Professor of Philosophy
I am a comparative philosopher, and my main area of expertise is South Asian and Western comparative philosophy, and the thought of Mahatma Gandhi. AREAS OF TEACHING SPECIALIZATION: Gandhi (I am a Gandhi scholar and have lectured in the U.S. and India about Gandhi and written numberous articles about him.) EDUCATION Book in Progress: For about the past seven years, I have been working on a manuscript entitled, Ahimsa: A Way of Life; a Path to Peace. This is a work in which I explore the ancient origin of ahimsa in Hindu thought, its development in Hindu, Jain and buddhist thought, the culmination of this development in the thought of Mahatma Gandhi and how ahimsa freed from its Indic moorings, if taught and practiced, around the world, can end the conflict and violence that is rampant in our relationships, homes, communities, states, nations and on the international level. Gandhi took ahimsa to mean: no harm to any living being by thought, word or deed, a vow to this effect and the greatest love, i.e., compassion, for all creatures. Also, what is not known by many westerners and those unfamiliar with Indic studies, is that for Gandhi, ahimsa was the means to Truth, the fundamental virtue by which one lived and the driving force of his Truth Force, satyagraha, against oppression. I have done research on this book at the Gandhi Center, at Panjabi University, Chandigahr, India; delivered a number of lectures in India and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth on the subject and written numberious articles on the subject. At this time, I am negotiating with a publisher for the book. According to the contract, I am to write a book that will be used in the classroom. However, I also want to write a book for the general public. I have proposed that I write two books, one for the students and scholars and one for the people. The senior editor at the publishing firm seems to be amenable to this suggestion. Books Published 1. 2001 - Intuition: Its Nature and Uses in Human Experience. This book has just been published by Motilal Banrsidass.) 2. 1995 - New Essays in the Philosophy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Delhi, India: Indian Books Centre. (An article which I wrote was published in this anthology.) (Please see #5, "Articles Published".) Articles in Books: 1. 2007 - Mind Pollution, Delhi I was informed by RP Jain, one of the owners and publishers of Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, that an article which I wrote called, "Ahimsa as the Way to End Mind Pollution" is to be published soon in an anthology called Mind Pollution, by an independent publisher in Delhi, India. 2. 2006 - "Conditions for Individual Freedom as Applied to the European Union," written with a colleague in Political Science, Professor Christopher Vasillopulos, was published in a book entitled, Humanity at the Turning Point: Rethinking Nature, Culture and Freedom, published by by the Unbiversity of Helsini, Helsink, Finland. Articles Published
1. Fall 2008 - a booklet, entitled, "Ahimsa: a Way of Life; a Path to Peace" was published by the Indic Studies, Gandhi Lecture Series, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. 2. Fall 2008 - "The History of the Origins and Development of Ahimsa in the Great Indic Traditions and the Culmination of this Thought in the Theory and Practice of Mahatma, Gandhi, published by , Hydrabad, India. 3. Fall 2008 - "The Role of Virtue in Developing Trustworthiness in Public Officials" was published by the Oxford Round Table Forum (on line). 4. May 2006 - "Nietzsche's Philosophy of the Will to Power as a Kind of Elan Vital and Creative Expression" was published in the journal Dialogue and Universalization, Vol. XV. No. 5-6 by Warsaw University Press. 5. 2005 - "India's Three Great Intellectual Contributions to the Contemporary Global Community" was published by the World Association of Vedic Studies, WAVES in Indias Contributions & Influences in the World," a publication of WAVES, ed. by Professor BhuDev Sharma, the President of Waves. 6. 2004 - "Islam: Extremem Fundamentalism and the Problem of the 'Other," a paper published in Skepsis, vol XV2004. 7. 2003 - "The Importance of Ahimsa: in the Yoga Sutra, in Gandhi's Thought and in the Modern World" was published in India's Contributions & Influences in the World," a publication of WAVES, ed. by BhuDev Sharma, President of WAVES. 8. 2003 - "Gandhi: Boundaries of the Self as They Affect Nonviolence and Peace," published in "Contemporary Views on Indian Civilization," ed. by BhuDev Sharma, pp. 11-19, a publication of WAVES. 9. February 2002 – “Kant’s Categorical Imperative,” by Dr. Hope K. Fitz and Dr. Margaret Jewett, published in Journal of Religious Studies, Panjabi University, Patiala, India. 10. January 2001 - Book review From Socrates to Wittgenstein, written
at the behest of the editor of Journal of Religious Studies.
