Philosophy and Politics

Israel, Hamas, and “Blowback” (guest post)

“The proportionality constraint is backward-looking in the following sense: to determine how bad a prospective harm is for a potential innocent victim, we sometimes need to look at what that victim has suffered in the past, and whether we’re responsible for what they’ve suffered” as well as “whether we should have acted differently in the past thereby avoiding the n..

Proportionality, Psychic Harm, and the Day After (guest post)

“Once we count psychic harm, it looks like Israel’s war might be proportional. But it could be proportional only if the Israelis aren’t imposing on basically all Gazans a greater psychic burden than the psychic burden that Israelis hope to avoid,” which could be the case “if Israel takes it upon itself, as soon as possible, to reassure the Gazans that Gaza will not ..

Condemnations, Moral Guidance, and Gaza (guest post)

“The absence of moral guidance by philosophical condemners conveys that they do not think of Israelis as friends whom they want to morally improve. Perhaps, worse, it reflects the sense that there is something morally improper about providing Israelis with guidance and advice…” (more…)

There Is No Military Objective In Gaza (guest post)

“There is no feasible or achievable military goal, legitimate or otherwise, for Israel’s bloody campaign in Gaza.” (more…)

Israel & Hamas: Another Letter, Another Critical Response (updated)

As mentioned in an update to this post, a group of philosophers posted an open letter, dated November 1, 2023, under the heading “Philosophy for Palestine.” (more…)

Philosophy & Activism (guest post)

While some people have argued that political activism is in tension with academic inquiry (here, for example), there have been plenty of well-regarded scholars who have engaged in such activism, including in philosophy. (more…)

Arizona’s Legislative Attempt to Recruit Philosophers to Alter State’s K-12 Curriculum

While considering the state budget bill for 2021-22, the Arizona House of Representatives last month approved an amendment to it that would have required the state’s Board of Education to work with the University of Arizona’s Center for the Philosophy of Freedom and others to develop a civic education standards for high schools emphasizing “the blessings of liberty”..

Scottish Newspaper: Philosophy is a “Vaccine” Against Future Trumps

The Scotsman, one of Scotland’s leading newspapers, called for a greater emphasis on philosophy in education, saying “we need to vaccinate ourselves against the virulent lies of people like Trump and the best way to do that is to teach the wisdom of Socrates and co to our children.” (more…)

Danielle Allen Considering Running for Governor of Massachusetts

Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University and Director of Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, has announced that she is exploring a run for governor of Massachusetts. (more…)

What Academics Can Do Now to Prevent a Coup Later

The U.S. presidential election is five weeks away and there are worries that Donald Trump will not leave office should he lose, or that he will interfere with or stop the counting of votes if he believes continuing counting would reveal he lost. (more…)

What’s Utopian When The Status Quo is Unrealistic? (guest post by David Estlund)

“In these moments, we should appreciate that unrealistic political thought, including political philosophy, is of profound practical importance, and that it is overly discouraged—both in the culture, and even in the halls of academia…. We, at least some of us, must always be thinking beyond what seems realistic or feasible, about what would be better. That’s how..

Statues, Monuments, & Philosophy

Recent protests against racism have included or prompted the removal of statues and monuments honoring historical figures associated with racist actions and views around the United States and elsewhere around the world. (more…)

Philosophers Help Swedish Government Develop Healthcare Prioritization and Rationing Policies

The National Board of Health and Welfare, one of Sweden’s main agencies for handling the COVID-19 pandemic, brought in philosophers in to help them design new guidelines for priority-setting in medical care and the rationing of healthcare resources. (more…)

Philosophers: “Learn to listen rather than talk”

“What is the first thing philosophers have to change about their ideas, or their ways of presenting them, when putting on their public policy hat?” (more…)

Being a Good Philosopher-Activist

“Philosophers have an important role to play in bridging theoretical reflection with everyday life.” (more…)

Philosopher Running for U.S. Senate

Richard Winfield, a philosophy professor at the University of Georgia, is running for Senate. (more…)

Using Contemporary Politics and History to Judge Contemporary Political Philosophy

To what extent can the dominant political philosophy developed over the past half-century fruitfully address the political problems we face today? (more…)

The Impossibility of Immigrants Refusing to Integrate into British Society (guest post by Hasko Von Kriegstein)

The following is a guest post * by Hasko Von Kriegstein, an assistant professor in the Department of Law & Business at Ryerson University, regarding matters related to Brexit. (more…)

A Philosopher Is Running for President

Jerome Segal, a former philosophy professor, announced his candidacy for president of the United States last week.

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Political Hostility and Willingness to Discriminate in Philosophy

A new study of nearly 800 academic philosophers provides support for several claims about their political views, perceptions of politics-based hostility, and willingness to engage in politics-based discrimination. (more…)

The Political Views of Philosophy Majors

U.S. philosophy majors in the are more likely to have favorable attitudes towards socialism than undergraduates majoring in other subjects, according to a new poll by College Pulse. (more…)

Concordia Philosophy Issues Statement on Controversial “Bill 21”

The Department of Philosophy at Concordia University has issued a statement opposing “Bill 21: an act respecting the laicity of the State,” also known as Québec’s “secularism bill,” currently under consideration by the National Assembly of Québec, which would prevent various government officials from wearing religious symbols in the exercise of their official functi..

The Philosophy and Politics of Early Abortion in the U.S.

The past months have seen successful legislative efforts in several states to criminalize early abortion. Emboldened by Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court, abortion opponents are hoping that the new legislation, once challenged in court, will force a reconsideration of Roe v. Wade, in which the Court ruled that “during the first trimester, government..

When Does the APA Take a Stand?

The Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association (APA) speaks out or takes a stand on certain issues and not others. What’s the process that determines whether and how the APA Board voices a position? And how are Board Statements different from APA resolutions? (more…)