walked away with arm loads, and sometimes boxes full, of free books. The few volumes that remained after the event were donated to the local Rotary club. Philosophy department head Wayne Henry found the event to be a phenomenal(ogical) success. The department is already discussing a similar student event for next year with perhaps even more philosophically profound cookies.
— Contributed by Peter Raabe