Editor's Note: Thanks for this submission from listener and long-time supporter Laura Davis, covering a story that we likely wouldn't have gotten around to writing about here ourselves. I expect most have you have seen this article or some other about the renown philosopher Colin McGinn and his recent resignation from the University of Miami. The story has been covered and Continue Reading …
Dear Philosophers, Please Get Over Your Science Envy Now
Colin McGinn (a philosopher whose work on the philosophy of mind I have admired) has published an embarrassing piece in the Philosopher's Stone that is at the same time a plea for others to take philosophy seriously and a case in point as to why many don't. He proposes to rename the field of philosophy "ontics" and reclassify it as a science rather than part of the humanities. Continue Reading …
McGinn vs. Ramachandran on The Tell-Tale Brain
We've talked quite a bit recently about neuroscience, not to mention scientism -- which again, I take to be: the idea that science is applicable to any domain of inquiry that is meaningful, and will inevitably provide a solution to all meaningful questions Mark calls it "the dreaded scientism," I think because he doubts it's so prevalent or powerful; whereas I find it a Continue Reading …