The history of modern philosophy begins with Descartes, right? Wrong. In “Descartes Is Not Our Father,” a very interesting–but I also think, very wrong-headed– essay published in The New York Times on 25 September 2017, Christia Mercer writes this: René Descartes has long been credited with the near-single-handed creation of modern philosophy. Generations of students … [continue reading]
Monthly Archives: September 2017
The Duck, the Fish, and the Sharks: A Parable.
Almost everyone has heard the story about the duck and the fish. Some ducks are swimming around in a pond; one of them looks down and sees some fish swimming around directly beneath him. The duck says: “Hey guys! How’s the water down there?” Then one of the fish turns to another one and says: … [continue reading]
Professional Disorientation.
APP Editors’ Note: Jeremy Tauzer is a PhD student in philosophy at Saint Louis University. INTRODUCTION Imagine, or perhaps recall, the ideals of the incoming philosophy grad student. This student has emerged from encounters with the sarcasm of Socrates, the loftiness of Plato, the painstaking system-making of Aristotle, the epistemological turmoil and ethical theorizing of … [continue reading]
On Visual Philosophy: Philosoflicks and Kant By Hand.
In “Let’s Make More Movies,” the epistemological anarchist Paul Feyerabend wrote this: The separation of subjects that is such a pronounced characteristic of modern philosophy is … not altogether undesirable. It is a step on the way to a more satisfactory type of myth. What is needed to proceed further is not the return to harmony … [continue reading]