Mini-Heap
New links…
Discussion welcome.
- “NASA needs to embrace philosophy so that it can better explain what it is doing and why to the public and itself” — G. Ryan Faith on the need for systematic thinking about the “wide range of societal impacts, ethical considerations, and inspirational elements ” that arise from NASA’s research and exploration. Plus: an upcoming online discussion on how philosophy can help NASA consider humanity’s future in space and develop its vision for exploring the cosmos.
- “People report being quite happy on average… but their estimates for how happy most people are are quite low.” Why? — “a problem-solving orientation in conversation may inadvertently lead to problems being massively over-represented in public discourse,” argues Kevin Dorst (MIT)
- “The question is how far the autonomy and individualism that define aesthetic life can thrive on a limited menu of recycled options” — Kieran Setiya (MIT) on aesthetic value in an era of aesthetic stagnation
- The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science is seeking a new co-editor-in-chief — the journal is hoping to have someone starting in the position by January 1st, 2025
- Telling the story of mental illness, suicide, and trauma in philosopher’s childhood in Australia — a profile of Raimond Gaita (King’s College London)
- The BBC’s “In Our Time” on Philippa Foot — with Sophie Grace Chappell (Open), Anil Gomes (Oxford), and Rachael Wiseman (Liverpool)
- “[The] distinction between hoping and hopefulness has vast implications about what it is to hope, what it is to lose hope and what it takes to recover hope” — Jack M.C. Kwong (Appalachian State) on hope and despair
Mini-Heap posts usually appear when 7 or so new items accumulate in the Heap of Links, a collection of items from around the web that may be of interest to philosophers.
The Heap of Links consists partly of suggestions from readers; if you find something online that you think would be of interest to the philosophical community, please send it in for consideration for the Heap. Thank you.
For anyone who hasn’t listened to In Our Time before, Bragg has been broadcasting episodes focused on philosophy for years. Many of them are excellent, with distinguished guests regularly appearing on the program. If you can’t access the BBC from your country, try using a VPN.