11. January 2001 - "Kant and Gandhi: Nonharm and Love," paper sent at the request of the editor of Journal of Religious Studies, Panjabi University, Patiala, India. 12. 1996 - "Gandhi's Ethical/Religous Tradition" (A Mode of Thought and Practices Which Have Influenced Many Contemporary Thinkers) published in The Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. XXVII, Spring-Autumn, Nos. 1 and 2, Punjabi University, Patiala [Panjab], India. This is a revised copy of a paper which was delivered on a panel entitled "Inventing Traditions," in the program "Philosophy and Religion in the Asian Context," at the American Philosophical Association, Central Division, St. Louis, Mo., May 5-7, 1995. 13. 1995 - "The Nature and Significance of Intuition in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, and in the Philosophical Writings of Radhakrishnan," published in The Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. XXVI, Spring-Autumn, Nos. 1 & 2, Panjabi University, Patiala [Panjab], India. This paper was first delivered at the Association of Asian Studies (AAS), in Los Angeles, Ca., at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, March 25-29, 1993. A revised and expanded version of the paper was delivered at the American Academy of Religion, New England Region Meeting, in Boston, April 23, 1993. 14. 1991 - "The Role of Self-Discipline in the Process of Self-Realization," an article written by Dr. Bala Sunder Rai Bhalla and me, published in The Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. XIX, Spring, No 1, Panjabi University, [Patiala], India. 15. 1990 - "The Mystical Experience From a Heideggerian Perspective," an article published in The Journal of Religious Studies, Panjabi University, Patiala [Panjab], India, Vol. XVIII, Spring, No.1. 16. 1989 - "The Nature and Significance of Intuition" (A view Based on a Core Idea Held By Radhakrishnan), an article published in the Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Vol. VI, Number 3, May-August, New Delhi, India. 17. 1987 - "Intuition:
Its Nature and Uses," an article published in the Moksa Journal,
U.S.A., Volume IV, Number I: November.
I have been the Chair of the Peace & Human Rights Committee, PHRC, at Eastern for over twelve years. In that time, we have had two conferences, one on Human Rights, one on Peace, and sponsored or co-sponsored many events. Also, in 2005, the Senate at Eastern accepted the Peace and Human Rights Minor. 1. April 2009 - Several PHRC Members and the Asian Studies Department members at the University of Connecticut held a lunch at UConn for Dr. Shugan Jain, the Director of the International Summer School of Jain Studies, India. He had come to the United States to lecture to Dr. Fitz's class on Jainism and both of her ethics classes. 2. March 2009 - Professor Manoug Manougian, from the University of South Florida, presented a lecture on genocide at the University Hour. His presentation was called, "Man's Inhumanity to Man." 3. December 2008 - Three Tibetan Monks spent one week building a Peace Mandala. At the end of the week, the mandala was destroyed and in a special ceremony, the leftover materials were placed in the Willimantic river with a blessing for all people and peace. The PHRC co-sponsored this event. 4. October 2, 2008 - Six persons from India, South Africa and the U.S. presented a panel entitled, "Gandhi's Legacy of Ahimsa." One of the speakers was Professor Uma Mesthrie, Gandhi's great-granddaughter from South Africa. The other members were Dr. Usha Thakkar, the Director of the Gandhi Research Institute, Mumbai, India . 5. March 2008 - Professor Ashok Malhotra, from SUNY Oneonta, came to speak at the University Hour. In his presentation, he told about the work done by his Ninash Foundation, which builds schools for former harijan (untouchable) children in India. 6 2007 - PHRC wrote and submitted a second proposal for a Peace and Human Rights Center. (The first was written about 2003.) However, Dr. Elsa Nunez, the President of Eastern, questioned whether the Board of Trustees would want to back such aCenter because it is not self-sustaining and because there is a Human Rights Institute at the University of Connecticut. So we have decuded ti apply for grant funding for an institute. 