Polk State College Professor to Present Lecture, Discussion

Polk State College Professor Derek Menchan will present a lecture and discussion titled “Behind All Things Lies Nothing at All” from 3 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland.

The first 30 attendees will be admitted for free. For all others, there is a $5 charge.

Menchan, a humanities professor at Polk State’s Lakeland campus, said the event will be thought-provoking and will ask attendees to analyze how and why they make the decisions they do.

“It’s always good to look at the epistemology and analyze why we think what we think, and how we learn what we learn,” he said. “It’s more important to do that than to analyze what we have learned.

“I like to turn around and analyze the things our species holds dear to see if we should hold them dear.”

To that end, Menchan and attendees will examine what drives human decision-making.

“We’re going to be getting at the root of what motivates humans,” said Menchan, also the College’s Philosophy Club adviser. “What are the real reasons behind our activities? What do we expect? Are we looking for a payback? Do we do things for ourselves or for others? Are there true consequences for our actions?”

The Polk Museum of Art is located at 800 E. Palmetto St.