Thanks for this. My case of PS is, alas, quite advanced, but I would council any young prospective philosophers to think twice before getting in to the field. The treacherous waters are hard and come fast! You will barely be able to catch your breath before being plunched again into the abyss, again and again! on "Philosopher's Syndrome" - A Diagnosis of the Disease in Our Profession and Lives
TenureTrackFaculty
OVER RECENT YEARS THE PIOS HAS SUSTAINED A NUMBER OF COMMENTS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. HERE ARE THEIR (SOTO VOCE) STORIES
at 20:27
I for one am not biting. People keep telling us that it's Christmas, that we need triple blind and to talk to childrean about philosophy, but the basic elephant in the room is never discussed: we do not have the same ideas or opportunities as existed in philosophy nary a decade ago. Things are changing fast, and I for one welcome it, although it has been hard on me and some of my philosophy friends. Maybe we all need to start learning HTML and thinking about other possibilities. Year, merry christmas indeed. Sorry about the tone of this post, but the OP asked for no inaccuracies, and I for one am not biting. on Various Christmas Points
Recent grad
on 27/12/17
Thanks for this. I have been eating Christmas Chocolate all day! Not very philosophical :-p on Various Christmas Points
Doc F Emeritus
on 24/12/17
Dear Jerry Fodor Thank you for the memories I love to read your work I love your idea that we all have An idea in our head already for every idea I would have loved to meet you and ask you All about your ideas I loved what you contributed and really Even those who thought you were wrong Or a goof Had to admit both that you were Clever and thought provoking And very funny I will not be able to continue this poem As I have a 4/5 teaching load at a small Institution But I will conclude with the great words: Thank you for living your life Jerry Fodor. I enjoyed reading your work. on Jerry Fodor 1939 - 2017
Pilos Laurete
on 01/12/17
The language of thought hypothesis revitalised my thinking at a time when I thought that nothing else could. I thank Jerry Fodor for the ability to look at the mind through this prism of language. Ten years later, and I'm still looking. 'Can't take my eyes of you'. on Jerry Fodor 1939 - 2017
Hey Nonny Mouse
on 01/12/17
Sometimes when people were talking about philosophy at my alma mater, we'd all say "Well we all know what Fodor thinks!" or "Fodor aside, ..."! He will be sorely missed. I remember seeing him come down the corridor loaded with books, I think he almost dropped them. There was something touchingly human about the man. on Jerry Fodor 1939 - 2017
Doc F Emeritus
on 01/12/17
Thanks for this. I don't think we'll find Jocone reading any of Fodor's stuff any time soon, even though he was a great senior figure! What's it like to be a bat? Maybe more like 'What's it like to be a dog Jocone?'! Just kidding, Fodor is a great figure. on Jerry Fodor 1939 - 2017
MindPhilConsciousness
on 30/11/17
For all x y if x is Jocone, y C ~A. Call the COCOT of Jocone a B-shield and call its Parsons twin a genuflector. Then all R are clovered by Jocone's B-shield. Seriously though, he's a great dog. on Teaching Logic to Kids and some Remarks
Just a logic guy
on 29/11/17
I have epistemological worries about this kind of proposal. How do I know where all the kids are? Usually some of them go under their tables and even run out of the room, and I don't always see this. In principle, of course, a perfect agent would be able to spot the little buggers and get them back working on sequent calculi, but practical resource issues mean that this is out of reach given current practises. My gut tells me I should be looking for those kids, but until I see a better proposal I'm going to stay right where I am and keep drilling them. I hope Jocone isn't reading this, because he's a dog! I'd have *real* epistemic issues with *that*! Just kidding, he's a great dog. on Teaching Logic to Kids and some Remarks
Doc F Emeritus
on 28/11/17
Thanks for this. I was looking at your consciousness moon poem, and now this post on logic for kids and I'm hooked! I feel exactly that same way as you. When I talk about medieval logic, my husband and kids just want to scream. But I get my self all worked up and talk about supposition. I really like the way Jocone looked in that last photo! I hope *he's* not talking about medieval logic! 'Jocone, the talking dog!' on Teaching Logic to Kids and some Remarks
Roast Chicken
on 27/11/17
I want to see a picture of Jocone in a future post! He sounds great. But I love philosophy, and the ideas at this place are the ubiquitous sort of thing I couldn't have imagined. It's perfect. Thanks for this! on A Blog Post on Philosophy, and some ideas!
Emeritus Prof
on 22/11/17
Come for the great philosophy, stay for the adorable tidbits about Jacone! Seriously though, I loved this. on A Blog Post on Philosophy, and some ideas!
