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,...
David Foster Wallace and the Challenge of Fatalism
Recently I had occasion to consult major reference works to compare their accounts of fatalism. What I found was disappointing.
The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy,...
Philosophy in the Contemporary World: Facts and Our Stubborn Attitude Towards Them
Facts, as the old saying goes, are “stubborn things.” But what about our attitude towards facts? When one’s feelings about facts drive a decision,...
A University Goes into Exile
What do you do if the government threatens to close your university in the city in which it is currently located? And what does...
Two Ancient and Unpersuasive Arguments about Death
Two ancient arguments—one of Greek origin, the other Roman—are intended to demonstrate that we should be undisturbed by death. I want to suggest that...