More Philosophy Profiles

Dr. James D. Janowski

Professor of Philosophy
The Wilson Center, 200
(434) 223-6229
jjanowski@hsc.edu

Education

B.A., Colorado State University, 1983; M.A., University of Calgary, 1985; Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997.

Research Interests

Professor Janowski is especially interested in the many and varied philosophical issues that arise in thinking about material culture and cultural heritage. He has published a number of essays—see, for example, his "Bringing Back Bamiyan's Buddhas—and is at work on a book that aims to sort out what should happen at Bamiyan. He has given presentations at conferences in the U.S. and abroad. Among them was a talk at the opening session in the June 2011 Annual Meeting, in downtown Philadelphia, of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Professor Janowski presented Restoring the Spirit and the Spirit of Restoration: Dresden's Frauenkirche as Model for Bamiyan's Buddhas.  His talk has been highlighted on several blogs:

• The Artblog - "philosopher James Janowski received a lively response to his discussion of what to do about the Bamiyan  Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban" by Andrea Kirsh
• AIC Blog - "James Janowski raises many ethical and philosophical questions in his presentation on the possible reconstruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas.  He asks his audience to balance the needs of the historical record with religious and cultural values." by Mary Striegel
• Derry & Raphoe Diocesan Library Project Blog - "One of the talks I found to be the most interesting and thought-provoking" by HLF ICON intern
• Ars Longa - "I found James Janowski's essay particularly interesting, even apart from the subject matter, due to his profession as a philosopher."
• Ellen Carrlee Conservation - "The AIC continues a happy trend of including non-conservators as general session speakers in philosophy professors James Janowski's "Restoring the Spirit and the Spirit of Restoration: Dresden's Frauenkirche as Model for Bamiyan's Buddhas."

Teaching Interests

• Introduction to Philosophy
• Ethics
• Social Philosophy
• Philosophy of Art
• Theory of Conservation
• Cultural Heritage

Service to College

• Hobbie Program Chair
• Ethics Bowl, Co-coordinator

Other Interests

• Travel, travel, travel
• Family, friends, fishing