There has been a catastrophic disaster and there is one life boat with only one space left. Five professors, from the departments of studio art, mathematics, philosophy, sociology and theater, are debating to win that spot. This was the premise of Life Boat, a WEB event on Wednesday, Sept. 22 dubbed as a battle of the disciplines.
“The goal is for the professors to argue why their discipline and their knowledge is essential to the survival, well-being or happiness of the people on the life boat,” said Kelley Hall, the WEB special events director.
WEB came up with this idea after hearing about it on NPR’s program “This American Life.” The original life boat debate occurred at Montevallo University located in Montevallo, Ala.
The debate was structured so that each professor had five minutes to argue why his or her discipline was more important, followed by five minutes of questions from the other professors and then five minutes of audience questions.
The participating professors were Mare Blocker (studio art), Albert Schueller (mathematics), Michelle Jenkins (philosophy), Keith Farrington (sociology) and Nancy Simon (theatre).
Each presented passionate arguments why his or her discipline was most important.
“Studio arts is all about the whole entirety of liberal arts in one body,” said Blocker.
“All of the quantitative things we have in our world come from the foundation of mathematics,” said Schueller.
“As hunger, thirst, and desperation set in, we are going to need a firm set of ethical and political commitments to bind members of our society to a community,” said Jenkins.
“The experiences of my long and wonderful life in the theater make me uniquely qualified to assist in an adventure dedicated not only to preserving our lives, but our humanity,” said Simon.
“I can’t swim,” Simon added jokingly.
“We truly are a mix of the scientific perspective . . . and the philosophical, or humanistic or relativistic approach,” said Farrington.
“Sociology looks at the systematic whole. It looks at large groups of people, or small groups of people, as groups, as collectives, as organizations. It does not look at idiosyncratic individuals,” he adds.
Besides bringing their disciplines with them, the professors offered individual talents as added incentives. Jenkins claimed to bake excellent chocolate chip cookies; Blocker was once a swim and lifeguard coach; Schueller could offer his services as an electrician.
Students cheered for different disciplines.
“I cheered for the mathematician, because I think it’s the most practical,” said sophomore Steven Klutho.
When put to a vote of the students, the discipline of sociology prevailed. WEB presented Farrington with a paddle to help him on the life boat.
