public philosophy
Mini-Heap
Time for a new Mini-Heap! (more…)
Martha Nussbaum Wins $1 Million Berggruen Prize
Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Philosophy and Law at the University of Chicago, is the winner of the 2018 Berggruen Prize. (more…)
Some Philosophers Are Leaving Twitter
Two philosophers with relatively popular Twitter accounts have quit using the social media service in recent days, both citing the mental tolls their engagement with other Twitter users has taken. (more…)
Political Interference in Humanities Grants in Australia
The previous Australian Minister of Education, Senator Simon Birmingham, quietly vetoed Australian Research Council (ARC) funding recommendations over the past two years, denying 11 peer-reviewed humanities projects AU$4.2 million in funding, according to reports. (more…)
An Objection Does Not A Rejection Make
“If philosophers are serious about improving the way their journals function, they need to consider not only how to improve the mechanics of the reviewing process, but also how to improve the way they criticize one another.”
What are good grounds for a journal referee suggesting a paper be rejected? Tim Crane (CEU) has some thoughts on that. (more…)
Thinking As Complex as the World: an Obituary for Mary Midgley (guest post by Ian James Kidd)
The following is an obituary for philosopher Mary Midgley, who died last week, written by Ian James Kidd (Nottingham). It first appeared on the SWIP-UK website. (more…)
Accessible Conferences and Lectures
The British Philosophical Association (BPA), together with the Society for Women in Philosophy, UK (SWiP UK), have created guidelines for making philosophy conferences and lectures more accessible to people with disabilities.
Mini-Heap
Philosophy-related links for your consideration, AKA Mini-Heap: (more…)
Hypatia and other Journals Successfully Tricked Into Accepting “Fake” Papers (Updated)
Three writers, working as a team and using pseudonyms, produced and submitted to academic peer-reviewed journals 20 “fake” papers—papers written with the intent to spoof certain areas of research and trick or embarrass editors and reviewers working in those areas. Seven of the papers were accepted, and four have already been published. (more…)
Baylor: Dougherty Responsible for Violating Sexual Harassment and Interpersonal Violence Policy (Several Updates)
An investigation at Baylor University has determined that Trent Dougherty, a philosophy professor there since 2009 who specializes in philosophy of religion, violated the school’s Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Interpersonal Violence Policy. Dougherty resigned from the University earlier this week, though according to a philosophy faculty member, “tenured m..
Mini-Heap
Here’s the latest Mini-Heap. (more…)
Philosophers Elected to the Royal Society of Canada
Five philosophers have been elected to the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) this year. (more…)
The Difference Between Snowflakes and Champions of Free Speech
What is the difference between those accused of being whiny, coddled, politically correct snowflakes and those who are considered brave champions of free speech? (more…)
Is Scientific American a Trustworthy Periodical?
Scientific American is a monthly magazine aimed at popularizing scientific and technological findings. But how trustworthy a magazine is it? (more…)
The New Infantilism
The following is an excerpt from an interview of me conducted by Cliff Sosis (Coastal Carolina) at What Is It Like To Be a Philosopher? in 2015. It is in response to the criticism that Daily Nous is a “safe space website” and home to “the new infantilism.”
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Sosis: As the editor of Daily Nous, have you received any criticism? If so, which have been the..
On the Outraged, Oversensitive, Politically Correct Snowflakes
The following is an excerpt from an interview of me conducted by Cliff Sosis (Coastal Carolina) at What Is It Like To Be a Philosopher? in 2015. It is from a part of the interview that touches on controversies regarding political correctness and allegedly coddled and oversensitive members of the academic community (especially students).
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Sosis: Someti..
High School Teacher Placed on Leave for Moral Problems Quiz (Update: Teacher Resigns)
A high school teacher has been placed on administrative leave (with pay) after a parent complained about a lesson in which students were asked to morally reason about some provocative situations, according to The Columbus Dispatch last week. (more…)
Mini-Heap
It’s the latest Mini-Heap! (more…)
Mini-Heap
Welcome to another edition of Mini-heap. (more…)
Universities as a Bulwark Against (and Target of) Fascism
“Fascist politics seeks to undermine the credibility of institutions that harbor independent voices of dissent,” says Jason Stanley (Yale), and chief among such institutions are universities, which for the past 50 years have been “the epicenter of protest against injustice and authoritarian overreach.” (more…)
Leave Room for Uncertainty and Confusion
“My trouble is usually… that I don’t entirely know what I think. And not knowing what to think is itself sometimes cast as shameful.”
Anonymous Peer Review: “An Inherently Conservative Procedure”
On the topic of anonymity, I should also note that I am deeply convinced by the point that anonymous review is a privilege afforded only to work in mainstream areas of philosophy, written in a conventional voice, and hence it is an inherently conservative procedure.
Two Models for Expanding The Canon
Progress: the push for academic philosophy to overcome its ethnocentrism and incorporate works from a greater diversity of cultures has reached the point that its advocates are having fruitful public disagreements about how best to do it. (more…)
Mini-Heap
Here’s the latest edition of Mini-Heap.
Why To Discourage Laptops in Class (with slides you can show your students)
You may have seen various articles about how computers and phones in the classroom affect student performance. (more…)
Journal of Ethics Founding EIC Steps Down after 23 Years
J. Angelo Corlett, professor of philosophy at San Diego State University, founded the Journal of Ethics in 1995 and has served as its editor-in-chief since then. In an editorial in the journal last month, he announced he was stepping down as editor-in-chief and made some remarks that readers might find of interest.
Should PhD Students Embargo Their Dissertations?
Most universities offer PhD students the option to embargo their dissertations, usually for up to two years. During the embargo, access to the official dissertation is restricted. Its content is not placed online, and if someone wanted to read it, they would likely have to go to the library of the university at which the degree was earned and view the hard copy whil..
Philosopher Victim of Anti-Semitic Attack and Police Brutality
Yitzhak Melamed, professor of philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, was the victim of an anti-Semitic attack on the streets of Bonn, and then was beaten by German police who mistook him for the assailant. To add insult to injury, the German police are now apparently lying about what happened. (more…)