November 2011
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New Books in November
Authors and/or publishers kindly sent me the following new books this month: Reflections on The Concept of Law, by A.W.B. Simpson (Oxford University Press, 2011). Commonsense Consequentialism: Wherein Morality Meets Rationality by Douglas W. Portmore (Oxford University Press, 2011). Nietzsche's Enlightenment: The Free-Spirit Triology of the Middle Period by Paul Franco (University of Chicago Press, 2011).…
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More Embarrassment from the NY Times “Philosophy” Blog
Political philosopher Chris Bertram (Bristol) writes: Many smart philosophers are thinking and writing about migration and borders at the moment, and yet this drivel is what the NYT gives us in their The Stone section. Unbelievable! I wish it were unbelievable, but it isn't. I confess to having largely given up on it, though occasionally…
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Robert Paul Wolff Read Newt Gingrich’s Doctoral Dissertation (Really!)…
…so you don't have to. If you don't read Wolff's blog regularly, there's lots of other good stuff, including, just recently, on "Occupy Wall Street."
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Dennett on the Radio…
…in Australia. (Thanks to Dirk Felleman for the pointer.)
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“Working like a dog”
I owe this amusing observation to a friend on Facebook: "The next time anybody says they were working like a dog i am going to assume that they auto-fellated for an hour and then ate a mitten."
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Why has the cost of higher education risen faster than inflation over the last generation (and why it isn’t a “bubble”)?
Here's a remarkably concise explanation: The bubble analogy does work in one respect: education costs, and student debt, are rising at what seem like unsustainable rates. But this isn’t the result of collective delusion. Instead, it stems from the peculiar economics of education, which have a lot in common with the economics of health care,…
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Why has the cost of higher education risen faster than inflation over the last generation (and why it isn’t a “bubble”)?
Here's a remarkably concise explanation: The bubble analogy does work in one respect: education costs, and student debt, are rising at what seem like unsustainable rates. But this isn’t the result of collective delusion. Instead, it stems from the peculiar economics of education, which have a lot in common with the economics of health care,…
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In Memoriam: Sara Ruddick (1935-2011)
MOVING TO FRONT FROM MARCH 23–SEE UPDATE The well-known feminist philosopher, who taught for many years at the New School, has passed away. There is an informative New York Times obituary here. UPDATE: There is now a memorial webpage here.
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Philosophy Compass essays on “The Future of Philosophy”
Here. I found the piece by Matti Eklund (Cornell) especially interesting.
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Der Spiegel’s Hatchet Job on Habermas
Several readers sent this two-part article, which struck me as a bit snide and insubstantial–the kind of coverage of intellectuals one expects in the American media. A bad sign that this kind of "condescension from below" is migrating into German journalism!
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Why is the NY Times Turning Out Such Error-Ridden and Ill-Informed Pieces on Law Schools?
Here's what a famous, former Times reporter offered me by way of explanation: Too few reporters, far too few copy editors, lots of talent left for better pay elsewhere, travel budgets too small and war coverage is super costly (Bagdahd bureau costs $5m per year at least). Not a happy shop. ADDENDUM: A colleague at Michigan…
Dear Roger of Invisible America, Your remarks towards the end of this comment about Nat Goldhaber (I’ve got a friend…