Tenured Prof
on 11/11/17
Deer sir, I believe youir "countexample" is incorrect! Let b be that saturated path which has the shortest distance to an x of arbitrary complexity. Now if b is a truth mole, it reads a sequence from its extension according to the rules of the binding relation. Therefore your argument is an erroneous one. You write "but this cannot be" - but here you modal is off. You haven't given, as it were, a customer base against which your performance can be evaluated. My own view is staunch reliabilist compatibilism, with a sprinkling of plenary mechanics and graph theory to round out the foundations. It's a really cool little view, and it definitely succeeds in avoiding this sort of "counterexample" you may think you have provided! I know better. But I respect you and I respect this blog. I really love this platform, and I truly mean that. For the bettermanst of mankind and all human souls, and animals, have a safe sleep after you read my objection and process its great philosophical on A Counterexample
Prone
on 16/10/17
I love reading philosophy on the internet. I remember when I first got my computer, I knew I could access a wealth of new information. Daily Nous is one of these sites that connects me to a wealth of knwoledge. ANd brigan leiter's blog is a wealth of information. Please accept my thanks for the recommedation of the philosopher's cocoon. When I have mastered the philosophy on there, I will begin to study the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. on Comparison of Philosophers, and Blogs and Websites
PhiloGuy23
on 05/10/17
Hi, I am going to make note of these and tell my students about these numbers. I can imagine being the only person in the room knowing these, and I believe I would feel a lot of adrenaline. Anyway, please tell us more about the situation with the GRE indexing. I do not know if this is methodologically sound, but I have decided to record a number in my log book every time I give an adjunct lecture, and I will be counting them all up at the end of semester. These numbers are derived from my impression about the philosophical orientation of the listeners: have they felt good? More importantly, did they learn anything? These are just some of the things I have had to contend with. But I am super on board and sensitive to this project. Please post more when you can Efron, and good luck with the Syracuse flyout. I am sorry if my comments came across as ill informed or confused, but I am reaching into this stuff after a 3:4 teaching load at a small school. I recently had an article accepted on Philosophy Under Analysis: The Statistics
Young Epistemologist
on 20/05/17
Any 4^2 GRE is a set point for 223 and True. So how come you put REMs beside them in normal form? This is basic stuff. on Philosophy Under Analysis: The Statistics
UKPostDoc
on 20/05/17
Hi guys, Efron here. I can confirm the above! But also beware that the GRE's are indexed. Fly-out went really well, but I hope I don't jinx it! Now it's time for *me* to bed. That was gruelling! on Philosophy Under Analysis: The Statistics
in response to These REM values are fascinating. Why do you think there are so many 2's and 0's?, by Anonymous.
Efron Prague
on 19/05/17
(I hope Efron won't mind my giving the above preliminary answer on hid behalf. He's got a fly-out this Friday at Syracuse and needs all his attention to be placed on that. I think he should be able to check this on the flight back and maybe help us all out. Maybe he'll have some good news about the fly out too! We're all rooting for you Efron. You're a fine philosopher.) on Philosophy Under Analysis: The Statistics
in response to These REM values are fascinating. Why do you think there are so many 2's and 0's?, by Anonymous.
WebSD again
on 17/05/17
Thanks for this! That's a great question. Unfortunately with the data we have it's anyone's guess, but those with a better stats background than I may be able to shed some light here. Anyone? (Having typed this it occurs to me that whenever you see a 4, you have to take into account that this may have influenced the True or False in the other collumn. Not sure if that's relevant but it's a fun concept to play with! Going to bed now.) on Philosophy Under Analysis: The Statistics
in response to These REM values are fascinating. Why do you think there are so many 2's and 0's?, by Anonymous.
Webmaster Slave Dialectic
on 17/05/17
These REM values are fascinating. Why do you think there are so many 2's and 0's? on Philosophy Under Analysis: The Statistics3 replies.
Anonymous
on 17/05/17
Frankly I think I would vote for Plato. His theory of the Forms is simply brilliant, and I know of no better theory in philosophy. We really are, as someone once said, all writing just footnotes to Plato. I'd say Liebniz over Descartes because he had a deeper metaphysical feeling about him. on Poll into the Best Philosophers
Home Runnings
on 05/05/17
(FIRST POST I HOPE!!) Better Call Saul! Really though, I can attest, this guy really is a good philosopher. on Saul Kripke 1945 to present
Daneel Bonner
on 28/04/17
I also agree. There *is* a method in the madness. However you spin it. I remember I once put together a list of the top journals and circulated it among my friends. I remember they used to call me a bit of a bugger. I liked it though and I became friends with different boys. on Saul Kripke 1945 to present
in response to I definitrly agree with this. As a small teacher at a SLAC with a 4-3 teaching load, I strongly identify with the necessity of identity discovered by Kripke. And the idea that you can just causally name things iwthout knowing anything about them definitely appeals to me and my students out here in . I think I can see a textbook definition lurking here: seek and ye shall find., by Rope.
Anonymous
on 28/04/17
I definitrly agree with this. As a small teacher at a SLAC with a 4-3 teaching load, I strongly identify with the necessity of identity discovered by Kripke. And the idea that you can just causally name things iwthout knowing anything about them definitely appeals to me and my students out here in . I think I can see a textbook definition lurking here: seek and ye shall find. on Saul Kripke 1945 to present1 replies.
Rope
on 28/04/17
I know the answer to your question, and I am so happy to write in. It is absoluelhy heret o stay, and that is why I am writing this comment. Kill it you never will, Existentialism will survive the centuries, A superior philosophy and view of the world, We will conquer all outsiders and impose our view. on Pilos Profiles "Back to School" Edition #1: The Existentialists
Anonymous
on 22/04/17
I love you. on John Rawls - Philosopher of Justice (1935 - 2007)
Anonymous
on 26/03/17
Can I share this with my pastor? (Beside, you know what they: "caring = sharing".) on Argument for Christian Philosophers
Anonymous
on 10/10/16
Really happy to see an awareness growing about this in philosophy. This is nothing less than a Sellarsian face off between the manifest image and science, and isn't science here pressuposing the very branch it is trying to cast shade on? I was going to say you be the judge, but the point is you are basically an animal who can't judge anything on This is a pretty head-spinning stuff. (Evolution means we can't see!)
