News
CategoryA Philosophy Department Is Born
The University of California, Merced now has a Philosophy Department. (more…)
Israeli Philosophers Oppose Government’s Anti-Democratic “Reforms” (updated)
Over 100 Israeli philosophers have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the nation’s Minister of Justice, Yariv Levin, expressing concern about recently advanced legal changes. (more…)
Retired Philosophy Professor Gifts $300,000 to Fund Lecture Series
Robert Louden, who recently retired from his position as professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Southern Maine (USM), gave his department $300,000 to endow a lecture series. (more…)
R. Lanier Anderson Elected APA Board Chair
The Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association (APA), at its Fall 2022 meeting, elected R. Lanier Anderson (Stanford) as its next Chair. (more…)
Why a Philosopher’s Racist Email from 26 Years Ago is News Today
Influential Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom, well-known for his work on philosophical questions related to ethics, the future, and technology (existential risk, artificial intelligence, simulation), posted an apology for a blatantly racist email he sent to a listserv 26 years ago. (more…)
Wild Animal Welfare Program Launches at NYU
New York University has launched a new interdisciplinary program to support, coordinate, and disseminate research about the well-being of wild animals. (more…)
Iranian Philosophy PhD Student Reportedly Beaten to Death by Security Forces During Protest
According to Iran International, a Persian news channel, “Iranian PhD candidate Nasrin Ghaderi, 35, who was studying philosophy in Tehran died on Saturday after being beaten by security forces with baton during Friday protests.” (more…)
A Philosophical Note #for Mahsa: Fighting for Truth in an Epistemologically Polluted Area (guest post)
On September 13th, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested in Tehran by the “Guidance Patrol” or “morality police” for allegedly not wearing a hijab properly. A few days later, she died in police custody “under suspicious circumstances, due to police brutality according to witnesses.” In the weeks since, large protests have taken place across Iran and elsewhere to cond..
Philosophy News Share: August 2022
As mentioned in my Summer 2022 Plans, to help keep readers up to date with what’s happening in the philosophy world this summer, I’ll be be creating a space each month for individuals and institutions to share news. (more…)
Philosophy News Share: July 2022
As mentioned in my Summer 2022 Plans, to help keep readers up to date with what’s happening in the philosophy world this summer, I’ll be be creating a space each month for individuals and institutions to share news. (more…)
Philosophy News Share: June 2022
As mentioned in my Summer 2022 Plans, to help keep readers up to date with what’s happening in the philosophy world this summer, I’ll be be creating a space each month for individuals and institutions to share news. (more…)
Philosophy News Share: End of May, 2022
As mentioned in my Summer 2022 Plans, to help keep readers up to date with philosophy news this summer, I’ll be be creating a space each month for individuals and institutions to share news. (more…)
Shawnee State Settles with Philosophy Professor Who Refused To Use Student’s Preferred Pronouns
After Shawnee State University philosophy professor Nicholas Meriwether refused, in 2018, to address a student by their preferred pronouns (see previous post), the university placed a warning in his file saying he violated the school’s nondiscrimination policy. (more…)
Ukraine/Russia Open Thread
This post is for the discussion of various aspects of Russia’s war on Ukraine, as well as links to various materials, including (but not limited to) commentary from philosophers and other scholars, interviews and news reports of interest, resources for following developments, measures taken to assist Ukrainian scholars and others, and so on. (more…)
Stefan Heßbrüggen-Walter Resigns from Russia’s Higher School of Economics
Stefan Heßbrüggen-Walter has resigned from his position as associate professor of philosophy with tenure at National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow, with a letter publicly excoriating the university administration and others for their behavior in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (more…)
Ways to Help Ukraine
Daniel (Daniil) M. Ozernyi of Northwestern University writes:
I am a Ukrainian. I am sure you are aware of the situation which befell my country over the last few days. (more…)
Belarusian Philosopher, Imprisoned Since August, Is Now on Hunger Strike
Uladzimir Mackievič (Matskevich), a philosopher in Belarus who has been critical of Alexander Lukashenko, the country’s longtime dictator, has been in prison since last August, charged with “organizing of actions that grossly violate public order.” Owing to lack of progress with his case, he began a hunger strike on February 4th. (more…)
Former Postdoc Allegedly Threatens Philosophy Department (several updates)
A former postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) yesterday by email made “general threats… against the philosophy department and members of it,” according to a message circulated in the department. (more…)
2021 In Review
This is the end, philosofriends…
bell hooks (1952-2021) and the Canon
Gloria Jean Watkins, the writer better known as bell hooks, died earlier this week. (more…)
Immanuel Kant’s Critical Race Theory
Immanuel Kant is in the news today following the discovery that he basically invented critical race theory. (more…)
Experimenting with Higher Education (updated)
A new university is being created by a group of academics and media personalities who, unlike you and your university, care about the truth: (more…)
Kathleen Stock Resigns from Sussex
Kathleen Stock has resigned from her position as professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex. (more…)
Philosophy Professor Claims To Be Threatened With Dismissal for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine
Julie Ponesse, a philosophy professor at Western University’s Huron College, says in a video that she is facing “imminent dismissal” by the university for her refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19. (more…)
University to Faculty Concerned about Covid: “Beg”
“We are discouraged from “sharing Covid data that is not related to the course.” Presumably, nattering on about the state’s overburdened hospitals, worn-down physicians, and increasing death counts might constitute “pressure,” and faculty “should not pressure students to get vaccinated or wear a mask.” The most we can do is “encourage.” In practice, these guidelines..
Biden Nominates Amy Gutmann as Ambassador to Germany
Political theorist Amy Gutmann, currently President of the University of Pennsylvania, has been nominated by President Joseph Biden to be the next U.S. ambassador to Germany.
PSA Joins ACLS
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), a non-profit federation of scholarly associations that, among other things, provides research funding for academics, has added the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA) as a member organization. (more…)
$2 Million Gift Endows Kierkegaard Chair at St. Olaf
The Department of Philosophy at St. Olaf College will soon have a new endowed position—the Kierkegaard Chair in Christian Philosophy—thanks to a $2 million gift to the school. (more…)