August 2016
-
Good news: Crispin Sartwell reinstated by Dickinson College
Professor Sartwell writes: "I have been reinstated at Dickinson. All I'm permitted to say is that the parties have amicably resolved their differences in a manner that resulted in my return to employment." Many thanks to all those who contributed to Prof. Sartwell's legal fund. I have no doubt that being able to retain excellent…
-
Godfrey-Smith from CUNY Grad Center to Sydney
Peter Godfrey-Smith (philosophy of science, biology, and mind; American pragmatism), currently Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the City University of New York Graduate Center, will take up a senior position in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney, effective January 2017. That's a big catch for Sydney, which already had one of the world's outstanding…
-
New books in August
Authors and/or publishers kindly sent me these new books this month: Epistemic Friction: An Essay on Knowledge, Truth, and Logic by Gila Sher (Oxford University Press, 2016). The Wrong of Injustice: Dehumanization and Its Role in Feminist Philosophy by Mari Mikkola (Oxford University Press, 2016). Against Democracy by Jason Brennan (Princeton University Press, 2016). The…
-
“The Death of God and the Death of Morality,” a new version…
…improved again, I think, by workshops at both Berkeley and Chicago, as well as other feedback. The paper will appear in a special issue of The Monist on Nietzsche, to be edited by Ken Gemes (Birkbeck, London).
-
ABA’s law school accreditation power under scrutiny from Dept. of Education
An article surveying the back-and-forth. If the ABA's accreditation power were revoked, then, as I understand it, law students would not be able to access federal loans for education at ABA-approved schools. This would be so disruptive for thousands of students that it's hard to imagine the Dept. of Education taking that step. I…
-
Democracy comes to China…
…or at least to a 3rd-grade classroom in Wuhan. Amusing and charming! (Thanks to Ruchira Paul for the pointer.)
-
Over 1200 philosophers have spoken on how we should respond to “analytic metaphysics”…
…and we now know something, but I'm not sure what (other than a lot of philosophers don't like analytic metaphysics): Yeah! 19%223 Just say "No"! 10%115 Prison 5%57 Ridicule and contempt 13%153 Praise and glory 12%139 Ignore it 23%271 None of the above 20%242 See Dashboard » 31%…
-
Luttwak on the significance of “The Panama Papers,” global inequality, and the revolt of (some of) the masses
A worthwhile read; an excerpt: Globalization’s advocates – and they are very many, including all the varied categories of worthies on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond who preside over almost all respectable academic institutions and elite gatherings – habitually celebrate its transfer of income from higher-income to lower-income countries while disregarding the overwhelming…
-
In light of Dennett’s challenge, what is the correct response to “analytic metaphysics”?
Philosophy social media is bursting with discussion, denunciations, outrage, and amusement about Dennett's dissing of "analytic metaphysics." I think the only way to resolve this is with a poll, of course. <div><a href="http://www.micropoll.com/a/mpview/1075246-4858082">Click Here for Poll</a><BR><a href="http://www.questionpro.com" title="online survey">Online Survey</a><BR><a href="http://www.micropoll.com" title="Polls">Polls</a></a><BR><a href="http://www.micropoll.com/a/MicroPoll?mode=html&id=4858082">View MicroPoll</A></div> Questionnaire Template UPDATE: Wow, 5 1/2 hours and nearly 700…
-
A portrait of Trump supporters in Louisiana
This is a nicely done piece by a sociologist; here's her fine description of the view of the world of her subjects: What the people I interviewed were drawn to was not necessarily the particulars of these theories. It was the deep story underlying them—an account of life as it feels to them. Some such…
-
Georgia State’s Jessica Berry to be the new editor of “Journal of Nietzsche Studies”
It gives me particular pleasure to share this announcement: New editorial leadership at the Journal of Nietzsche Studies—The JNS editorial board and Penn State University Press warmly welcome Jessica N. Berry, Associate Professor of Philosophy Georgia State University, as the new Executive Editor for the Journal of Nietzsche Studies. Professor Berry is an expert in…
-
The life of a grad student…
…as told with legos. (Quite funny!)
-
More on the “pathologically self-righteous people” who are busy using social media and other fora to suppress thought and speech
An undergraduate at another university writes: Dear Mr Leiter, I am a student in philosophy at [name omitted]. I just wanted to express gratitude for this post (http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2016/08/crime-vs-sex-crime.html#more) because it corroborates my experience and makes me feel as though I am not alone. This part in particular stands out: 'a handful of very vocal figures (many…
-
“Theoretical Disagreements in Law: Another Look”
A new paper forthcoming in Ethical Norms, Legal Norms: New Essays in Meteaethics and Jurisprudence (edited by Plunkett, Shapiro & Toh for OUP); the abstract: In "Explaining Theoretical Disagreement" (2009), I defended an answer to Dworkin's argument that legal positivists can not adequately explain disagreements among judges about what the criteria of legal validity are. I here respond…
-
“Theoretical Disagreements in Law: Another Look”
A new paper forthcoming from OUP in Ethical Norms, Legal Norms: New Essays in Meteaethics and Jurisprudence (edited by Plunkett, Shapiro & Toh); the abstract: In "Explaining Theoretical Disagreement" (2009), I defended an answer to Dworkin's argument that legal positivists can not adequately explain disagreements among judges about what the criteria of legal validity are. I here respond…
Giovanni Molteni Tagliabue (Italy) Rationalized and Extended Democracy – The REDemo Project. Foreword by Gilberto Corbellini. Firenze University Press 2023.…