Fresno State’s Andrew Fiala given national honor for essay published in The Bee

Andrew Fiala, the director of the Ethics Center at Fresno State and chairman of the philosophy department, has been recognized by the American Philosophical Association for one of the columns he wrote for The Bee.

The column published last June under the headline, “Without faith in humanity, cynicism grows and democracy becomes mob-rule.” Fiala writes a weekly column for The Bee that publishes every Saturday.

In the essay, Fiala observes how much Americans distrust their leaders and the political process. “A healthy democracy depends upon trust. It requires faith in human decency and a commitment to the common good,” he wrote.

He was one of five essayists recognized by the association in its 2017 awards. Joining him were philosophers from Rutgers University, Stanford University, City University New York and the University of Oxford.

This story was originally published July 11, 2017 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Fresno State’s Andrew Fiala given national honor for essay published in The Bee."