Thoreau To Be On US Postal Stamp
The United States Postal Service will be issuing a postal stamp commemorating philosopher Henry David Thoreau. The stamp was designed by Greg Breeding and features a portrait of Thoreau by Sam Weber based on an 1856 daguerreotype by Benjamin Maxham. It looks like this: (more…)
APA Issues Statement to Support March for Science
The Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association (APA) has issued a statement in support of the March for Science, a demonstration taking place next month which “champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity” and which calls for “science that upholds the common good and for political leaders an..
A Grassroots Organizing Network Among Philosophers (guest post by Todd May)
The following is a guest post* by Todd May, Class of 1941 Memorial Professor of Philosophy at Clemson University, in which proposes the creation of a grassroots organizing network among philosophers and invites other philosophers to consider joining. (more…)
Series of Public Philosophy Events in Wales
The Institute for Art and Ideas (IAI), which in the past has hosted an enormous summer philosophy and arts festival, is taking a break from that extravaganza to put on a series of smaller events, beginning in April, and has offered a discount to Daily Nous readers. (more…)
Ulrike Heuer from Leeds to UCL
Ulrike Heuer, currently associate professor of philosophy at University of Leeds, will become Reader in philosophy at University College London.
Online Philosophy Resources Weekly Update
Below is the weekly report on what’s new at several online philosophy resources. We currently check the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP), Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews (NDPR), Wi-Phi, and 1000-Word Philosophy for updates. (more…)
University 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..
What Kinds of Universities Lack Philosophy Departments? Some Data (guest post by Eric Schwitzgebel)
The following is a guest post* by Eric Schwitzgebel (University of California, Riverside) that gathers data about the kinds of colleges and universities in the United States that have or lack philosophy departments and a philosophy major program. A version of this post was originally published at his blog, The Splintered Mind.
Marilyn McCord Adams (1943-2017)
Marilyn McCord Adams, a philosopher who held appointments at Rutgers University, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Yale University, UCLA, and Oxford (as the first and only woman to be the Regius Professor of Divinity), has died. (more…)
Grad Student Asks: How To Switch Departments? (Ought Experiment)
Welcome back to Ought Experiment, the column by Dear Ida that offers personal advice for your academic life. Today’s letter is from a graduate student seeking advice on moving from one department to another. (more…)
Chaospet (Daily Nous Philosophy Comics)
Chaospet
by Ryan Lake
Long Profile of Daniel Dennett
The New Yorker has published a lengthy article about Daniel Dennett (Tufts), by Joshua Rathman. “Daniel Dennett’s Science of the Soul” delves into the Dennett’s biography and describes some of the philosophical disputes in which his views have been central. (more…)
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…)
Susanne Foster (1962-2017)
Susanne E. Foster, associate professor of philosophy and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences at Marquette University, died on Saturday, March 18 at the age of 55. Prior to her appointment at Marquette, Professor Foster taught at the University of Notre Dame, where she received her PhD (under the direction of Alasdair McIntyre). Sh..
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…)
Academics Author Statement on Freedom of Thought and Expression
Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Professor of Politics at Princeton University, and Cornel R. West, Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard Divinity School have jointly authored “Truth Seeking, Democracy, and Freedom of Thought and Expression,” a public statement in favor of civil discourse and respectful disagreement on u..
To φ Or Not To φ (Daily Nous Philosophy Comics)
To φ Or Not To φ
by Tanya Kostochka