Philosophical Op-Ed Contest Winners Announced
The American Philosophical Association (APA) has announced the winners of its 2017 Public Philosophy Op-Ed Contest.
They are:
- Katalin Balog (Rutgers-Newark), for “‘Son of Saul,’ Kierkegaard and the Holocaust,” The Stone (The New York Times)
- Andrew Fiala (Fresno State), “Without Faith in Humanity, Cynicism Grows and Democracy Becomes Mob-Rule,” The Fresno Bee Newspaper
- David V. Johnson (writer, editor, journalist), “A Democracy Deficit Plagues the U.S. and the European Union,” Aeon
- Ian Olasov (CUNY), “How Did ‘All Lives Matter’ Come to Oppose ‘Black Lives Matter’? A Philosopher of Language Weighs In,” Slate
- Michael Robillard (Oxford) and Bradley Strawser (Naval Postgraduate School), “Are Soldiers Morally Exploited?” Ethical War Blog (Stockholm Centre for the Ethics of War and Peace)
The contest aims “to honor five standout pieces that successfully blend philosophical argumentation with an op-ed writing style.” It is run by the APA’s Committee on Public Philosophy. Winners receive $100 each.
More information here.
Reading Fiala’s nice essay, I’m trying to resist feeling a bit slighted as I work out the possible implications of the penultimate remark :
“The democratic faith is a commitment to make a world in which intelligent cooperation produces humane outcomes. Without that faith, we might as well move to Canada” Report
Congratulations to the winners. More philosophers need to offer such comments. I tend to letters to editors rather than op Ed, which these pieces inspire me to try in our local papers. I especially, considering myself a liberal independent, would like my conservative colleagues to make their voices heard. The more discussion and debate, the healthier our democracy.Report