7. 2006 - Professor Raouf Mama brought the former Ambassador and Prime Minister of Benin to speak to our university. The PHRC contributed to this event and the ambassador spoke to at least one of my classes. 8. 2005 - Dr. Amii Omara-Otunnu, the UNESCO Chair of Comparative Human Rights at the University of Connecticut and five of Eastern's students presented a forum in which the students questioned Dr. Omara-Otunnu about human rights issues in the world. 9. 2004 - Alex Kellington, a renowned photo-journalist, spoke of the people in Haiti. Her expertise is based on many visits to Haiti and an understanding of the poeple based on a command of their language and an acquaintance with Haitians from various walks of life and varied interests. 10. 2003 - PHRC members spent the summer and fall working on a Peace and Human Rights Minor. 11. 2002 - PHRC presented an all day conference called, "Perspectives in Peace." There were experts from India, Ireland as well as U.S. scholars who are experts on Africa, South America and India. Also, Dr. Eudora Pettigrew, who was then the Vice President of IAUP (the International Association of University Presidents)/ U.N. Commission on Conflict Resolution, Disarmament Education and Peace. 12. 2002 - Several of the PHRC members were invited to the IAUP/U.N. Commission listed above. We presented our ideas for a Peace and Human Rights Center at Eastern. 13. February 9, 2001 - Members of the Peace and Human Rights Committee at Eastern Connecticut State University, ECSU President David Carter, Vice-President Dimitrios Pachis, and Dean Beverley Anderson, l met with Dr. L. Eudora Pettrigrew (Chair, IAUP/UN Commission on Disarmament Education, Conflict Resolution and Peace) in order to discuss ideas having to do with the future development of a Peace Center on campus. 14. February 26, 2000 - Directed a conference on Peace & Human Rights at Eastern, sponsored by the ECSU Peace and Human Rights Committee and the Philosophy/Ideas Club. This event was co-sponsored by the Dean's Office of the School of Arts & Sciences, as part of the Millennium Activities. 15. 1999-Present - Started a Peace and Human Rights Committee on
campus comprised of professors, students, and several staff. 1. 2006 - 2009 - A member of the Jain Academic Council of North America. 2. 2006 - 2009 - Acively involved with the Critical Thinking group on campus. For two different semesters, we sought to assess the students' abilities to think critically. We did both pre and post tests to determine if the students could think critically. The pre tests were to determine the critical thinking ability of the students at the beginning of the semester and the post tests were to determine if they had improved in that ability. 3. 2006 - Studied Jainism for two months in India at the International Summer School of Jain Studies. 4. 2006 - Delivered eight talks on Ahimsa: a Way of Life; a Path to Peace in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad), and at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. 5. April 2006 - Gave the key-note address at the National Student Conference, SUNY, Oneonta. The title of the address was: "Comparative Philosophy: Theory and Praxis." 6. May 2005 - Attended the New England Educational Assessment Network workshop at the University of Massachusetts, Amheerst as a representative from the Philosophy Department. 7. 2004 - I was on Sabbatical Leave doing research for my book on ahimsa. 8. 2003 - . May 2001 - Invited to address the Asian Pacific American Group (APAG) of Pfizer at Groton, CT. 2. 2000-Present - Serving as one of the Secretaries for the World Association for Vedic Studies, Inc. (WAVES). We are planning a conference for September 2001 which will take place in Boston, MA. 3. October 2000 - Presented a paper entitled, "Gandhi's Ahimsa: Its Effects on Conflict and Violence" at the 12th Vedanta Congress, Miami University, Oxford, OH. 4. July 2000 - Presented a paper entitled, "Gandhi's Ahimsa: Its Effects on Conflict and Violence." The theme of the conference was "Contemporary Views on Indian Civilization," and the conference was held in Hoboken, NJ. 5. January 2000 - Presented a paper entitled, "Ghandi and
