September 2019
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New Books in September
Authors and/or publishers sent me these new books this month: Our Great Purpose: Adam Smith on Living a Better Life by Ryan Patrick Hanley (Princeton University Press, 2019). In the Shadow of Justice: Postwar Liberalism and the Remaking of Political Philosophy by Katrina Forrester (Princeton University Press, 2019). Beyond Punishment: A Normative Account of the…
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Rosenberg on climate change and PPE
"The Stone" blog at the NYT is mostly a forum for contemporary philosophers to reveal how little they know about the world (and, sometimes, even about philosophy), but every now and then a good piece, with actual intellectual content, appears: I commend this one by Alex Rosenberg (Duke).
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This is a good year to be looking for a law teaching job
With roughly 90 schools interviewing candidates at the AALS hiring convention this coming weekend, and a record low number of job seekers, this is a good year to be looking for a law teaching job. Best of luck to those readers interviewing in Washington, DC this weekend!
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Blast from the past: the Ludlow case and the Kipnis book
2 1/2 years ago, but worth remembering.
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Philosophy has big problems…
…but at least computers can't prove all the false philosophical views that are currently fashionable (e.g., moral realism, non-naturalism, armchair metaphysics etc.) are, in fact, false! But math may not be so lucky….
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Corgis are not great racing dogs
This could be a visual metaphor for so many things (a Trump press conference, Joe Biden answering a question, the Democratic primaries, Republicans asked about impeachment, etc.).
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Blast from the past: Wise words from Evgeny Morozov
Back in 2015. If only more would listen…
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Great moments in obscure rock ‘n’ roll: Trúbrot, “Going,” 1970
Psychedelic and progressive influences are apparent in the work of this Icelandic rock band that performed from the late 1960s into the 1970s; I thought this one of their better numbers:
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In Memoriam: Richard A. Watson (1931-2019)
A distinguished and influential historian of philosophy, especially early modern philosophy, he spent most of his academic career at Washington University, St. Louis. There is an obituary here.
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Tomorrow’s nuclear war
This is it. Fortunately, the President of the United States is a narcissistic imbecile not fit to mind somebody's children, so we're OK! UPDATE: For those who don't know, a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan would have global consequences. (Thanks to Dr. Roger Albin for the pointer.)
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2019-20 Update to the Philosophical Gourmet Report’s 2017 rankings for U.S. Departments (UPDATED)
MOVING TO FRONT–PUBLISHED ORIGINALLY ON SEPTEMBER 16 This is a summary of changes at the tenured (or almost tenured) ranks at the top 50 PhD programs in the 2017 Philosophical Gourmet Report; more precisely, these are changes that were not reflected in the faculty lists evaluators saw for the 2017 PGR surveys (some moves that…
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The mafioso in the White House gets caught red-handed
This is classic Trump, always the gangster at heart. Since impeachment is now, at last, a certainty, let's hope George Conway's prediction is correct. In other happy news, it looks like Elizabeth Warren is emerging as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. I just hope that she has read or will read Achen & Bartels,…
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On citation practices in philosophy
Jason Brennan (Georgetown) comments sensibly. Good thing he's not a cynical guy, though! (See also.)
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Jury sides with student found guilty of sexual assault in Boston College proceeding
Colleges have not in genreal covered themselves in glory with their campus "courts," but this is certainly a dramatic rebuke of Boston College's proceedings.
This is a load of cobblers. Philosophers need to read more Searle & watch less 2001. Computers, however fancy, are…