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Mathematician Abigail Thompson now being pilloried for opposing mandatory “diversity statements” in the UC system
Philosophers cheer up: academic mathematics is apparently also full of self-righteous tin-pot dictator wannabes just like philosophy! Professor Thompson, whose opposition to mandatory "diversity statements" we noted last week, is now the target of a petition, which inspired this commentary from a mathematician who asked not to be named: As usual, there is a claim…
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On the Hindu fascists in India
A bracing essay by Arundhati Roy.
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Where untenured tenure-track faculty at the U.S. “top 20” programs got their PhDs, 2019-20
MOVING TO FRONT FROM NOVEMBER 22–UPDATED As prior studies have confirmed, PGR rank is a rather good predictor of professional outcomes, even though that's not what the PGR suveys measure. (Of course, NYU and Rutgers placement, below, would have been wholly predictable from PGR rankings of faculty quality in years past!) I look…
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“[W]hen it comes to global-scale issues, what individuals do is somewhere between 100 percent pointless and 99.9999999 percent pointless” (UPDATED)
Impotent moralistic scolding is a favorite pasttime of philosophers, but when it comes to something like climate change, it's particularly absurd, as philosopher Steven Hales (Bloomsburg) argues (link now fixed): We like to believe that when it comes to the great global issues of our time—climate change, pollution, poverty, mass extinction—that we each can make…
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In Memoriam: James Griffin (1933-2019)
A moral philosopher and philosopher of human rights, Professor Griffin spent most of his career at Oxford University, where he was Emeritus White's Professor of Moral Philosophy. There is a brief memorial notice from Keble College, Oxford here. (Thanks to Matt Lister for the pointer.) I will add links to other memorial notices as they…
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All the bad arguments against impeaching Trump disposed of…
…succinctly by philosopher Michael Huemer (Colorado).
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Blast from the past: Gottlieb on Romano
Back in 2012.
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The ethics of drone use
Philosopher Trish Glazebrook (Washington State) comments.
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Great moments in obscure rock ‘n’ roll: Elf, “Rocking Chair Rock ‘n’ Roll Blues,” 1974
Here's another number from Ronnie James Dio's pre-metal period, with his first band, Elf; this is from their second album:
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The latest university administrator to blow it on an academic freedom issue
And a lawyer no less.
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A letter of reference for Bartleby
Appropriately cautious.
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Adolph Reed on Obama, Warren, and Sanders
Professor Reed really does not like Elizabeth Warren, and he's clearly right that Democratic elites would prefer Trump re-elected than Sanders. UPDATE: Meanwhile, the absurd Mayor Pete is now leading in both Iowa and New Hampshire. We may have a scenario in which the winner of the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries is then destroyed…
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Blast from the past: “Jewish poker” philosophy
Back in 2010 (although the genre is still around).
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Ibram Kendi, totalitarian
Amazing: He wants unelected “formally trained experts on racism” (presumably all from critical race-theory departments) to have unaccountable control over every policy that won’t yield racial equality in every field of life, public or private. They are tasked with investigating “private racist policies.” Any policy change anywhere in the U.S. would have to be precleared…
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Mayor Pete’s appeal to moderate Republicans
This is apt.
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Spotted on the road in Kansas
Seriously.
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The real history of “pragmatism” as a philosophy
An illuminating essay by two leading experts, Cheryl Misak (Tornoto) and Robert Talisse (Vanderbilt).
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More on Poland’s persecution of Sydney law professor Wojciech Sadurski…
…who has been a vigorous critic of the reactionary regime in his native country.
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Velleman from NYU to Johns Hopkins
J. David Velleman (ethics, moral psychology, philosophy of action), Professor of Philosophy at New York University, will retire from NYU and has accepted appointment as Miller Research Professor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, starting January 1, 2020. According to Professor Gross, "He'll be doing some teaching {"not more than one course per term"] and…
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Philosophy and computing, digital resources, artificial intelligence and more
An interview with philosopher David Bourget (Western Ontario).
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Near-death experiences?
Philosopher John Martin Fischer (UC Riverside) discusses the topic.
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CEU’s Vienna campus opens…
….while the fascist Orban remains in power in Hungary, and Notre Dame political theorist Patrick Deneen cosies up to him. What a disgrace.
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Great moments in obscure rock ‘n’ roll: U.F.O., “Boogie for George,” 1970
Late 1960s British blues rock/spacce rock band that became much better known for a hard rock and then heavy metal style in the mid-1970s and after; but this number is closer to the beginning, with original guitarist Mick Bolton, when they were only moderately successful in some European countries:
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Philosopher Tim Maudlin (NYU) interviewed about quantum mechanics…
…at IAITV. (Don't be thrown by the fact that at the beginning there appears to be a naked man in the water in the background!)
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Northwestern student paper apologizes for covering student protests of Jeff Sessions
Bizarre. UPDATE: A good statement by the Dean of the Journalism School at Northwestern. (Thanks to Jeff Rice for the pointer.)
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Philosophy graduate student at Berkeley gratuitously (and rather stupidly) insults rural Americans…
…and faces a predictable right-wing lapidation. Having occasionally come across Mr. Kernion on social media, where he seems a sanctimonious scold, I'm not wholly surprised by his outburst, which says more about his class position than about residents of rural America. But I'm even less surprised that the usual suspects have pounced on this; I…
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So the architect of Trump’s immigration policies, Stephen Miller, is a Nazi after all
Who would have guessed?
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Advertising update
The next available spots are in January (2 left), and the next available top spot that is still open is in April. E-mail me for more information.
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Law & Philosophy Fellowship at University of Chicago for 2020-21
(MOVING TO FRONT FROM NOVEMBER 11) It will be officially advertised on PhilJobs in a few weeks, but I wanted to flag that we will again be hiring a Fellow; the ad text is below the fold for anyone interested. Note that the position is open to tenure-stream scholars who might have sabbatical time, as…
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Good news: lawsuit against Remington gun maker by Sandy Hook families will go forward
Let's hope it will get Remington and the others out of the business of marketing weapons of mass murder.
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Pickel from Edinburgh to Glasgow
Bryan Pickel (metaphysics, philosophy of language, history of analytic philosophy), currently Reader in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, has accepted appointment in philosophy at the University of Glasgow, to begin in June 2020.
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Blast from the past: Karl Kraus’s favorite journalist, Thomas “no ideas and the ability to express them” Friedman
Back in 2008. (I was amused to see that piece was sent to me by Sarah Jeong, who now works for the NYT!) UPDATE: More scathingly funny criticism of Friedman (back in 2014) (thanks to Nathan Ballantyne for the pointer).
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On being an American philosopher in China
This is an interesting account.
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News and views about philosophy, the academic profession, academic freedom, intellectual culture, and other topics. The world’s most popular philosophy blog, since 2003.
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