Philosophy for the Young, Medieval Style

You are attending university. You are studying logic, philosophy of language, and the nature of knowledge — but it’s medieval times and you are fourteen. Okay, go!

Is Tech Serious About Data Ethics?

Maybe not so much.

Philosopher Gutting Offers Affirmative Action Challenge

Philosopher Gary Gutting offers his best, rational argument for affirmative action in college admissions and challenges readers to change his mind by offering a better argument. UPDATE: Gutting respond to a selection of the 750 responses received here.

Philosophy Education in Saudi Arabia

Banned for decades, some sort of philosophy education is now to be allowed in Saudi high schools, according to Education Minister Ahmad Al-Issa.

Your Lucas Brothers’ Philosophy Reading List

Philosophy permeates the comedy of identical twin comedians and philosophy majors The Lucas Brothers. Here are 5 philosophy books they think you should read right now.

Philosophy Talk: the Examined Year

The philosopher-hosts of Philosophy Talk review 2018 from a philosophical perspective. (audio)

Looking for Understanding in the Same Wrong Place

How often psychology (or the mind sciences generally) are turned to to answer our social problems — and why it is the wrong place to look.

When Is It Ethical to Consume Sexist Art?

Philosopher Alida Liberman offers some generalizable criteria that we can use to help us figure out when it is morally okay to support a problematic work of art because of its good features and in spite of its bad ones.

When Is It Ethical to Consume Sexist Art?

For 160 years now, Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection has been baffling and blowing minds with its “strange inversion of reasoning” – i.e. that a mindless, uncomprehending process can give rise to minds and comprehension, along with skyscrapers and space programs and violin sonatas. And it’s not done yet. Evolution is still evolving, carrying us into an age of post-intelligent design – which brings danger as well as opportunity. (audio)

Evolve If You Can (If You Dare)

Data Ethics Initiatives Without the Ethics?

Is it acceptable to waive ethical considerations in our pursuit of a greater good? In our desire to understand misinformation or fight self-harm is it acceptable to rescind formerly sacrosanct ethical rules like informed consent and the right to opt out of research, in the name of the greater good?

“Never trust a thought that occurs to you indoors”

Thus spake Nietzsche who, like many philosophers, was an advocate of a good stroll. This is a brief review of I Am Dynamite!, a new biography of Nietzsche.

What ‘Justice’ Really Means

What role does justice truly play in our lives?

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Reasoning Up to the Edge of Reality

From the bottom of a black hole to the beginning of time, our core theories break down at the universe’s extremes. Most assume this collapse of the laws of Newtonian physics in quantum physics identifies cracks in the very fabric of reality. But might it be that our theories are misguided? Are we mistaking mathematical metaphors for reality or is there something contradictory about the universe itself? Philosopher of science Nancy Cartwright discusses the issues with a physicist and post-modernist. (video)

Who Put the Trust in Trustworthiness?

Philosopher Katherine Hawley discusses a concept we all rely on, but rarely question: trustworthiness. Is it always a good trait to have? Might it not come into conflict with other traits we value, such as generosity? Whither your trustworthiness then? (audio)

Our Data Ethics Apathy

“We can’t solve the ethical dilemmas of big data by issuing judgments or making a few laws.”

How the Whole World Thinks

Writing a global history of philosophy is a tricky business. Philosophy is culturally differentiated, and to Western observers, non-Western traditions can sometimes look like things that aren’t what we call “philosophy” – religions, for example. But who’s to say that Western philosophical categories should always hold sway? (audio)

$3.4 Million Gift to Philosophy

The Philosophy, Politics and Economics Program at UNC Chapel Hill has received a $3.4 million gift. The Program is directed by philosopher Geoffrey Sayre-McCord. The program offers an undergraduate minor and currently enrolls about 350 students.

1000-Word Philosophy

1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology, an open-access project dedicated to providing excellent introductions to philosophical issues that are ideal for students and public philosophy purposes.