Anonymous
on 15/09/16
Nice and attractive blog i read your full article and its more informative.please share more information about M.A. in psychology on Philosophy of Plato - I Have A Degree In Philosophy
universityofpatanjali
on 24/08/16
Cheers on Nate Charlow: Smart and Funny Young Philosophy Student
Nate C
on 12/08/16
Well, if you were to avoid nihilism, and conclude that certain knowledge is impossible, and the ethics is to work, then Kant thinks the ethics are unconditional and universal. on Does the Job Market Reduce Your Chance of Success In Philosophy?
Anonymous
on 06/06/16
Thanks for this. I start work as a graduate philosopher tomorrow and am looking forward to surprising my departmental colleagues with the ideas contained in this post. on Reflexions on Philosophy in the Profession
Anonymous
on 21/05/16
Learning about philosophy was the best time of my life. Locke on personal identity? Get out of here! I loved thinking about all these different problems and now I have a 4-2 teaching load at a small liberal arts college. I'm hoping to publish my way into the Leiter top ten. on News in the Profession + Poll results - The Rankings of Philosophy
Anonymous
on 23/04/16
Getting up to do philosophy this morning I noticed a number of difficult issues for the profession. I am going to take some time to work through these before getting back to my work! on News in the Profession + Poll results - The Rankings of Philosophy
Anonymous
on 18/04/16
THanks for this. I wonder, whern we review papers, how long should we spend typing up our ideas about the arguments, helping th eauthors do their work better? Personally I think they should learn philosophy from their teachers, let me teach MY students, and they will slowly get better or simply move on. Any takers? on News in the Profession + Poll results - The Rankings of Philosophy
Anonymous
on 12/04/16
Hi guys, love the blog. I'm working a hot steaming teaching load at a small community college and I'm trying to publish my way up the profession. I'm working on articles on the metaphysics of children, holes and parts. I love working on these topics as they allow me to extend my mind (shoutout to Chalmers and the other guy) while fulfilling my job requirements. My students love listening to me talk about all of it, and sometimes they say things that really make me go 'Hmm'! I love philosophy but I hope you all keep trying to improve the problems in the profession. We've got a lot of work to do but there's some good stuff going on across the spectrum, and we need to extend a 'Hey!' to other disciplines and let them know we're there. I know my five year old is learning philosophy, because we talk after I come home and have finished grading papers. I love the profession and would like to see a lot more of it. on News in the Profession + Poll results - The Rankings of Philosophy
Anonymous
on 11/04/16
Krispy Kremes and Philosophy is coming out this April on Routledge! on News in the Profession + Poll results - The Rankings of Philosophy
Anonymous
on 29/03/16
(7) A presumption of respect without waiting to find out how people more important than you judge the person in your gaze. (8) Awareness of the damaging effects of gossip. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 28/03/16
I have six ideas on how we can improve the profession now that we can no longer rely on the rigour combined with deep humanistic feeling embodied by the late great Hilary Putnam (I thought he was a woman when I first heard his name!). (1) Triple-blind review. (2) Public outreach (3) Mentors for all young graduate students. (4) Open-access publishing. (5) Greater attention paid to different traditions. (6) Diversity. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 27/03/16
OK, great. Great philosopher. Have a medal. Now let's have a little Q&A. Question: when are we going to get over his stupid hero worship and accept that no philosopher is better than all of us? When are we going to have more equity? Why haven't these things caused us more embarrassment in the media? Answer: We don't know. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 26/03/16
working a 9 to 5 teaching load ad harvard. nate charlow is a smart and funny young philosophy student! i got a templeton foundation grant to study embodied cognition, but declined it because it was problematic in the profession! on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 26/03/16
Bye Hilary. I will read Dewey in your honor. I will tell the students about properties and pegs and holes in your honor. I will remember what a force you were and how you drew us together through your ideas. I wish I had decided to go to Harvard, but it was so far away and at the time I didn't pay much attention to prestige. I wish I had gotten to know you other than a couple conversations. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 21/03/16
:-( Philosophy has really come to fruition in recent years. The work of action theorists such as Julian Groves and Ed Tulloch, with their emphasis on how we move and engage with the world, has completely changed my mind about how I manage to act. The ethical work of Harriet Bas is a constant companion as well. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 21/03/16
Coming home from a multidisciplinary workshop on color and embodied cognition and can't stop thinking about Putnam's seminal brain in the vat hypothesis, and his contributions to functionalism. Will definitely be telling my students about this fantastic philosopher. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 17/03/16
Thanks, this was a wonderful post. I love Putnam's philosophy even though I'm cuyrrently at a small school teaching a 5-4 teaching load. I do ethics, criticval thinking, intro to phil., intro to logic, and a few other courses. When lfying out for my current position and getting ready for tenure I used to read Putnam's work and hold it by my side. A quick peep into 'The Meaning of "Meaning"', a glance at the model-theoretical argument, or even a quick trip to Twin Earth in my mental philosophical rocketship would always buck me up and set me on the path to more scholarship. We've lost a real pearl here! on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 15/03/16