Kant: Nonharm and Love/'Boundaries of the Self'/Conflict and Violence"
at a conference on "Ethnicity and Violence", Panjabi University,
Patiala, India. Special Topics Courses 1. Spring 2001 - "Birth of Western Thought" (co-taught with Professor Christopher Vasillopulos). No one knows the
origins of philosophy. Perhaps no one will ever know. Nevertheless it seems
that Western philosophy arose in Greece. Certainly, if it is the case that if
we take philosophy to be the rational inquiry into the nature of the universe
and all the things in it as it may be comprehensible to human reason and
intuition, then the philosophical spirit, as we know it in the West, arose in
Greece when poetical and mythological accounts of these matters no longer
satisfied the most skeptical of the Greeks. By the sixth
century B.C., there arose an entire tradition of
"scientific-philosophical" thought, largely concerned with
cosmological issues. By the fifth century, B.C., mostly in Athens, attention
began to focus more on man and less on the heavens, first in tragedy, then in
dialogues, and finally in formats that dominate universities to this day. The
measure of man was indeed man, as Protagoras said, but what is man? What is
measurement? How do we know what we claim to know? After the advent of these
philosophical questions, the world has never been the same. In this course,
the faculty, Dr. Hope Fitz and Dr. Christopher Vasillopulos (with lectures by
Dr. Lee Langley and Dr. Dimitrios Pachis) will present the following
subjects, and the students and faculty will discuss them. Dr. Langley (Professor Emeritus
from ECSU) will lecture on the Bronze Age which will set the stage for the
prehistorical way of life and modes of thought. Dr. Dimitrios Pachis
(Vice-President of Academic Affairs at ECSU) will lecture on the ancient
Greek language, and the importance of language in the development of Greek
culture. Dr. Christopher Vasillopulos will
lecture on the Social and Political structure of Athens with emphasis on
tragic modes of thought. Dr. Hope Fitz and Dr. Vasillopulos
will both lecture on the philosophies of ancient Greece, focusing on Plato
and Aristotle. They will also discuss the influence of Greek thinking upon
the world.
1. June 2009 - "A Comparison of Confucius' Notion of Ren With Gandhi's View of Ahimsa." was published on line by the International Society of Universal Dialogue, ISUD. The paper was accepted to be given at a conference of ISUD in Beijing, China, in July. However, the University of Beijing postponed the conference for fear of swine flu.
1. October 2008 - "Ahimsa and its role in overcoming the 'Ego': From Ancient Indic Traditions to the Thought and Practice of mahtma Gandh." published in the Icfai University Journal of History and Culture, Hydrabad, India, Vol. II, No 4,
2. Spring 2000 - "Peace and Nonviolence" (focused on the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, and other peace activists). This course was also taught at CLIRS (retired teachers at the University of Connecticut), Summer 2000. 2. Spring 1999 - "Nietzsche" (co-taught with Professor Christopher Vasillopulos). Courses Currently Taught Western Non-Western |
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Asian Philosophies* |
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Ethics* |
Ethics has some Non-Western content. |
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South Asian Philosophy |
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Modern Western Philosophy |
Peace and Nonviolence (Gandhi's Notions of Ahimsa and Satyagraha, and how they effected Martin Luther King and other political thinkers of this century.) |
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Perspectives (an Introductory Course)* |
Perspectives has some Non-Western content. |
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Creativity |
Creativity has some Non-Western content. |
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Contemporary Moral Problems |
Course on Contemporary Moral Problems has some Non-Western content. |
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*These courses are offered by me each semester.
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