Faculty Biography - Stacy Bautista

Stacy Bautista

Lecturer

M.A. Loyola University of Chicago
B.A. Loyola Marymount University

847.635.1950
2430, Des Plaines

Biography

I am a California transplant to the city of Chicago who camein 2002 to pursue a master's degree and then a doctorate in philosophy atLoyola University. I plan to defend my thesis by Fall term of 2011.

Although I thought I would be an English major when I wentto college at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, I found that the theories beingused to parse literature were more interesting to me than a dissected story, soI moved over to the department that generated the theories: philosophy.

My major area of interest is phenomenological ethics andphenomenological accounts of the body, with a focus on the work of EmmanuelLevinas. I find the challenge that Levinas poses to normative ethics and toautonomy or utility-based ethical systems fascinating. I find it to be anecessary reminder of the vulnerability of human beings, both physical andmental, which again and again, prompts us to try to find resources to assist,as well as language to teach the fundamental character of human obligation,even knowing we will not succeed completely in either case.

Perhaps in part thanks to Levinas, I also enjoy Platonicphilosophy, for its unique way of engaging with the difficult but necessary question of how to live a good life, and inwhat that might consist. For this reason, I've been acquiring the Greek tosettle in with a dialogue and see how Plato reads in his native tongue. Thisis, if you will, my academic hobby.

In my spare time, I tend to be a quiet sort, whoprefers dinner and a movie and a long chat with friends to a night out. I alsotry to volunteer on a semi-regular basis with MWA.