Thanks for this. on Ideas for Philosophy (In Memoriam to Hilary Putnam, wonderful philosopher and major senior figure
Anonymous
on 14/03/16
I know a beautiful philosopher of race who wanted to talk to me about the changes in the profession. I had a 4-4 teaching load at the time at a small community college and I thought "God I really don't have tine for this but this could be really importantr!" We got together at a cafe and had chocolate ice. She and I met eyes and we both knew we had made some great points during the conversation. We decided to take our new ideas to a conference at the APA. Cut to three months ago and we've got a joint paper on all these issues - how we relate to each other, diversity, the cult of "intelligence" and brilliance, and experimental philosophy - coming out in six weeks time.This is a fantastic time to be a philosopher and all the asshats and old fashioned people will just have to deal with it. The times, indeed, are a changin'! on News in the Profession
Anonymous
on 12/03/16
Great philosophy stuff happening. Some great rankings at Brian's, Sartwell has really heated up, fascinating ideas and arguments coming out of Jason Stanley, and a lot of careful texts being published on the big group blogs. on News in the Profession
Anonymous
on 11/03/16
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. on News in the Profession
Anonymous
on 10/03/16
Thankz.... :) Maybe want to read : Tips Menjaga Rumah Tangga Agar Selalu Harmonis Faktor Penyebab Perselingkuhan Dalam Rumah Tangga Tanggung Jawab Dan Kewajiban Orang Tua Terhadap Anak Kewajiban Anak Terhadap Ke Dua Orang Tua Inilah Keutamaan Berbakti Kepada Orang Tua Ciri-Ciri Pria Selingkuh Yang Patut Anda Waspadai Cara Terbaik Mengatur Keuangan Rumah Tangga Tips Cara Mengambil Hati Calon Mertua Dengan Mudah Cara Mendidik Anak Menurut Ajaran Agama Islam Cara Mudah Membahagiakan Ke Dua Orang Tua Solusi mengatasi anak yang sulit makan Sayur Tips menghindari debat keluarga sebelum menikah Cara menjadi Ibu yang baik untuk Anak Cara menjadi Ayah yang Baik untuk Anak Cara menghadapi anak yang bandel dan nakal Tips Menjaga hubungan dengan Mertua Cara menghindari Perselingkuhan dalam Rumah Tangga on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
Kunyadu
on 10/03/16
Really enjoying the profession at the moment, and this is a fantastic set of news. Jonothan Schaffer recently told me he plans to quit philosophy and go into anthropology, since the human race is really what it's all about when it comes to the deep questions. This guy has done some great work in metaphysics and epistemology and I'm proud to call him my favourite philosopher (soon to be my favourite anthro) I like the way all our careers progress slowly and so does the profession and all the great ideas in philosophy. For example, no one knew how difficult metaethics was until the Moore argument. Now we know. Anderson told us 'Hey, counterfactuals aren't always about false antecedents. The doctor could be talking about the patient taking arsenic even if they did.' I remember this vividly and have integrated it into my own philosophical ouvre. on News in the Profession
Pons Asinorum
on 08/03/16
Yes! Yes! Philosophy never loses its attraction. I googled and found evidence of a correlation between obsessive-compulsive disorder (the Wittgenstein disease?) and risk aversion! Then I googled a second time and found an article that said risk averse individuals tend to be unkind! Yes. Then I googled a third time and won't tell you what I found so as not to jinx anyone reading this. (It was about employment.) I won't do anything else all summer till I find whether these things are true. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
in response to Whoever said that you should tell them even greater philosophy comes when you can live with doubt. Or, I don't know. What do you think? If it's the first I think that's sort of like saying great philosophers are just obsessives and nothing more. I'm not sure how to make a cartoon out of the second so therefore maybe it's the true one. , by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 05/03/16
Thanks for this. I'm also starting up a service aggregating calls for papers and stories from philosophers who have had trouble in their lives and in academia. I think it will be a great way for people to learn how to improve themselves and the profession. It's going to be called either PhilGregator or Hi-Phive. What do people think? If anyone wants to help out shoot me an email at essentialistmetaphysics@gmail.com on News in the Profession
Anonymous
on 01/03/16
I think it's really interesting and uimportant for philosophers to define and clarify their terms. I agree with this idea about doubts and I'm sure wittgenstein did too. I think philosophers are obsessivbes but we jhave to learn more about what we mean when we say "TYruth" or "reality" etc. So the jury's basically out till we get that. I;m bssesssed with philosophy and think about it almost every day! on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
in response to Whoever said that you should tell them even greater philosophy comes when you can live with doubt. Or, I don't know. What do you think? If it's the first I think that's sort of like saying great philosophers are just obsessives and nothing more. I'm not sure how to make a cartoon out of the second so therefore maybe it's the true one. , by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 28/02/16
Whoever said that you should tell them even greater philosophy comes when you can live with doubt. Or, I don't know. What do you think? If it's the first I think that's sort of like saying great philosophers are just obsessives and nothing more. I'm not sure how to make a cartoon out of the second so therefore maybe it's the true one. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)2 replies.
