Monday, April 23, 2018

Professor Privitello Teaches Students to “Love Wisdom”




A free-spirited professor with long silver hair and a full beard encourages students to “love wisdom” by teaching philosophy courses at Stockton University.


Often wearing Old Gringo boots and designer overcoats is Dr. Lucio Angelo Privitello, Coordinator and Associate Professor of Stockton’s Philosophy and Religion program. He explained the word “philosophy” comes from the Greek roots “philo,” meaning love, and “sophy,” meaning wisdom; making “philosophy,” the “love of wisdom.” He clarified “philosophy” literally translates to the command: “love wisdom.”


This professor was born and raised in Italy, where he received a Superior Diploma in Ceramics and Design from Instituto D’Arte Raffaello Libertini, an art school in Sicily. After moving to the United States, he earned a B.F.A. in Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design. Dr. Privitello used his art education to start a contracting company with his brother, called Praxis Installations.


He elaborated, “We were both, trained well, and good with our hands, so we did a great and honest business, until we decided to continue on with what we loved doing even more.” After his first M.A. in Philosophy from Temple University, Dr. Privitello transitioned from “tile, marble, and granite installations,” to teaching as an adjunct professor. Meanwhile, he earned a M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Villanova University, which eventually led to a full-time tenure track position at Stockton. “Here I am at Stockton University, very happily. I have great colleagues, and the students always come up to bat, and classes are, and have, been a blast,” he stated.


In the Fall 2018 semester, this professor will conflate his art and philosophy knowledge to teach The Philosophies of Art, cross-listed as “ARTV/PHIL 3116,” providing an “Arts” attribute, “. . . that is all about theories of creativity, theories of beauty, and the meaning and making of art,” he described while adding, “Creativity is all we have to overcome the weight of time.”


Likewise, Dr. Privitello will teach Ancient Greek Philosophy, listed as PHIL 2109, providing “Global Studies and Values/Ethics” attributes. This course “tracks the birth of the history of western philosophy,” and discusses several well-known ancient philosophers.


For philosophy gurus is Philosophical Methods, listed as “PHIL 3615,” providing a “W2 Writing Across Curriculum” attribute. This is a required course for all philosophy majors and minors, where students prepare to write a serious paper. He explained, “I enjoy giving students the range to make their choice of what really inspired them in their readings, then along with my help and guidance, they can really shine,” and added, “Each course will be an intense journey.”


If any Osprey is interested in “an intense journey” with philosophical Professor Privitello, they should contact their preceptor, found on Stockton’s Go Portal.

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