August 2010
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The Neoliberal Paradigm and the Gradual Erosion of “Public” Higher Education
This has been going on for thirty years now, but the current crisis of capitalism is exacerbating the trend.
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Dept. of Philosophy & Religion at U of Southern Mississippi Under Attack
I've received word now from a reliable source that the University of Southern Mississippi is eliminating the Religion B.A. and the Philosophy M.A. (though retaining, happily, the philosophy B.A.). More seriously, six out of eleven department members received letters that their appointments were not being renewed after this coming academic year, including tenured members of the…
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In Memoriam: Bruce Winick (1944-2010)
Jonathan Simon (Berkeley) has a fine memorial notice in honor of his former colleague. The University of Miami notice is here.
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The Rise of For-Profit Colleges
This is a striking article. I realize I am almost wholly in the dark about how these places operate and whether, and how, they teach philosophy, if they do. I would welcome input from readers with knowledge or experience. Since I don't know whether for-profit colleges safeguard the academic freedom rights of their teachers, I…
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Good Open Letter to American Jewish Leaders about the Islamic Community Center in Manhattan…
…and their general hypocrisy about human rights. Addressing such a letter to the disgraceful Abraham Foxman is pointless, of course, but perhaps the others have an actual conscience–in any case, it's a good letter. ADDENDUM: The letter I was sent to sign did include discussion of the Islamic Community Center, the letter linked above does…
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Your ruling class at work
150 years ago, a German philosopher observed that, [T]he class which is the ruling material force of a society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force. The class which has the means of material production at its disposal, has control at the same time over the means of mental production, so that thereby, generally…
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The NY Times “Moderates” Comments?
It sure isn't obvious from what they let through in the recent "Room for Debate" about experimental philosophy. Here is "Lew," comment #2, "responding" [sic] to Ernie Sosa's perfectly sensible remarks (the capital letters are Lew's): YOU SEEM TO HAVE A TENDANCY TO MUSH THINGS TOGETHER. YOU ARE A MUSHER. PHILOSOPHERS NEITHER 'BORROW' FROM SCIENCE…
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Breaking News: The National Research Council Report on Doctoral Programs Circa 2005 Will be Released on September 28, 2010
Per usual, I recommend the comments of Ned Block (NYU).
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Prize for Philosophy Blogging
The '3 Quarks Daily' blog is running another contest. Akeel Bilgrami (Columbia) is the judge this year.
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“Does your mother know you’re on the Internet?” The Case of Robert Ginns
I think I'm going to make this a regular feature, in honor of some of the charming specimens of humanity who show up in my in-box. This one started peacably enough. Mr. Ginns (whoever he is) sent me the following two-line e-mail the other day: When will the Spanish language version of this book…
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Hazlett from Fordham to Edinburgh
Allan Hazlett (epistemology, metaphysics), Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, has accepted an offer from the Department of Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, where he will be Lecturer in Epistemology.
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How often are papers picked by “The Philosophers’ Annual” cited?
Eric Schwitzgebel (UC Riveride) takes a look.
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Mercat a la Planxa, Chicago
The readership has been generous in the past with restaurant advice, and I plan to offer some here on a more regular basis, starting with this self-proclaimed Catalan tapas place. Having been several times to the Catalan region (Barcelona, Girona, various towns on the Costa Brava), I must admit to being a huge fan of…
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In Memoriam: Benjamin Kaplan (1911-2010)
Dean Van Zandt will leave Northwestern in December of this year, after a fifteen-year tenure. I had actually been preparing a posting on "ten" transformative law school Deans over the last decade, and Van Zandt was going to be on that list. I won't preempt everything I plan to say then, but will observe that…
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“All Things Shining”
Sean Kelly (Harvard) has a new blog, related to his forthcoming book with his teacher Hubert Dreyfus (Berkeley).
My “headline” was a reference to the earlier thread on “existential” risk. I’ve written multiple times about the threat to…