Anonymous
on 28/02/16
'Great philosophy begins with the quest for certainty in the face of doubt' - Uknown This is a motto Russell could have lived by all his life. He had many wives and mistresses, but he never stopped thinking about the big questions. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
Anonymous
on 27/02/16
'he does have a connection to the Vedanta' Thanks for this. I am working on this right now. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
in response to Russell is often maligned these days - or rather, people acknowledge his historical prominence but don't read him and engage with him enough. It's as if we think we've absorbed all the good stuff. Engaging with his philosophy is a curious thing - there's something colorless about it all, but that's maybe what makes it so great, and we need to come alive to it again. I really don't know. Thanks for this post., by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 25/02/16
I believe I have discovered independently a number of things discovered by Bertrand Russell -- or close analogues. In high school I came up with the essentially the famous tripartite analysis of sentences containing definite descriptions (I called them 'property-based names') - Russell's "Theory of Descriptions". I also developed my own conception of how a man may worship mathematics and the good things in life freely from authority. In my home country, no one had heard about these things, but when I came to South Africa I learned about Russell and was both amazed and encourage - there has to be something to these ideas. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
Anonymous
on 25/02/16
When I read Russell"leaves room in his philosophy for mystical elements" I thought "ooh no no no no no no no. Russell would hate that. Think of how he bemoaned the Inca kings who (at least in Russell's fictional history) sacrificed virgins. But then I remembered that he does have a connection to the Vedanta somehow or other. In and around Huxley's buddies, right? But usually I just read On Denoting. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
in response to Russell is often maligned these days - or rather, people acknowledge his historical prominence but don't read him and engage with him enough. It's as if we think we've absorbed all the good stuff. Engaging with his philosophy is a curious thing - there's something colorless about it all, but that's maybe what makes it so great, and we need to come alive to it again. I really don't know. Thanks for this post., by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 24/02/16
This is really interesting. There is a lot of new research on the horizon about Russell's philosophical inheritance; a lot of people think of him as a lapsed Hegelian, but really it's slowly becoming clear that he owes a lot to the British empiricist tradition of Locke, Hume and Mill. I'm preparing an edited volume for a press on this right now. I guess this is optimistic but we're hoping it will be out in 2019! on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
in response to Russell is often maligned these days - or rather, people acknowledge his historical prominence but don't read him and engage with him enough. It's as if we think we've absorbed all the good stuff. Engaging with his philosophy is a curious thing - there's something colorless about it all, but that's maybe what makes it so great, and we need to come alive to it again. I really don't know. Thanks for this post., by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 24/02/16
Russell is often maligned these days - or rather, people acknowledge his historical prominence but don't read him and engage with him enough. It's as if we think we've absorbed all the good stuff. Engaging with his philosophy is a curious thing - there's something colorless about it all, but that's maybe what makes it so great, and we need to come alive to it again. I really don't know. Thanks for this post. on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)3 replies.
Anonymous
on 24/02/16
Thanks for this. Fun anecdote: an American lecturer once watched Russell board a plane - he had a bottle of whisky in his bag and revealed it to the lecturer with a wink! on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
Anonymous
on 23/02/16
i love how bertram leaves room in his philosophy for mystical elements even though he's such a logical thinker on Bertrand Russell - Founding Giant of Analytic Philosophy - Vol. 1 (Pilos Profiles)
Anonymous
on 23/02/16
I have a 4-4 teaching load at a small school and would really love to do more pragmatism with my students, e.g. William James on Truth. However we are forced to teach logic and so called "critical thinking". What about practical thinking that actually effects people's lives! on William James - Father of Pragmatism
Anonymous
on 20/02/16
Hi guys I love David Lewis so I loved this post! Any more pilos profiles of great philosophers planned? I think it'd be really great to have one on Brit Brogaard who does interesting work in philolang and neurostudies, or maybe even Daniel Dennett. Thanks a lot! on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 20/02/16
What a fantastic philosopher! I remember being an undergraduate and being so fascinated with his theory of possible worlds. Does he really believe that they're real? it's amazing to see how far philosophical reasoning can be taken! This may be one of the reasons I went on to major in philosophy, writing a thesis on Parfit's Reasons and Persons. I am now completing an MA and considering doing a PhD too, but the job market is pretty bad at the moment so I'm not sure whether or not I want to do that. Also I am worried that philosophy nowadays is in danger of becoming either all empirical and sciency, or very specialized and hairspliting. No more room for bold innovators like Lewis maybe! Whatever the future holds, what a great post! on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 13/02/16
A proposition can't be a set of possible worlds that's completely stupid on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 05/02/16
Thanks so much for the suggestion, I think Ramsey would be a great choice! Hope you're injoying the blog. on David K. Lewis
in response to An particular reason why you've posted a picture of Ramsey instead of Lewis?, by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 04/02/16
An particular reason why you've posted a picture of Ramsey instead of Lewis? on David K. Lewis1 replies.
