philosophy
TagUniversity of Zagreb Philosophy Under Threat (Updated)
The Division of Philosophy in the University of Zagreb‘s Department for Croatian Studies is under threat of closure, according to the text of a petition circulating online. (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..
Sexual Harassment, Assault, and Retaliation Lawsuit Against John Searle
John Searle, the Willis S. and Marion Slusser Professor Emeritus of the Philosophy of Mind and Language at the University of California, Berkeley, is being sued for sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation by a former female Berkeley undergraduate who worked for him as an assistant at the John Searle Center for Social Ontology. (more…)
When Philosophers’ Skepticism Sacrifices Other Intellectual Values
The following is an excerpt from “Degenerate Skepticism and the Thieves of Philosophy” by Amy Olberding (University of Oklahoma), an essay presented at a recent meeting of the American Philosophical Association (APA) and posted at her blog, Department of Deviance. Though written in regards to the reception of Chinese philosophy in today’s profession, it elucidates a..
Philosophers Explain Gorsuch’s Philosophy
Judge for the Tenth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals and Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has a doctorate in philosophy from Oxford University, having written a thesis for his D. Phil under the supervision of John Finnis, known for his defense of “natural law” theory. (more…)
How Socratic Was Socrates?
Adversarialism, eh? Alright then, to start I want to point out that philosophers have been pushing this macho schtick from the beginning. Socrates is indeed their hero; if only they could do what he does, whether it be reducing their debating partners to silence or, even better, extracting succinct concessions to their intellectual superiority: “Yes, Socrates,” “You..
Protecting Philosophy from Budget Cuts
This week’s Chronicle of Higher Education has three pieces on protecting philosophy departments from budget cuts. All currently paywalled, they include an interview with Amy E. Ferrer, Executive Director of the American Philosophical Association (APA), an article on “how to help your department avoid the ax,” and some tips on supporting philosophy on campus. (more…)..
Online Philosophy Resources Weekly Update
We’ve added a new site to the Online Philosophy Resources Weekly Update. Now, in addition to hearing about what’s new at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP), Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews (NDPR), and Wi-Phi, you’ll also get the rundown on new entries at 1000-Word Philosophy.
If you think there are other regul..
“Brain Hurt” and Other Student Descriptions of Philosophy
Every once in a while a student will make some remark about philosophy (or about reading or writing philosophy, or about a philosophy course) that perfectly captures an aspect of it in an interesting or new or funny way. Sometimes these are in the form of complaints that their professors take as compliments, e.g., “this course makes my brain hurt.” Sometimes they ar..
Upcoming Sitcom Based on Recent Philosophy Book
Fox Broadcasting Company is in the process of developing a new comedy television series based on the book, Assholes: A Theory, by philosopher Aaron James (UC Irvine). The show will be called Type-A, reports TV Line (via Splitsider). (more…)
A Philosopher Runs for City Council
Matt Johnson is finishing up his dissertation in philosophy at Temple University, is teaching several courses as an adjunct professor, and is now running for city council in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (more…)
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…)
The Gender Gap In Philosophy (guest post by Morgan Thompson)
The following is a guest post* by Morgan Thompson (Pittsburgh) on explanations of the gender gap in philosophy. It covers some of the material discussed in her recently published “Explanations of the gender gap in philosophy” in Philosophy Compass.
Ruth Millikan Wins 2017 Schock Prize
Ruth Millikan, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut, is the winner of the 2017 Rolf Shock Prize in Logic and Philosophy. The prize, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (the same organization that awards the Nobel prizes), is 500,000 Swedish krona, or approximately $55,000. (more…)
Nationalism, Universalism, & Diversity in Philosophy (guest post by Bharath Vallabha)
The following is a guest post* from Bharath Vallabha, former assistant professor of philosophy at Bryn Mawr College. In it, he raises questions about the relationship between the geopolitical location of a philosophy department and the philosophical work done in it.
Online Philosophy Resources Weekly Update
Here is the weekly report of what’s new at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP), Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews (NDPR), and Wi-Phi. (more…)
Philosophical Photography
The Rotman Institute of Philosophy at Western University recently announced the winner of its Philosophical Photography Contest. It’s Jenny Gillett, for her photo, “Identity,” above. The contest asked people to submit photos that “somehow managed to capture an abstract philosophical concept.” (more…)
German Publisher De Gruyter Fires Philosophy Editor, Eliminates Philosophy Dept (Updated)
Walter De Gruyter, the large German academic publishing firm responsible for a variety of philosophical publications, including the Kant and Leibniz Academy editions, the complete works of Nietzsche, and authoritative editions of many other canonical authors, along with many journals, has fired its longtime philosophy editor, Dr. Gertrud Grünkorn, and has eliminated..
2017 QS Philosophy Rankings Released
London-based education firm Quacquarelli Symonds has published its annual “QS World University Rankings,” The Guardian reports, including a ranking of universities at which to study philosophy. (more…)
Zalta Wins 2016 Barwise Prize
Edward Zalta, senior research scholar at the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University and creator of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, has won the American Philosophical Association’s 2016 K. Jon Barwise Prize. (more…)
On Philosophy’s Uselessness to Society
In “Publishing in Philosophy,” Michael Huemer, professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado, provides an abundance of detailed and helpful advice about writing and publishing philosophical work. He also includes several criticisms of the refereeing system and some suggestions for fixing it. Along the way is an interesting discussion of philosophy’s uselessn..
On Not Being Able To Imagine Being Satisfied Doing Anything Else
The rhetoric that describes philosophy as a kind of special calling has always struck me as smuggling in much overdetermined sociology. The most irritating version of this to me is the claim that one ought not pursue philosophy unless “one cannot imagine any other satisfying or worthwhile life for oneself.” (more…)
How Does Your Department Count Grant Writing?
Writing a grant—that is, applying for one—can be an extraordinarily laborious exercise, requiring the creation and packaging of academic work, the completion of various administrative tasks such as crafting a budget and obtaining required institutional approvals, the coordination of academics across multiple schools, consultations with funding agencies, and so o..
Hiring Departments: Don’t Do This
A philosophy department hiring this year publicly announced who it hired (a) before it had received a signed contract from the candidate and (b) without first asking the candidate. Hiring departments, don’t do this. (more…)
Service Learning in Philosophy Courses
A reader has asked for suggestions about how to incorporate service learning into undergraduate philosophy courses.
“Service learning” is a combination of learning and community service. Students partake in activities to directly or indirectly help members of their community in ways that reinforce or enhance what they’re learning in the classroom. (more…)
Cathy Legg Moves from Waikato to Deakin
Catherine Legg, previously at the University of Waikato, will take up the position of Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, from March 2017. (more…)
Hopes For Your Philosophy Book — Its Sensible Ideas And Its Mistakes
Joseph Raz, professor of philosophy and law at Columbia University and Kings College, London, has written reflections on his well-known and nearly 30 year-old The Morality of Freedom for a collection of critical essays by others on it, forthcoming in the Jersualem Review of Legal Studies. Rather than engage point-by-point with the criticisms the other contributors ..
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…)