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Rebecca Copenhaver, professor of philosophy at Lewis and Clark University, spoke on April 18 about how philosophy, particularly the philosophy of John Locke and Thomas Reid, can help us reform our current ideas of memory. Copenhaver began by distinguishing between how we ordinarily view memory, and how Locke and Reid viewed memory.

Michael Mann, professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, and leading author on several influential reports and books, lectured on April 4 about his role in the “raging contentious debates” over climate change. The “debate,” he argues, is unfocused, since the existence and importance of climate change is not contended within the scientific community.

While many students spent their spring breaks travelling or relaxing at home, Hamilton’s Mock Trial team competed at the Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS) tournament (March 18-20) in Lancaster, Pa. ORCS is the final qualifier tournament before the National Championship Tournament (NCT), so the team faced its toughest competition of the season. 

The third annual Animal Rescue Law Forum, created by Kevan Cleary P’12 and continued with the support of Tami Aisenson K’75, P’12 will take place on Wednesday, March 16, in New York City. The forum brings together lawyers and animal rights activists from around the region to discuss current animal-related legal issues. This year, the organization lists its topics as “New York’s ‘Dangerous Dog’ law, animal cruelty prevention and rescuing migratory birds.”

Dr. Angela Davis, academic and civil rights advocate, spoke in the Chapel on Feb. 26 as part of the Voices of Color Lecture Series. Her discussion focused on how student activists can follow in the footsteps of older generations to develop and execute their own revolutionary ideology and to promote crucial socio-political change. 

James Jacobs, a New York University School of Law professor, gave his first of four lectures about gun control at Hamilton on Feb. 24. These lectures, sponsored by the Levitt Center and the Dean of Faculty’s Office, serve to inaugurate the Levitt Center’s ongoing series of lectures on Justice and Security. This lecture focused on the question about what problems gun control can solve. 

Claudia Rankine, award-winning poet and essayist, read from her nationally acclaimed book, Citizen: An American Lyric, in the Chapel on Feb.  8. This work is a collection of stories conveyed mainly as prose poems and mixed media images.  Rankine explained that she had asked her friends to tell her a story about a time “where you were doing something ordinary […] and suddenly somebody said something that reduced you to your race” in order to explore the “white supremacist foundations inside this culture.

Hamilton’s Mock Trial team competed last weekend (Feb. 5-7) at a regional competition, held at Pennsylvania State University. This competition determined whether the team would advance to the next level of bracketed competition, the Opening Round Championship (ORCs).

After driving nearly nine hours to Ada, Ohio, Hamilton College’s Mock Trial Team took 2nd place at the Jan. 16-17 10th Annual Polar Bear Invitational at Ohio Northern University.  In addition to the impressive team performance,  Rachel Dawson ’19, Patrick McConnell ’19 and Conor O’Shea ’18 took home individual awards.

Although winter break  is underway, Hamilton’s  Mock Trial team is not slowing down. Team members will individually be rewriting the bulk of their scripts, memorizing and studying case law and rules of evidence during break. In addition, team members will return from break one week early to practice as a team and prepare for a tournament at the Ohio Northern University before the spring semester starts (Jan 15-18).  All of this preparation leads up to the Regional Tournament (Feb 5-7) at Pennsylvania State College.