Anonymous
on 04/02/16
Lewis is so frustrating and a real sign of the times. He's so brilliant and sharper than anyone on certain core questions in analytic philosophy, but his doctrines have large amounts of falsity in them and he lacks any of the features of past great philosophers which make us admire them and think them great. He's just too much of a weirdo you know? on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 04/02/16
Fun anecdote about Lewis: when I was trying to decide what to dissertate on, I went to Lewis's office in the hope of getting some guidance from him. I found him covered in equations. on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 03/02/16
Thank you. I never knew what the K stood for. I never knew he was born in Oberlin. Or what he looked like under that beard! on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 02/02/16
My problem with possible worlds theory for counterfactuals is that are they really worlds? Or just scenarios of some kind. And what are worlds? And the analysis in terms of the closest worlds - elsewhere Lewis calls this a variable strict conditional analysis, but I think that gives it a different flavour. Is there any real difference between a strict conditional analysis on which all relevant A worlds are C worlds, where the (contextually determined) worlds are relevant because they *match* the actual world, are *similar* in relevant respects. (But there is a limiting case I think where all worlds are relevant --- is there any difference between that and the Lewisian 'closest' analysis, or is it just a difference in paint job? I feel like the difference is important, but elusive. on David K. Lewis
Anonymous
on 30/01/16
Funny anecdote about William James: hr got a job lecturing at the University of Connecticut, but his arch nemesis Simon Newcombe arranged a group of people to protest his lectures on the ground that they would undermine the moral fibre of the intellectuals. William showed up anyway and confronted Newcombe, who said 'Welcome to Connectivut William!' - William just shrugged and said 'Some people never change'! on William James - Father of Pragmatism
Anonymous
on 28/01/16
Some really interesting points here, it's going to take me a while to work through all of it. Even at my small community college with my 5-6 teaching load, I always make sure to read William James! Then I go out with my wife and my family, before it's right back to teaching and research. Thanks for this post - makes me know I'm not alone, and I'm really enjoying both it and these wonderful comments. on William James - Father of Pragmatism
Anonymous
on 27/01/16
At times it feels like the life of the mind is under attack from all quarters. The rationalistic, scientistic trend is making philosophers pretend to be scientists to get money, and truly pragmatic or real world philosophy for people today is left in the cold. So I left the profession after nine years of adjuncting and publishing up a storm but not getting anywhere. Still read a lot of William James though! on William James - Father of Pragmatism
Anonymous
on 26/01/16
Just to chime in here: you are invited to submit to the William conference we are organizing for next year! (See below.) We like all perspectives here, including criticisms. on William James - Father of Pragmatism
in response to I just can't accept William's ideas about truth. It may be good to believe something, but that doesn't make it true. Someone might kill me if I don't believe that the sun won't rise tomorrow, in which case I would to well to believe it. But that doesn't make it true. I said this argument to my teacher, who is a pragmatist, and he said there's more to it than that, but I can't see how. This whole doctrine is just wrong-headed through and through., by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 25/01/16
Sorry if this is off topic, but I am holding a William James conference at New York University in 2017. Please send us your abstracts so we can see if you're able to talk about William and hear what you have to say. on William James - Father of Pragmatism
Anonymous
on 25/01/16
I just can't accept William's ideas about truth. It may be good to believe something, but that doesn't make it true. Someone might kill me if I don't believe that the sun won't rise tomorrow, in which case I would to well to believe it. But that doesn't make it true. I said this argument to my teacher, who is a pragmatist, and he said there's more to it than that, but I can't see how. This whole doctrine is just wrong-headed through and through. on William James - Father of Pragmatism1 replies.
Anonymous
on 25/01/16
Thanks. When I first learned about William James, he seemed like such a vulgar, American sort of thinker to me. No no no, give me the austere logical rigors of a Frege or a Bertrand Russell any day! But then as I began to age I saw something warm and appealing in thhe thought of this wonderful man. He has ideas about all the major concepts in our intellectual life. Truth, beauty, realit and mind. Putting these all together into a pragmaticsm fleshed out with the metaphysics of neutral monism is a powerful poswerful cocktail to my mind. I think it's reasonable that James has been ignored by the analytic establishment with their orthodox concentration on reason and argument, but uin coming years we are - or may be! - due for a well-nigh, much needed reappraisal. I hope to be part of this in the coming year's! on William James - Father of Pragmatism
Anonymous
on 23/01/16
I work at a small school with a 4-4 teaching load and I couldn't be happier. Sometimes the big wigs in the profession try to intimidate me but I just hold up my copy of Timothy Williamson or William James and say 'This is my idea of philosophy!'. on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos
Anonymous
on 22/01/16
It depends on the tier of the journal. Tier one: Philosophical Review, Mind, Nous, PPR and JPhil. These guys all ask you first, but they reject more than half of all subissions. Tier two: Synthese, AJP, Phil. Imprint. I was a referee for both of these and we always keep our authors in the loop. Tier 3: Philosophia, Logique et Analyse, Dialectica: All foreign people, you'll be lucky to hear a peep out of them, but all your articles are published quickly. Fourth tear: Disputatio, Acta Philosophica Fennica, Logos and Episteme: Weird latinate names! I got my first paper published in Philosophy Now and they didn't tell me about it! I loved it though. Hope that helps on Thanks again Brian + Plato's Writing + POEM FOR MY FATHER
in response to I have a question about publication. When you get a paper accepted, how do you know? Do they tell you or does it just come out in the journal?, by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 22/01/16
