Public Philosophy and Outreach

An Excellent Public Philosopher

“Philosophy always causes offense—perhaps it should cause offense,” says philosopher Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University, in a recent interview, below. (more…)

Public Philosophy Via Facebook Check-Ins

Here’s an interesting way of using technology to bring philosophy to the people:

(more…)

APA Issues Statement On Valuing Public Philosophy

The American Philosophical Association (APA) has issued a statement supporting public philosophy and urging philosophy departments to consider recognizing work in public philosophy not just as service, but also, when fitting, as teaching or research. Here’s the statement:

(more…)

Errol Morris vs. Thomas Kuhn

The latest episode of the consistently fascinating Hi-Phi Nation, “The Ashes of Truth” is about looking back at one’s earlier choices and thinking of what could have been had you made different ones. Among those interviewed for the episode is acclaimed filmmaker Errol Morris, and he has some interesting things to say about Thomas Kuhn. (more…)

New Public Philosophy Podcast: The Owl

The Owl is a new public philosophy podcast from the Brooklyn Public Philosophers (BKPP). Ian Olasov, a philosophy graduate student at CUNY who coordinates events for BKPP, writes: (more…)

Taking Public Philosophy Seriously (guest post by Adam Hosein)

The following is a guest post * by Adam Hosein, associate professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado. A version of this post initially appeared at Philosopher, a site at which philosophers are invited to describe their work. Thanks to Meena Krishnamurthy, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Michigan and editor of Philosopher, for permiss..

New Philosophy Podcast on Politics and Public Discourse

Why We Argue is a new, interview-based podcast “that explores the triumphs and disasters of American political conversation.” It is hosted by Robert Talisse, professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University and is part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project directed by Michael Lynch, professor of philosophy at the University of Connecticut. (more…)..

Philosophy for the Public: With or Without Gimmicks?

Freelance philosopher and writer Nigel Warburton, whom you may know from Philosophy Bites, is prompted by the occasion of a straightforward interview with a philosopher in the mainstream media (Daniel Dennett on BBC Radio 4) to observe how rare it is, and then, in a series of tweets, come up with increasingly ridiculous pitches for TV and radio producers about how ..

Series of Public Philosophy Events in Wales

The Institute for Art and Ideas (IAI), which in the past has hosted an enormous summer philosophy and arts festival, is taking a break from that extravaganza to put on a series of smaller events, beginning in April, and has offered a discount to Daily Nous readers. (more…)

“Free Philosophy Project” Brings Philosophy To The Homeless

Boston University philosophy major Clarinda Blais has created a program, the Free Philosophy Project, that brings philosophy discussions to homeless shelters. The project, which has been running for about a year and a half, began at the women’s center at St. Francis House, a day shelter in Boston, and has now spread to eleven shelters in the Boston area, reports The..

New Philosophy Program on BBC Radio

Barry Smith, professor of philosophy and director of the Institute of Philosophy at the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, is the co-host, with composer and sound designer Nick Ryan, of a new series on BBC Radio 4 called “The Uncommon Senses.” (more…)

Association for Practical & Professional Ethics Moves to DePauw

The Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE), a “comprehensive, international organization advancing scholarship, education, and practice in practical and professional ethics,” will be moving from its current institutional home at Indiana University to the Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University. (more…)

Innovations in Philosophical Events: The Dance Dialog

The Logos Dance Collective is

a fluctuating assemblage comprised of dancers, choreographers, musicians, composers, designers, cartographers, and philosophers, rebels against disciplinary constraints as it investigates how ideas that are typically relegated to the ivory tower—ideas about the limits of human knowledge, the nature of consciousness, the moral and ..

What Should Humanities Institutes Do?

What should humanities institutes at universities do? Among other things, “prompt general efforts toward identifying the varied roles that the humanities can play in 21st-century society,” says Robert Frodeman, a philosopher at the University of North Texas, in an essay at Inside Higher Ed. He argues that institutes should focus on the future and relevance of the hu..

30 All-Night Philosophy Parties Around The World This Weekend

Thirty French consulates around the world are sponsoring all-night philosophy parties this weekend. The “Night of Ideas” events are free and open to the public, and will feature philosophical discussions and debates, readings, film screenings, musical performances, and more, according to Quartz. (more…)

Philosophy of Science Summer Program for Underrepresented Groups

The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh will be hosting a summer program in philosophy of science for undergraduate students from underrepresented groups this July. (more…)

From Prison in Illinois to Publication in The New Yorker with Help from a Philosophy Professor

Fifteen inmates at Statesville Correctional Center in Illinois took a course on mass incarceration with Northwestern University philosophy professor Jennifer Lackey. It was an interdisciplinary course with a range of guest lecturers, including Alex Kotlowitz, a writer and a senior lecturer in journalism at Northwestern. He gave them an assignment to write about thei..

Philosophy In An Inclusive Key

Philosophy In An Inclusive Key, or PIKSI, is a philosophy summer program “designed to encourage undergraduates from underrepresented groups to consider future study in the field of philosophy.” (more…)

Is This The Breakthrough Philosophy Podcast?

Barry Lam, associate professor of philosophy at Vassar College and a fellow at Duke University has been working on a new philosophy audio program called Hi-Phi Nation (previously). Here’s his pitch:

What if there were a platform where philosophers can collaborate with investigative or beat reporters, nonfiction writers and documentary producers, and use the power..

What Philosophical Term or Concept Should Be More Widely Known?

Each year, Edge.org publishes responses to an “annual question.” This year’s question is “What scientific term of concept ought to be more widely known?” There are 206 responses, with a number of philosophers among the respondents.

Here are a few examples, to give you a sense of the variety: (more…)

More Funding To Study Effects on Teaching Kids Philosophy

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), an independent charity in the United Kingdom, has awarded a £1.2 million ($1.46 million) grant to SAPERE for it to expand and study its Philosophy For Children (P4C) program, according to Schools Week. (more…)

How To Teach Philosophy In Comedy Clubs (Guest Post by Michael Connell)

The following is a guest post * by Michael Connell, an Australian comedian. Connell has a thing for philosophy, especially Stoicism, which he incorporates into his act (e.g., “How you think shapes how you feel. What I’m saying is that if you don’t enjoy this show, it’s your fault.”). I asked him to talk about his work and conveying philosophical ideas to non-philosop..

What Does The Public Call What We Call “Public Philosophy”?

We are accumulating a large list of philosophers who do public philosophy in the comments to “Who Does Public Philosophy?” It is great to see that so many academics are involved in bringing philosophy to people outside their classrooms and peer groups, and especially heartening to see so many names on that list of people who haven’t been much mentioned before in the..

Who Does Public Philosophy?

The American Philosophical Association’s Committee on Public Philosophy is compiling a list of philosophers who have careers doing public philosophy, either exclusively or concurrently with careers in academic philosophy, and can use your help in identifying them.

There are a variety of ways to do public philosophy, so to be more specific, the committee is lookin..

Philosophy of War Audio Miniseries Available

A new philosophy show is in the works, and its creator has made three of its episodes—which together make up a miniseries on the philosophy of war—available to anyone teaching a course to which they would be relevant. (more…)