Philosophy Day Marks 200 Years on the Erie Canal

St. John Fisher University will celebrate Philosophy Day with the theme 200 Years on the Erie Canal, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, in the Golisano Gateway Midlevel. The celebration will continue that evening from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with a special event honoring the 800th birthday of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Both events are free and open to the public.

Philosophy Day, sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is observed throughout the world as an occasion for people to reflect upon the importance of critical thinking, world peace, international cooperation, and the love of wisdom. It is also held on the purported birthday of Socrates. Fisher is the only institution in the United States to continuously participate in Philosophy Day since UNESCO first inaugurated it in 2003.

This year’s event explores how the Erie Canal, just steps from the Fisher campus, has shaped American life and thought over the past 200 years. The canal’s opening in 1825 transformed the landscape, politics, and economy of the United States and inspired major religious, spiritual, and philosophical movements in Upstate New York, including Abolitionism, Women’s Suffrage, Native American Rights, Spiritualism, and Temperance.

The morning begins with a welcome from Dean Ann Marie Fallon, followed by a presentation from Professor Barb Lowe on Frederick Law Olmsted’s democratic vision for public parks. The second morning session will focus on the dispossession and disruption of Indigenous peoples, led by Professor Tim Madigan, archivist Julia Novakovic, and students from Dr. Jane Snyder’s Law, Politics and Society class.

The afternoon continues with a screening of “Reflections on the Erie Canal,” a documentary produced by WMHT-PBS Albany, exploring the canal’s history, its expansions, and its reimagining for modern use. Later sessions feature a discussion with author Tim Bohen and instructor Fionnuala Regan on the Irish canal workers and the philosophy of the common good, followed by a presentation from University at Buffalo philosophy professor Carolyn Korsmeyer on the enduring legacy of Spiritualism in fiction and reality.

The day will conclude with an evening celebration, “Why Aquinas Still Matters in the 21st Century,” marking the 800th birthday of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Presenters include Fr. William Graf, professor emeritus of religious studies; Nancy Rourke, assistant professor of religious studies; Deacon Jonathan Schott, director of campus ministry programs; Fr. George Smith, CSB, William and Helen Cavanaugh Endowed Chair of Catholic Studies; and Madigan. Refreshments, including Italian pastries and a birthday cake for Aquinas, will be served.

This full-day celebration brings together history, philosophy, and faith to explore how ideas and traditions continue to shape culture and community. For questions or to RSVP, contact Madigan at tmadigan@sjf.edu or (585) 385-5259.

Philosophy Day Schedule

 9:30 to 10:50 a.m. - Cultivating Communitiveness: Frederick Law Olmsted’s Democratic Vision for Public Parks

11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. - Dispossession and Disruption of Indigenous Peoples

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. - Documentary Screening: Reflections on the Erie Canal

1:40 to 3 p.m. - From Dirt to Dignity: The Irish Canal Workers and the Philosophy of the Common Good

3:10 to 4 p.m. - Spiritualism’s Legacy: Belief and Doubt in Fiction and Reality

7 to 8:30 p.m. - Aquinas Birthday Celebration: Why Aquinas Still Matters in the 21st Century

This article was written by Ranya Alsalahi, a senior film and television studies major. Alsalahi is an intern in the Office of Marketing and Communications at Fisher for the Fall 2025 semester.