I cited a paper recently which is published by a Springer journal. I got a notification from them saying 'Someone might be interested in this', but it was my paper! It's a crazy profession. on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos
Anonymous
on 22/01/16
There's a new online digest of philosophical work opening up, The Philosophical Post. It's going to be like a journal and peer-reviewed but all online and geared towards a general audience. I am soliciting submission for the next three weeks and if we get enough good contributions we will go live some time in 2016. Competition for space will be intense, but at least your articles will not have to be printed, so we can give consideration to your work based solely on its merit. The Editorial Board is very distinguished, and has a special focus on epistemology and ethics. I really look forward to seeing your emails and seeing you there. Please write to me with any inquiries about this new venture. We will be indexed by PhilPapers, INTELeX, and Wiley-Blackwell Online. I am currently writing a paper on excluded middle. on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos
Anonymous
on 10/01/16
I'm getting up this morning to do some work on my research and I've been asking myself: I wonder if I should cite X or not? Thanks so much for this wonderful resource. Now at least I can think a bit more about it in an informed way! on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos
Anonymous
on 09/01/16
Box of tidal ways pox of my doll plays, for collumn sulphur fits grimace Hawthorn on Belvedere stilts, a wriggling corn of proverbs bleaks down on your hot wet beak of proverbs. I slimmed right down when I caught the orient poor and had a reed only left to kettle me. Bunches of soft Scott meats, bundles of rolling hot Hawthorne, I songed out of the krepps, and bound myself to a soggy wet pole, but a tall pole of fundamental wood, I sold Scotch waiter clothing from under the hood, I raised my hat up on the wood flag like a solid good hag, and there was the truth lying waiting like a pollen jetski. A Roald Dahl copper cornucopia. Parched, I leant in and said to my friend, "We're completely fucked and we need to get home immediately" A large blond bunch of liberal children came to my aid, their buttery eyes wandering and melting in the thick calm of their next day's learning activities. I bulged Brahms on our first meeting, and went back trusting more and more after that. Holga aged on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos
in response to I really want to learn more about philosophy, and I'm about to pursue graduate studies to that end. I want to publish in the Leiter top 100, and get my tenure by publishing articles in well respected journals. I have an idea according to which you only have knowledge if you satisfy the axioms of basic rationality, and in that framework your beliefs and desires and concomitant states are the only thing in question. Inquiry: The question of logic: what happens to the logical laws if your proposal is adopted? Answer: Dominant strategies prevail, a number of truths are co-ordinated. Sun burn and saintly dew quiffs, a Moulin Rouge sweepstakes Bleedin' thanks! A trip bath of balm quick fads! But the mesmer mimes I Duke Tresnor gone and followed Box cart on miles of this, a plush park gone and hemisblades Sog gone and misttle dew of country more Manor, I lost sigrid's big dew and lost into Harriet former stages Ages and social quips times Cropping fog horn mathematics twins on a slot of , by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 06/01/16
I really want to learn more about philosophy, and I'm about to pursue graduate studies to that end. I want to publish in the Leiter top 100, and get my tenure by publishing articles in well respected journals. I have an idea according to which you only have knowledge if you satisfy the axioms of basic rationality, and in that framework your beliefs and desires and concomitant states are the only thing in question. Inquiry: The question of logic: what happens to the logical laws if your proposal is adopted? Answer: Dominant strategies prevail, a number of truths are co-ordinated. Sun burn and saintly dew quiffs, a Moulin Rouge sweepstakes Bleedin' thanks! A trip bath of balm quick fads! But the mesmer mimes I Duke Tresnor gone and followed Box cart on miles of this, a plush park gone and hemisblades Sog gone and misttle dew of country more Manor, I lost sigrid's big dew and lost into Harriet former stages Ages and social quips times Cropping fog horn mathematics twins on a slot of on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos1 replies.
Anonymous
on 06/01/16
Here's how I see the matter. (I'm a mid-tier professor at a small school with nine publications and a book on Descartes under contract.) We need a way to assess value in the profession. We need a way of deciding who will go forward, who will do well, and who to listen to. Also, students need to be able to evaluate their teachers and decide based upon that what to do. So we need some sort of metric. Call this the (MET) problem. One option with (MET) is a voting system - but philosophy is not, or should not be, a popularity contest. Disciplines who have done things that way have a long history of failure. So that leaves: interviews, publications and citations. One problem with interviews is that sometimes you already know the person and might be embarassed. Another problem is that you might be biased for or against them based on superficial features of the interview. Also interviewing is a costly process, both in terms of time and money. A big problem with just counting publications on OUR CITATION PRACTISES: A Philosophical Reflection at the pilos
Anonymous
on 05/01/16
I have a question about publication. When you get a paper accepted, how do you know? Do they tell you or does it just come out in the journal? on Thanks again Brian + Plato's Writing + POEM FOR MY FATHER1 replies.
Anonymous
on 05/01/16
Mereology is a big part of philosophy, We all know epistemology is as well, Philosophy of language I could talk about forever, I've lost count of the interesting issues in philosophy of mathematics, Ethics is really really good, But metaphysics - basically I couldn't be bothered. Bit of philosophy humour for the day! Now back to work guys haha! on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
Anonymous
on 03/01/16
Getting up early this morning to do a philosophy podcast about Derek Parfit on Reasons and Persons! on New Post Here at the Pilos Metablog
Anonymous
on 30/12/15
Hi Big Red!! My top five papers in philosophy are Nietzche, Kierkegaard, Lewis, Prawitz and Katherine Hawley. on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
in response to Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeea- boi! Those formuluhz sure are well-formed., by Big Red Boi.
