Public Philosophy

The Contingent Risk of Humane Entrenchment

In my recent book Humane, I outline a modest and narrow argument that making objectionable practices less objectionable—especially in the name of reducing suffering—can...

Everywhere You Look: On the Conspiracy of Experience and the Demands of Philosophy

The title of Adam McKay’s allegory for global warming and media satire, Don’t Look Up, is, in the end, quite literal in terms of...

What if Refugees Designed Asylum?

Polish soldiers met the people seeking asylum at the Poland-Belarus border with water cannons. As refugees froze to death in the woods, Poland declared...

Introducing: Law and Philosophy Series

The APA is excited to launch its new blog series, Philosophy and Law, with Sabeen Ahmed as series editor. In this introductory post, Sabeen...

Do We Have a ‘Bias Bias’?

How rational are we? And if we are not rational, how could we tell, since we would have to rely on our reasoning to...

Misandrogyny and Cisgender Discomfort

In this post, I want to explore a few ideas about a system of oppression that targets gender non-binary and non-conforming persons. I begin...
Close-up hand in front of a blurry horizon

Affirming Accountability: Confessions of a Cyber-Sex Addict

My name is John Altmann, and I'm a recovering sexist and more pointedly, a recovering cyber-sex addict of over twelve years. During the course...

“Or So They Tell Us”: Thinking with Bayard Rustin

It appears that in our current moment one must be either for change or against it. Those who are not actively fighting are pronounced...

The Union as a Basic Institution of Society

My new book, In the Name of Liberty: The Argument for Universal Unionization, (Cambridge University Press, 2020) contains three essays. The book’s first essay...

Philosophy with Higher Stakes: An Interview with Rosalie Lochner

Ashley Bohrer: Why don't you start by telling me a little bit about yourself and your background in philosophy. Rosalie Lochner: I got my PhD...