Has science destroyed the dream of philosophy? Was Stephen Hawking correct in claiming,“Philosophy is Dead?” These and a few more questions were raised, or more so alluded to in a recent debate by Paul Horwich and Michael P. Lynch in the Stone in March. The two philosophy professors debated the current state of philosophy using Wittgenstein as a platform. Horwich went first, Continue Reading …
A Derrida Not School Discussion
Does anything lie beyond a text? Can we understand being outside of writing? Last month, Paul Harris and I met up via Google+ to discuss the third essay in Derrida's Writing and Difference entitled "Edmund Jabés and the Question of the Book." One of the shorter essays in this book, it provides a great example of what would later be deemed "Deconstruction." Using the poetry of Continue Reading …
Sally Haslanger on Social Construction
There are movements in philosophy to focus on the social domain vs. the personal one: groups rather than individuals. This is very well developed in the fields of Feminist and Gender Theory which look at the female/male social constructions and much broader issues including race and justice theory. Taking from philosophers such as Julia Kristeva, Judith Butler, and Luce Continue Reading …
Walter Mignolo On Postcolonial Philosophy
Walter Mignolo, semiotician and literary theorist, weighs in on the relative strengths of Eurocentric and non-Eurocentric (colonial, not occidental) philosophy in this article on Aljeezera. In literary theory, most new studies are centered around Eurocentrism and its effect on natives via Postcolonial theory. Heavy minds in Postcolonial Theory include Gayatri Spivak, Homi Continue Reading …
The New Breed of Philosophy
Tired of the overwhelming focus on mind/body problems in philosophy? There also is a debate between scientists and philosophers about who is more important and if philosophy really has any use in today's science research. Thankfully, a recent interview in The Atlantic with Tim Maudlin , philosophical cosmologist, brings the two fields back to the basics of philosophy Continue Reading …
Simon Crichtley Raises the Dead
On Tuesday, February 12, Simon Crichtley will be giving a free lecture in Troy, NY at the EMPAC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Crichtley is widely regarded for his work in continental philosophy, ranging from religion to politics. His philosophy tends towards existential ethics, a topic covered in Episode 4 and Episode 63, also a possible topic in the upcoming Buber Continue Reading …
Cornel West on the Hijacking of Political Consciousness
President Obama's recent inauguration has incited the mind of one of philosophy's recent stars, Cornel West. If listeners remember, PEL covered West in the Philosophy and Race episode. Cornel West has been one of the most outspoken of all political philosophers in the category of race and with prior writings on MLK Jr.s legacy, he didn't back down when he found out Obama would Continue Reading …
Zizek and Pop Culture in Philosophy Today
PEL's last episode focused on Karl Marx via The German Ideology. Possibly one of the most famous/infamous Marxists of our time is Slavoj Zizek. Some have called him too extreme to be taken seriously, while others have praised him for his brilliance. A recent article in U.K. based paper The Guardian sheds some light on this interesting character and also discusses an upcoming Continue Reading …
The Great Divide: Concerning the Battle Between Analytic and Continental Philosophy
[Editor's Note: We're happy here to present a first blog post for us by Rian Mitch (submitted in response to our recent call for more bloggers). Rian was one of the voices on our Deleuze Not School discussion, whom we met when he took us to task via email for our slipshod treatment of Derrida on ep. 51. He consequently has been leading a Derrida Not School group.] A Continue Reading …