Philosophy in the News
- The Life of Marcus Aurelius
The 16th emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius is remembered as the last of the Five Good Emperors and is known today as one of the most important Stoic philosophers.
- Experimental Semantics
What does the name 'Kurt Gödel' refer to? Most people think it refers to the person who came up with the incompleteness theorem. But does it matter what most people think? Are our intuitions consistent, or even relevant here? Philosopher Michael Devitt discusses. (audio)
- Just War Theory
Aquinas follows medieval legal thinkers in defining the conditions under which war may be justified, and proposes his famous doctrine of double effect. (audio)
- Saving the Enlightenment
How could such a formative epoch in human civilisation fall so low in intellectual standing? Time to rethink the Enlightenment. (audio)
- Why Kids Need to Learn Philosophy – Now More Than Ever
Nothing could be more important to the future well-being of both our kids and society as a whole than that they learn how to be philosophers. If we fail..., our kids may end up becoming expert at a making a living, but they will be incompetent at creating a civil society. "It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."
- Why Should I Respect Your Stupid Opinion?
The default position for most of us ... is that we should respect other people's beliefs. Respectfulness is a virtue, and it is associated with tolerance, which everyone agrees is generally a good thing. To not respect someone's beliefs can be hurtful or alienating and evinces a closed mind. But this common response is too simple. Not all beliefs are worthy of respect, and withholding respect is sometimes in order. There are different kinds of respect, and a belief may deserve some of these but not others. Philosopher Emtrys Westacott discusses when, why and how we should respect the beliefs of others.
- Is Humanity Getting Better?
The world now is a thoroughly awful place, compared with what it should be. But not compared with what it was. Our new global crises are so challenging because the bads are so tightly bound up with the goods. Oh, humanity does learn, but often only after thousands or even millions have died.
- Philosophy Majors To Top Other Humanities in Earnings
Philosophy majors are projected to be the top-paid Class of 2016 humanities graduates at the bachelor's degree level, says the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
- Reliable Belief
An interview with philosopher Jose Zalabardo.
- Everybody Needs Some Body Sometime
Thomas Aquinas makes controversial claims concerning the unity of the soul and the empirical basis of human knowledge. (audio)
- Love and Moral Value
When it comes to morally valuing others and our duties to them to accommodate, support, or love them, are there any general principles that suffice? Might it be that some such moral value simple doesn't rest on principles -- but spring instead from a person's unique, irreplaceable individuality. Philosopher Mark Hopwood discusses. (audio)
- Summer Diversity Institutes in Philosophy
A number of undergraduate diversity institutes in philosophy are now accepting applications for their 2016 sessions. These institutes operate independent of one another, but they share the overarching goal of encouraging and supporting undergraduates from underrepresented groups in philosophy. Each institute normally accepts 10-20 students per year. Philosophy in an Inclusive Key (PIKSI) – PIKSI-Rock (June 13-22, 2016) and PIKSI-Boston (July 17-23, 2016). Application deadline: March 21, 2016. Rutgers Summer Institute for Diversity in Philosophy – July 10-17, 2016. Application deadline: May 9, 2016. Summer Immersion Program in Philosophy at Brown University (SIPP@Brown) – July 17-30, 2016. Application deadline: March 15, 2016. UCSD Summer Program for Women in Philosophy – June 20-July 1, 2016. Application deadline: March 1, 2016. UMass Dartmouth Summer Program for Diversity: Logic – May 22-28, 2016. Application deadline: April 18, 2016.
- Philosophy of Liberation
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a new entry on the philosophy of liberation. Philosophy of Liberation is the collective name for a philosophical movement and method of doing philosophy that emerged at first in Argentina during the late sixties, but that went on to spread throughout Latin American during the early seventies.
- Down Girl
An interview with philosopher Kate Manne. This is the first in a continuing series from the American Philosophical Association, spotlighting the work of philosophers early in their careers.
- The Phantom Official
A Spanish civil servant was on the payroll but didn't actually show up for work for more than six years before anyone noticed. What did he do in his extra "off" time? According to his family, he dedicated himself to reading philosophy.
- The Principles of Existing Things
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a new entry on the work of Al-Farabi. Abu Nasr al-Farabi (c. 870–950), known in the Arabic philosophical tradition as the "Second Master" after Aristotle, and Alpharabius/Alfarabi in the Latin West tradition, is one of the major thinkers in the history of Islamic philosophy. He wrote extensively on logic, philosophy of language, metaphysics, natural philosophy, ethics, political philosophy, philosophical psychology and epistemology.
- Ethnic Identity and DNA
It ought to be possible to compare the DNA of a random individual with DNA from around the world to make a call on ethnicity, but there are problems with tests of this kind, says philosopher Alva Noë.
- Neuroethics
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a new entry on neuroethics. Neuroethics is an interdisciplinary research area that focuses on ethical issues raised by our increased and constantly improving understanding of the brain and our ability to monitor and influence it, as well as on ethical issues that emerge from our concomitant deepening understanding of the biological bases of agency and ethical decision-making.
- On Being Awesome
Why, in the entire history of human life, did awesomeness become the great virtue of our age (and suckiness its vice)? Philosopher Nick Riggle discusses.
- Lincoln’s Ethics
A review of philosopher Thomas L. Carson's recent book Lincoln's Ethics.