March 2014
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RIT philosopher Torcello subjected to harassment and threats by climate denialists…
…for arguing that funding misinformation about climate change should give rise to charges of criminal negligence. That isn't the law at present, and there are a number of reasons why it probably shouldn't be the law, but Professor Torcello's essay raises some interesting points about the harms of misinformation campaigns and whether they are legally cognizable. (If the…
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New student fee system in UK may end up costing more than the system it replaced…
…due to the number of unpaid loans. Readers in the UK: is there more information about this? Feel free to add links in the comments. (Thanks to Shalom Lappin for the pointer.)
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What search committees can do for stressed job seekers
A recent job seeker writes: Young people on the job market spend a lot of time worrying about their own behavior, their own performance, their own competitiveness and so on. Having recently come off the job market myself, I feel that there are aspects of the behavior of search committees that also need to be…
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The human toll in the U.S. of the anti-vaccination stupidity
This makes it vivid. Part of the problem, unnoted in the linked article, is the ease with which so many U.S. states, including California, grant "exemptions" to supposedly mandatory vaccination schemes based on "religious" or "philosophical" objections. (Having a "philosophical" objection requires checking a box, not giving an argument, in the California system.)
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More signs of the times
Appalachian cutting faculty. In addition, I recently spoke to a colleague at another law school–a strong, regional school but with a faculty with a national scholarly reputation–who reported the teaching load has been raised from 10 hours per year per faculty member to 12 hours. Twenty years ago, 12 hours was the norm at most…
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The future of physics?
Philosophers Michela Massimi and Simon Saunders, among others, discuss.
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A castle in France or an apartment in New York?
New York (my hometown) is doomed.
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Almost all philosophers belong in an asylum…
…at least in West Virginia in the 1800s.
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Falsehood of the day: “U.S. News, for all of its faults, is how employers think of you”
Elie Mystal, one of the bloggers at "Above the Law," wrote this last week (a reader forwarded it to me). No evidence was offered, and that's not surprising: the statement is false in almost all cases. Employers, to be sure, have views about different law schools, but they are based on experience, in some cases,…
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The Obama college rankings
These could have substantial, and probably unanticipated effects on higher education in the US.
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Barbara Herman on “The Moral Side of Non-Negligence”
UCLA's Herman was our Dewey Lecturer in Law and Philosophy this year; some readers may enjoy the video of her talk.
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In Memoriam: Ted Cohen (1939-2014)
MOVING TO FRONT FROM MARCH 17–SEE UPDATES I am sorry to report that my colleague Ted Cohen, a leading figure in the philosophy of art who taught at Chicago since 1967, has passed away. You can find out more about his work here. I will add links to memorial notices when they appear. UPDATE: There is a…
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Philosophers needed on the set!
A philosopher elsewhere writes: Hollywood has rules. You can't film a dangerous stunt without ambulances standing by. You can't have flames and explosions without consulting experts on fires. And yet Hollywood still allows Philosophy to appear on the set, without any safeguards in place. I give you this example: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/10/jake_gyllenhaal_movies_are_like_dreams_im_thrilled_by_the_open_ends_and_questions/ This tragedy could have been avoided,…
I only just learned of Barry’s passing, and I’m enormously saddened at the news. I wrote my PhD on his…