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Langerak to address St. Olaf students on Honors Day

By Karl Olson '08
May 1, 2006

LangerakLarge
Professor of Philosophy Ed Langerak's Honors Day address to students Friday will be built around a statement of Dutch-American novelist Peter DeVries: "We are put on this Earth primarily not to see through one another but to see one another through."
St. Olaf Professor of Philosophy Edward Langerak will deliver his address, "Seeing Through," during this year's Honors Day celebration Friday, May 5, beginning at 10:10 a.m. in Skoglund Center Auditorium (due to the renovation project in Boe Memorial Chapel). The event recognizes St. Olaf students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or above (on a 4.0 scale), students receiving special honors and senior students who are members of honor societies. The 40-minute event, which is open to the public, will begin with a procession of faculty in academic regalia.

Langerak says the title of his speech comes from the Dutch-American novelist Peter DeVries -- a favorite of Langerak's -- who said, "We are put on this Earth primarily not to see through one another but to see one another through."

After the event, scholarship donors and their student recipients will have the opportunity to meet one other during a special luncheon. "It's a good way for the students to thank the donors and it's a chance for the donors to see that their gift is making a difference in the lives of the students," says Director of Stewardship Jean Callister-Benson. "It's a pretty magical event."

ED LANGERAK
Langerak has served on the St. Olaf philosophy faculty since 1972. He served for more than a dozen years as chair of the department and several years as humanities division chair and faculty regents observer. During his career at St. Olaf, Langerak has been the field supervisor for all three of St. Oaf's cross-cultural semesters abroad: Term in Asia (1989-90), Term in the Middle East (1996-97) and Global Semester (2003-04).

During his tenure at St. Olaf, Langerak has developed more than 20 courses with other faculty focusing on interdisciplinary ethics-related topics. He has taught three cycles of The Great Conversation and plans to teach a fourth (and final) one in 2007-09. Langerak tentatively plans to retire in June of 2010.

Langerak has published a number of books and journal articles, beginning in 1973 with a journal article titled "Abortion and the Potentiality Principle," which has been reprinted in eight anthologies. He has contributed to the book Christian Faith, Health and Medical Practice (1986) and is currently working on the last chapter of the forthcoming book, Civil Disagreement: Personal Integrity in a Pluralistic World.

Graduating from Calvin College in 1966 with majors in classics and philosophy, Langerak earned a master's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's and doctorate from Princeton University.

Langerak is married to Lois Schipper, a dental hygienist in Northfield. They are both active members at First United Church of Christ. They have two children, Matthew and Emily.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.