Got DNA? So Does the Bio Data Bank

“I think we should really worry about ethics. What is right? What is wrong? We’ve got to be principle-driven.”

Hi-Phi Nation Is Everywhere

Hi-Phi Nation hits the big time — being picked up by Slate for their podcast network. ““We love Hi-Phi Nation, a sneaky-smart, story-driven podcast about philosophy and the human experience.”

Getting a Reputation (Or Getting Rid of One)

We think about our own reputation all the time, and we constantly reference the reputations of the people we meet and interact with. But why do we care so much about reputation? Is it rational for us to rely on reputation so heavily in our day-to-day lives? Are judgments about reputation just a handy social screening mechanism or something much more nefarious? A discussion with Gloria Origgi from the Institut Jean Nicod in Paris, author of Reputation: What It Is and Why It Matters. (audio)

The Importance of Being Earnestly Idle

Philosopher Brian O’Connor thinks we would do well to think about idleness more and rather differently from how we do.

What Are Our Obligations to the Needy?

How can we best help those in need? Peter Singer has famously argued for ‘effective altruism’ focusing on consequences. Philosopher Larry Temkin questions some of Singer’s assumptions and talks about whom we should help, how, and why. (audio)

The Question We Must Keep Asking

We can only define ourselves by continually re-evaluating our humanness. “Everything hangs on how we define ourselves and how we treat those with whom we share our surroundings… We are doomed if we lose independent thinking, lose the ability to freely evaluate and define ourselves.”

Philosophy of Border Control

Most people agree that nation states don’t have any moral right to control the movement of citizens within their borders, or to prevent citizens from travelling beyond those borders. So why should we accept that states have the right to exclude or restrict entry to refugees and immigrants? The answers usually appeal to security, or the need to ‘preserve’ national values and culture. But these arguments may be less robust than they appear. (audio)

How History Gets Things Wrong

Philosopher Alex Rosenberg says our addiction to stories keeps us from understanding history. According to Rosenberg, results in neuroscience are making it clear that we are hardwired to get it wrong.

Principia in the 21st Century

Is it possible that the “mathematical method” is no longer fundamental to philosophy?

Does Altruism Exist?

We often praise selfless action, but it is even possible?

I Second That Emotion

The Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy has a brand new entry on the emotions (replacing their earlier one). This entry focuses primarily on the descriptive question of what the emotions are, but tackles also the normative question of whether emotions are rational.

Knowing Something By Knowing That Others Don’t

A simple logic puzzle shows, surprisingly, that we can come to know something merely by learning that someone else doesn’t know it.

Guilt and Shame Without the Self

According to Buddhist thought the self is an illusion. How would one then make sense of regulatory emotions like guilt and shame? (audio)

Just Your Ordinary Everyday Run-of-the-mill Garden-Variety Philosophically-Grounded Afterlife Fantasy-Comedy

Okay, nothing ordinary about it. But how is NBC’s ‘The Good Place’ getting things so ethically spot-on? Part of the reason is that UCLA philosophy professor Pamela Hieronymi was an early consultant on the show.

VR5 Is Now! (Or Did I Just Dream That?)

The Curious Kids Series tackles 13-year-old Erin’s big question: “How do you know that we aren’t in virtual reality right now? It could be so realistic that it feels like normal life.” (We admit we were kind of hoping they would say, “Well, Erin, we are in virtual reality right now. But did you have any other questions?” That would have been so cool … unless the curious kid cried or something. I guess thankfully, the proffered answer goes in a much more responsible direction.)

A Reconsideration of NIMBYism

Suppose a new hospital or drug rehabilitation centre needs to be built. If you’re a NIMBY, then you’ll be fine with the project—as long as it doesn’t take place in your vicinity, or affect your property value. NIMBYism is often touted as the scourge of suburbia, and the ‘not in my back yard’ ethos attracts charges of selfishness and hypocrisy. But maybe there’s more to NIMBYism than meets the eye. (audio)