Philosofict

April 2, 2014

Philosofict is a free online magazine of philosophical fiction and poetry. Editor Ellie Farnsworth writes to tell me that the magazine “gives philosophers an avenue for creative release.” The second issue just came out.

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Heap of Links

What is the debate over whether transwomen are women even about? — Katie Zhou argues that it's about which facts are granted "the cross-contextual significance and stickiness characteristic of gender"
We’re putting human brain cells into mice brains — One moral risk of this, says Mackenzie Graham, is a decrease in our ability to interpret what mice behavior tells us about their experiences and welfare
The Rawls Game — with instructions, background, advice, and downloadable character cards
“The central question would shift from ‘How do we maximize shareholder value?’ to ‘How do different forms of organization distribute power, risk and reward — and which should we strengthen?'” — Chris Marquis on the case for abolishing, or at least radically changing, business schools
Asking “How did I get here?” may help us reflect on the nature of personal identity in ways that asking “Who am I?” cannot — Marya Schechtman's 2024 Central Division Meeting Presidential Address
“Collecting is a game, but what kind of game? It is an imperfect information game of acquisition” — a theory of collecting, from Steven Hales
“A general human tendency: to overestimate how far we have come in the progress of human knowledge” — a lengthy interview with Thomas Nagel
“Many couples do not survive trauma like this” — A profile of Susan Brison—who was brutally attacked in 1990, and who wrote about it in Aftermath—and her husband, Thomas Trezise, who has now written his own book stemming from those events
“Bad AI Consciousness Takes” Bingo Card — Henry Shevlin's area of specialization is becoming a popular topic in popular discourse, and he can't stand the "cavalcade of terrible takes"
Does the principle of sufficient reason imply panpsychism? If it does, do we then ponens or tollens? — Sam Kimpton-Nye on these questions and the "demand for intelligibility"
PTSD flashbacks may be harmful, but they may also be helpfully “resupplying phenomenal experience” to those who, owing to trauma, are “grasp alienated” — Michaela McSweeney on trauma and "madness-as-strategy"
A look at the very first issue of Mind — Brett Mullins surveys its articles on the occasion of the journal's 150th anniversary
The most bizarre plagiarism-related story ever — featuring: a death, an investigator, a dissertation, a mysterious red book, and more
New data on earnings by major and university — though not all universities
“AI poses two different existential threats to [our] valuing practices” — Jordan MacKenzie offers an account of why negative judgments about AI taking over our creative and caring activities are justified
“Submission” is a humorous clicker-style game about starting a career in academic philosophy (or not) — created by Nat Hansen
“The best investment in education is to become the most human human—a challenging, fulfilling, exciting pursuit that connects us across generations” — an interview with Christa Acampora, philosopher and dean of Arts & Sciences at UVA
“What would happen if we tried to live without the mythology of agency at all?” — It's worth pondering, since "agency is just an internal command hallucination," says Alexander Douglas
“Reading List” is a free Mac app for keeping track of papers to read — philosophy PhD student Hayden Kajercline created this productivity tool for researchers, with help from Claude
How should we react to scary predictions about AI? “First: by asking questions” — "If you believe predictions uncritically, it amounts to obeying in advance," says Carissa Véliz

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Because the alternative (working out yourself how to explain material well to students) is part of your job.
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Building a wardrobe with adaptable outerwear makes everyday styling more enjoyable. Veste Essentials can complement different fashion preferences, whether you like clean minimalist outfits or a more relaxed…
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I just ran into a new facet of these debates, and I am uncertain about how to deal with it, but I needed to get it off my…
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Thanks, Sam, for bringing up this important issue regarding the sources of research funding. Many readers may not have the time or background knowledge to look into this.…
Xan Bozzo on Putting the Pub in Public Philosophy
I have hosted a Philosophers’ Cafe at a local for years at UW-Green Bay and now at UW-Stout. Very popular. See here: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-leadership/provosts-office/uw-stout-centers/center-applied-ethics
Tenured Realist on AI Use in STEM and Philosophy Dissertations
The examples are all things I've recently heard colleagues mention. Institutions are increasingly providing integrated AI tools for faculty to use in their work (e.g. a colleague mentioned…
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I've never quite understood philosophers being so worried about the sources of funding for philosophy… hardly anyone funds philosophy, and as long as they are not making the…
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Inspiring to see talented researchers focusing on these important questions!
Claire Katz on Calls for Papers / Grants / Etc.
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True, true. And it should be clear that I appreciate your series and what it represents. It's understandable to want to present interesting examples that deviate from online…
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Great comment, Max.
Richard Y Chappell on New Philosophy of AI Initiatives
I'd welcome more disciplinary attention to the question of what issues are "more important"; that's precisely the sort of question global priorities research aims to address. I don't…
AGT on New Philosophy of AI Initiatives
Just a thought: What the corporations are doing with AI seem to be self-defeating though also in this regard. If they do create artificial beings, chance is those…
Kate on New Philosophy of AI Initiatives
Fantastic news, godspeed to all involved
Teruji Thomas on New Philosophy of AI Initiatives
Here is the ad for the jobs at the LSE (two four-year postdocs): https://jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/5138/0/475866/15539/research-officers-for-the-global-priorities-research-group-gprg Two notes from the ad: "The ability to produce research related to…transformative artificial intelligence…