January 2018
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New books in January
Authors and/or publishers sent me these new books this month: New Television: The Aesthetics and Politics of a Genre by Martin Shuster (University of Chicago Press, 2017). Kafka: In Light of the Accident by Howard Caygill (Bloomsbury, 2017). The Routledge Handbook of Collective Intentionality edited by Marija Jankovic & Kirk Ludwig (Routeldge, 2018). Social and…
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Academic job searches with “hidden” search criteria
My latest "Academic Ethics" column at the Chronicle of Higher Education. UPDATE: A senior philosopher elsewhere writes: Just wanted to tell you that your latest CHE piece really resonated with me. Back when I was first on the job market I had an APA interview with my undergrad alma mater [University X]. Of course, I…
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Democratic backsliding: the case of Poland
Some readers may find this of interest.
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Philosophical “fads”?
MOVING TO FRONT FROM YESTERDAY–MANY INTERESTING COMMENTS, MORE WELCOME Friday's poll generated a lot of interest–nearly 850 votes! Here, in the opinion of readers, were the "top five" current "fads" in philosophy to which readers were plainly not sympathetic: 1. Epistemic injustice (Condorcet winner: wins contests with all other choices) 2. Experimental Philosophy loses to Epistemic injustice…
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How Democracy Dies: A Case Study of Poland
In light of the current interest in the general topic, many readers will find Professor Sadurski's knowledgeable discussion of the situation in Poland illuminating and instructive. (Thanks to Tomasz Gizbert-Studnicki for calling it to my attention.)
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On the phenomenology of illness
Philosopher Havi Carel (Bristol) comments.
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JHP article prize goes to KCL’s Clare Carlisle
Philosopher Jack Zupko (editor of JHP) writes: The Board of Directors of the Journal of the History of Philosophy has awarded the prize for the best article to appear in volume 55 of the JHP to Clare Carlisle for "Spinoza's Acquiescentia," JHP 55.2 (April 2017): 209-236. Dr. Carlisle is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Theology and AKC Programme Director at King's College London. Details here (upper right corner,…
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Philosopher Asa Kasher is not bringing credit to philosophy…
..with rationalizations like this. On the one hand, Israel is an intellectually and culturally vibrant country that has survived two wars of aggression; on the other hand, it is currently holding millions of Palestinians effectively prisoner. Philosophers should not try to rationalize what is required for the latter, even if Trump is President. (Thanks to Joe…
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America is doomed, part 392: democracy requires mutual toleration and forebearance
And ever since the rise of Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, and Fox News, both have been in short supply; Trump is just the latest installment. It's a shame the authors don't lay the blame squarely where it belongs, but they are right that the Democrats are now copying the Repulican strategeties. I'm hopeful it won't…
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Russell’s half-time Sweden appointment moving from Gothenburg to Lund
Paul Russell (Hume, free will) has moved his half-time appointment in Sweden from the University of Gothenburg to the University of Lund, effective this month. (He continues to be half-time at the University of British Columbia.) His free will and moral responsibility project will continue to have some activities at Gothernburg, as well as activities…
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Rostron & Levit’s updated guide to submitting to law reviews
Professors Rostron & Levit asked me to share the following about their useful guide: Dear Colleagues, We just updated our charts about law journal submissions, expedites, and rankings from different sources for the Spring 2018 submission season covering the 203 main journals of each law school. A couple of the highlights from this round of…
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Great moments in obscure rock ‘n’ roll: Lovin’ Spoonful, “Till I Run With You,” 1969
The band's last album, recorded after the departure of the driving creative force John Sebastian who had written their famous hits of the mid-1960s, included one moderately well-known single, but this tune was always my favorite:
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Steve Bannon is coming to campus (here at U of Chicago) at the invitation of a well-known economist (Luigi Zingales), and now controversy ensues
UPDATED BELOW! The details behind the controversy are described here. I'll return to my own view at the end, but first, my colleague Anton Ford asked me to share this letter from Samantha Eyler, who works (in a non-academic but editorial position) at both the Stigler Center here and ProMarket, a publication of the Stigler…
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Philosophical “fads”? A poll
This poll lists some currently "hot" topics/areas/methods in philosophy; some of these may be of lasting importance to the field. But I've also heard all of them described pejoratively as "fads," that will (or ought to) fade away. What do readers think? Rank order them from the "most" to the "least" faddish (the most faddish items…
A remembered Dreyfus remark on the Maharishi: I recall hearing Dreyfus say in a recorded lecture, perhaps twenty-five years ago,…