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CategoryHow Are Today’s Philosophers Philosophical?
In a recent live interview, Tyler Cowen (GMU) asks Elijah Millgram (Utah), “To what extent do you think philosophers today are even still philosophical, in the true sense of that word?” (more…)
Optimism about Metaphysics (and Philosophy in General)
Is there reason to be optimistic about progress in metaphysics? Jessica Wilson (Toronto) thinks so. (more…)
Found: a Key to Understanding Hobbes’ Influence on Locke (and Locke’s Character)
A recent discovery casts new light on the influence of Thomas Hobbes on John Locke, and on the kind of person Locke was. (more…)
Jargon for Trouble (guest post by Maximilian Noichl)
The following guest post* was prompted by last week’s inquiry about whether philosophy papers with more jargony titles get cited less. Maximilian Noichl (University of Vienna), whose work has been featured at Daily Nous before, turned to the question over the past weekend, and describes his findings below. (more…)
The Philosophy Profession, Mid-20th Century
It has been known for some time that there would be few openings for people receiving their Ph.D. degree in philosophy this spring. But how dire their prospects are was not really brought home to us until last week when the Western Division of the American Philosophical Association met in Ann Arbor. (more…)
Philosophy, Imagination, Muscle, Bone, and Science
“My conception of my work doesn’t entail that I think philosophy, in the aggregate, is without practical significance. Quite the opposite. Any institution that encourages imagination and dissolves ignorance is of the first practical importance, and academic philosophy can certainly play a role in that, though one of course wishes the enterprise were less cloistered ..
New Fallacy Examples Sought for AI Project
Journal of the History of Philosophy 2020 Best Article Prize
The Journal of the History of Philosophy has announced that the winner of its 2020 Best Article Prize is Jari Kaukua, professor of philosophy at the University of Jyväskylä. (more…)
New: The Philosopher & The News Podcast
“The Philosopher & The News” is a new podcast of conversations with philosophers to discuss “the ideas hidden behind the biggest news stories.” (more…)
Harvard Declines to Consider Cornel West for Tenure (Updated)
Cornel West is threatening to leave his position at Harvard University following a decision by university officials to not honor his request that he be considered for tenure, according to The Boston Globe. (more…)
Andreas Teuber (1942-2021)
Andreas Teuber, associate professor of philosophy at Brandeis University, has died. (more…)
Understanding Trans-Exclusionary Rhetoric in Philosophy with Help from J.K. Rowling
An insightful and entertaining video that explains why some of J.K. Rowling’s writings and statements are transphobic, and does so in a way that expresses some sympathy for Rowling, may be very useful to those seeking to understand accusations of transphobia in philosophy (and bigotry more generally).
Philosophers On Access to Medicine
Three philosophers discuss some of the moral and political questions involved in providing access to medicine and medical care in this edition of Philosophers On. (more…)
2020 PhilPapers Survey Begins
In 2009, the PhilPapers team—David Bourget of the University of Western Ontario and David Chalmers of New York University—conducted a survey of the views of professional philosophers in the English-speaking world. How have those views changed in the past 11 years? (more…)
Bad Arguments Against Teaching Chinese Philosophy
“ME: Have you considered teaching Chinese philosophy in your department?
COLLEAGUE: Philosophy is by definition the tradition that goes back to Greece…” (more…)
Virginia Tech Hires Six
The Department of Philosophy at Virginia Tech is beginning its 2020-21 academic year with six new faculty members. (more…)
Geography of Philosophy Project Wins Additional Funding
The Geography of Philosophy project, launched in 2017 with a $2.6 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation, has recieved an additional $546,777 from the foundation to “enable Project teams around the world to transition to online data collection and continue the Project’s cutting edge, in depth studies, despite the disruptions caused by the global Covid-19 p..
Ending Face-to-Face Instruction Before Thanksgiving Break
Earlier this month we looked at the University of South Carolina’s plan to offer in-person courses this coming fall term. The university has now updated its plans by announcing a change to the fall term schedule. (more…)
Courses at McGill this Fall: “Primarily Through Remote Delivery Platforms”
McGill University announced today that most teaching there in Fall 2020 will be done remotely, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)
Coronavirus & Philosophy Department Events, Visits, Talks
A reader has asked I create a post that can serve as a place for people to share information about how the coronavirus is affecting events in philosophy departments, including visits from prospective graduate students, small workshops, and guest lectures. (more…)
A Strange List of “Great Value” Colleges for Undergraduate Philosophy Degrees (Updated)
A website called “Great Value Colleges” has published a list of “100 Great Value Colleges for Philosophy Degrees (Bachelor’s) for 2020.” (more…)
John Dewey Research Center To Be Established In Shanghai
East China Normal University in Shanghai will be the home of a new philosophy research center focused on John Dewey. (more…)
Less Frequent Posting
This is just to let readers know I expect posting to be lighter over the next week.
Do Professors Penalize Conservative Students?
“There’s been a lot of talk lately about self-censorship on campus. According to one popular theory, conservative students censor themselves because they believe that if they state their true views, they will get a lower grade. This theory is true.” (more…)
Mini-Heap
Here’s the latest Mini-Heap! (more…)
Philosophers Win Large ERC Consolidator Grants (updated)
The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the winners of its sizable “Consolidator Grants”, and several philosophers are among them. (more…)
Halloween Costumes of Famous Philosophers
Happy Halloween! If well-known philosophers were to dress up for Halloween in what they’d think are scary costumes, what would their costumes be? (more…)
Hearing Clears Cop Who Ordered Strip Search of Philosopher (update: police apologize to & compensate philosopher)
In May of 2013, Konstancja “Koshka” Duff, then a PhD student at the University of Sussex and now a lecturer at the University of Nottingham, was arrested for handing a 15-year old a card with legal advice and contact information for legal aid services on it. (more…)