Anonymous
on 30/12/15
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeea- boi! Those formuluhz sure are well-formed. on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger1 replies.
Big Red Boi
on 27/12/15
Thirty new students cam in the door to me today, crying because they could not understand philosophy. I told them 'Calm down, begin with the simple arguments and thinkers, and then you'll be building up castles of philosophical logic in no time!' They're really happy now and one of them even knows how to use propositions! This is the kinda stuff that makes it all worthwhile. on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
Anonymous
on 25/12/15
We have these blogs. We have people of good will in the profession. We have so many great topics, amazing talent, and solid curricula. So when is philosophy going to rise out of the doldrums and come into its own as a vehicle for real progress and change? When I was a child I knew that ideas had power, now I've been on the market three times and all my students hate me. I think this is about the worst it could be, and yet I still have hope. Philosophy was once great, and maybe it still is. If I get a Wordpress document together, is anyone willing to chime in and sign it? We could then send it to Berit Brogaard and Graham Harman. I bet they won't like it, but by the same token they won't get a say. We won't be stopped so easily. On a brighter note, I just got hired to teach Ethics and the Simpsons next semester! At least that will seem relevant to my small Midwestern students. on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
Anonymous
on 18/12/15
P.S. I also want to be a dream boyfriend one day on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
in response to Got a new modal logic I'm working on called S9. In this system it's impossible to prove anything, but it's also impossible to fail. It's based on some side comments in Timothy Williamson's new book and I have been helped to develop it by a coterie of moal logicians. I wish it were not the case that it's not possible to come up with a better system, because then we'd do that one too! There are lots of applications to philosophy. We can show that Frege's puzzle is stupid, and that everyone who beats a donkey does so only three times, if they own it. Paradoxes in moral theory may also be resolvable by means of S9: on the train tracks trying to decide whether to push a fat man? So am I. And by S9, there's nothing we can do about it! Haha, of course this is a joke. A little bit of philosophy humour for the middle of your week's!, by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 17/12/15
Thanks heaps for that. I love doing logic whenever POSSIBLE. S1, S2, predicates, propositions... it's all great. Please come here and be as personal as you like. I am not tenured and I am ambitious as a philosopher but not necessarily wanting to be an academic, so I don't know... I want to reach the towering heights of philosophy in some sense, I'll give you that. I bet it's nice up there and then if everyone digs my stuff I'll feel really good about it. And I think I've got some great ideas about how to improve our thinking and ideas, and learning how to solve old traditional puzzles by learning more about how they really work. And no I can't guess why!!!!! Please do tell. on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
in response to Got a new modal logic I'm working on called S9. In this system it's impossible to prove anything, but it's also impossible to fail. It's based on some side comments in Timothy Williamson's new book and I have been helped to develop it by a coterie of moal logicians. I wish it were not the case that it's not possible to come up with a better system, because then we'd do that one too! There are lots of applications to philosophy. We can show that Frege's puzzle is stupid, and that everyone who beats a donkey does so only three times, if they own it. Paradoxes in moral theory may also be resolvable by means of S9: on the train tracks trying to decide whether to push a fat man? So am I. And by S9, there's nothing we can do about it! Haha, of course this is a joke. A little bit of philosophy humour for the middle of your week's!, by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 17/12/15
Keep up the good work!!! Impossible to fail is not for the feint hearted or those who never cry. But logic is about possibility anyway, even if you don't do any of the esses. I might be going out on a limb here and I don't want to be too personal but I Sherlock-Holmes-deduce that you are not tenured or are very ambitious and want to reach the towering heights of this profession. Can you guess why? on Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
in response to Got a new modal logic I'm working on called S9. In this system it's impossible to prove anything, but it's also impossible to fail. It's based on some side comments in Timothy Williamson's new book and I have been helped to develop it by a coterie of moal logicians. I wish it were not the case that it's not possible to come up with a better system, because then we'd do that one too! There are lots of applications to philosophy. We can show that Frege's puzzle is stupid, and that everyone who beats a donkey does so only three times, if they own it. Paradoxes in moral theory may also be resolvable by means of S9: on the train tracks trying to decide whether to push a fat man? So am I. And by S9, there's nothing we can do about it! Haha, of course this is a joke. A little bit of philosophy humour for the middle of your week's!, by Anonymous.
Anonymous
on 16/12/15
Brian Leiter - Superb blogger
in response to Got a new modal logic I'm working on called S9. In this system it's impossible to prove anything, but it's also impossible to fail. It's based on some side comments in Timothy Williamson's new book and I have been helped to develop it by a coterie of moal logicians. I wish it were not the case that it's not possible to come up with a better system, because then we'd do that one too! There are lots of applications to philosophy. We can show that Frege's puzzle is stupid, and that everyone who beats a donkey does so only three times, if they own it. Paradoxes in moral theory may also be resolvable by means of S9: on the train tracks trying to decide whether to push a fat man? So am I. And by S9, there's nothing we can do about it! Haha, of course this is a joke. A little bit of philosophy humour for the middle of your week's!, by Anonymous.
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