Join Phi Sigma Tau

I would like to welcome all applications to join our chapter of Phi Sigma Tau, a national honor society in philosophy. To join Phi Sigma Tau, you need to meet the following requirements:

• You must have completed 1.5 semesters at USU;
• You must have a 3.3 cumulative GPA;
• You must have completed (or are now completing) three Philosophy classes;
• You must have a B average in your Philosophy classes.

Note that you need not be a minor or major in Philosophy. If you are interested, please send Huenemann a note with your A number. Our gala dinner of induction will be held in April.

Review of McCumber’s Time and Philosophy: A history of continental thought

Here is an interesting review of a survey of continental thought. The review offers some criticism, but on the whole seems favorable. I was taken by this account of the book’s unifying theme:

McCumber sets continental philosophy up against what he calls “traditional philosophy,” by which he understands, following Heidegger, “philosophy that locates true reality in an atemporal domain” (4). “Traditional philosophy” — whether in the form of Parmenidean Being, Platonic Forms, Aristotelian essences, Kantian transcendental structures of the human mind, or the logically manipulated world of propositions — places what is ultimately real in some timeless and unchanging realm. Continental philosophy, however, understands itself to be firmly situated within time and history while trying to understand things and actions that are themselves equally so situated within the temporal realm.

This intrigues me, but I think contemporary non-continental philosophers – specifically, philosophical naturalists – would scratch their collective heads and say, “Huh? You mean we’re locating true reality in an atemporal domain?” Indeed, anyone “non-continentalists” after and including the logical positivists would fight against that characterization. Of course, maybe they’re still going atemporal, despite their protestations, but the fact that they don’t want to be characterized in that way makes me think McCumber’s claim can’t be marking the deep division that exists today between the two camps. I keep thinking it has to do more with methodology (and probably politics) than with a specific content claims.

USU Philosophy journal?

We have been discussing the possibility of starting an online undergraduate philosophy journal. None of the details have been worked out, but the basic idea is for a small number of students, under the guidance of the faculty, to solicit undergraduate papers nationwide, run them through some kind of evaluation process, and load the selected papers onto an online journal, which will be run and maintained by our USU Library go-to person, Andy Wesolek.

The main benefit for doing this, apart from a bit of publicity, is that the process of evaluating other people’s attempts at philosophical work can be very instructive. One gains some critical and editorial skills that can then be turned back upon one’s own work. It also would be a bit of fun.

Any comments or thoughts about this? Anyone interested in helping out? Is anyone working on a paper, perhaps for an undergraduate conference, which could conceivably be submitted to the journal? Any ideas for a name for the journal?

“War, Ethics, and Terrorism”: lecture, March 8th

Political Science and Philosophy are bringing to campus Professor Boris Kashnikov, from the Moscow Higher School of Economics, to present a lecture on “War, Ethics, and Terrorism.” His lecture will be in a scheduled PoliSci class, but there are empty seats available for interested people. If you do want to attend the lecture, please send Huenemann a note, or comment on this post, so we have an idea of how many additional people will be attending.

See Kashnikov’s bio below; a man of interesting experiences.

Lecture: “War, Ethics, and Terrorism.”
By Professor Boris Kashnikov
Moscow Higher School of Economics

Date: March 8
Time: 1.30-2.30
Place: Main 115

Boris Kashnikov is Professor of Philosophy at the Moscow Higher School of Economics. Previously, he has taught at Ryazan University and at the Moscow University of the Ministry of the Interior. He is in the United States this year at George Mason University’s Philosophy Department on a Fulbright grant. He has previously had Fulbrights at Ohio University and Emory University. Professor Kashnikov’s interests and publications are in the areas of Russian philosophy, the application of liberal political theory in a Russian context, military ethics, and ethical issues relating to terrorism.

In addition to his academic background, Professor Kashnikov has advised various international groups and organizations, including the International Crisis Group. He was also a colonel in Russia’s Ministry of the Interior Forces and served in Nagorno-Karabakh and in Kosovo.