Public Philosophy

Within the Shadow of Monuments

Public debate over memorials tends to belie their complexity. We need to consider them from all angles. An instant is sufficient to snap the chains;...

The Possible World Defense: Why Our Current Legal Thinking about Entrapment is Philosophically Suspect

I was a special agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation before making a career change to academic philosophy. During my time at the...

Finding the Chicken of the Woods: The World of Fungi

Editor’s Note: This piece was the runner up of the APA Blog’s first Public Philosophy Award for Undergraduates. What would it be like to be a...

Why We Ought Not to Fear Regret

Editor's Note: This piece was the winner of the APA Blog's first Public Philosophy Award for Undergraduates. “A man of genius makes no mistakes. His...

Two Factors in Choosing a Dissertation Topic

From their first day in graduate school, doctoral students are aware that to earn a degree they must complete a dissertation, and they are...

Public Philosophy Is Good—For Philosophy and For the Public

Academic philosophers frequently dismiss the value and legitimacy of public philosophy—i.e. philosophy that engages issues of public concern and works collaboratively with civic and...

Announcing the Winners of the APA Blog Undergraduate Public Philosophy Award

After reviewing 96 submissions, we are pleased to announce the winners and honorable mentions of the APA Blog's first Public Philosophy Award for Undergraduates,...

The Conjuring of Ridiculous Things: Why I Value Mexican Philosophy

An occupational hazard of studying, writing about, and teaching Mexican philosophy is that there will always be someone who asks, “What makes it ‘Mexican’?”...

Mother Forkin’ Morals: Doing Philosophy in Online Video Snippets

“The Good Place,” an NBC television comedy series that often employs philosophical themes and jokes, just concluded its third season and has been renewed...

Public Philosophy, “Dumbing Down,” and the Demands of Justice

When an academic philosopher takes her first steps into public philosophy, she quickly confronts a challenge: We are used to writing in a slow,...