For the philosopher is confronted not by one complex many-dimensional picture, the unity of which, such as it is, he must come to appreciate; but by two pictures of essentially the same order of complexity, each of which purports to be a complete picture of man-in-the-world, and which, after separate scrutiny, he must fuse into … [continue reading]
Author Archives: L_E
EDGY SPEECH DOUBLE FEATURE 2. A Plea for Edgy Philosophy.
1. Nowadays, philosophy is practiced almost universally at universities. If you want to be a philosopher, it’s almost inevitable that you should be a “professional philosopher” working as an “academic”. I have explored elsewhere some of the harms of this association. While professionalizing philosophy looks like a good thing, I shall argue that it kills … [continue reading]
From Professional Vocabularies and the Ethics of Terminology to Presentational Polymorphism: A Conversation about Otto Paans’s “The Pre-Structured Professional Philosopher.” (Re-edited February 2018)
Z: OP’s essay, “The Pre-Structured Professional Philosopher,” leads in many fascinating directions, and has correspondingly many important implications. But before I get down to that, I want to quote, between the horizontal lines directly below, a few pages of a highly APP-relevant, prescient, and characteristically beautifully-written, jargon-free essay by Susan Haack from the late 2000s, … [continue reading]
“Failed Academics”: Schopenhauer, Peirce, and the (D)evolution of University Philosophy. (Re-edited January 2018)
1. The relationship between philosophy and academia is tricky, and sometimes even tragic. For individuals living in the 21st century, the standard path towards a “quality” education is to enroll in universities. Those among us who are deeply interested in philosophy are naturally led to philosophy departments, and accordingly, we spend a great deal of … [continue reading]
POOCs Without PAWs (Philosophy Open Online Courses Without PAy Wall Shit), and Why the Internet Might Be a Primary Vehicle for Real Liberal Arts Education and Real Philosophy.
Z: Recently I’ve been thinking lots about how a real liberal arts education—i.e., a liberal arts education that hasn’t run into the neo-conservative cultural cul de sac and nihilist abyss of what William Deresiewicz so aptly calls the “neo-liberal arts,” and is aimed at Heavy Duty Enlightenment, not Enlightenment Lite–-might be really possible, about real … [continue reading]
Let’s Crash Out! Real Philosophy, Anti-Professional Style, and the Right Genre and Medium for the Message. (APP’s Readers Talk Back! 2)
APP Editors’ Note: JV is a graduate student in philosophy at a public university somewhere in North America; Ishmael is a tenured associate professor of philosophy at a small private university somewhere in North America; and L_E is a PhD student in philosophy at a public university somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. This conversation refers … [continue reading]
What is It All About? Some Reflections on Applying to Graduate School in Philosophy from Outside the USA.
APP Editors’ Note: L_E is a 20-something philosophy PhD student at a public university somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. This post is mainly about my experience as a non-traditional student applying to graduate school in philosophy in the USA, from outside the US. Before I proceed, a few words regarding my background might be helpful. … [continue reading]