Department of Philosophy
As part of its event series tgiFHI, the Franklin Humanities Institute is conducting interviews with its faculty speakers in order to familiarize broader audiences with the diversity of research approaches in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences at Duke University. Henry W. Pickford is Professor of German and Philosophy. In this edited and condensed interview, he describes Adorno's role as a public intellectual; how Adorno's approach to reading philosophical arguments and artworks always included their… read more about Meet Your Humanities Faculty: Henry Pickford »
This month, we present a collection of 12 Duke-authored books documenting women's contributions to history, culture and society. These books, along with many others, are available at Duke University Libraries, the Gothic Bookshop or the Regulator Bookshop. Women and the War Story by Miriam Cooke In “Women and the War Story,” Professor Emerita miriam cooke charts the emerging tradition of women’s contributions to what she calls the “War Story,” a genre formerly reserved for men. Concentrating on… read more about 12 Duke-Authored Books on Women's History »
Professor Vincent Conitzer has accepted a leadership role in a new artificial intelligence (AI) venture with the University at Oxford, the institution announced in a press release on Feb. 16. The Institute for Ethics in AI at Oxford aims to tackle major ethical challenges posed by AI, from facial recognition to voter profiling, brain machine interfaces to weaponized drones, and the ongoing discourse about how AI will impact employment on a global scale. Conitzer is joining the organization as the institute’s Head of… read more about Duke Faculty Member to Partner With New AI Institute at Oxford »
This month we offer a collection of Duke-authored works that reflect human experiences through fiction. These books along with many others are available at the Duke University Libraries, the Gothic Bookshop or the Regulator Bookshop. A Life of Adventure and Delight by Akhil Sharma WHAT IT'S ABOUT: In "A Life of Adventure and Delight," Professor Akhil Sharma delivers eight stories that focus on Indian protagonists at home and abroad. A young woman in an arranged marriage… read more about 10 Works of Fiction from Duke Authors »
Of all the things that make college students anxious, now you can add ghost cars to the list. Not haunted, unoccupied moving vehicles, Flying Dutchman style. “Ghost cars” is a term Duke Parking & Transportation (DPT) uses to define cars that enter or leave parking lots when the gates are up, like during a football game or evening event. The gate sensors don’t record them both entering and exiting, which causes problems in keeping an accurate count of the cars using a lot. A few summers ago, DPT asked a group of… read more about Quantitatively and Qualitatively, Data+ and Its Affiliated Programs Are Big Hits »
This month we offer a collection of Duke-authored books that explore historical and current aspects of faith, spirituality and religious culture in society. These books along with many others are available at the Duke University Libraries, the Gothic Bookshop or the Regulator Bookshop. The Bible With and Without Jesus by Marc Zvi Brettler What It's About: Professor Marc Z. Brettler and co-author Amy-Jill Levine take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew… read more about Eight Duke Books on Religion and Spirituality »
After months of an accelerated fall semester without a break, students will have two months to fill before the spring semester. Many of them are signing up now for an early return to learning in one of 13 virtual programs offered during a special winter series. Winter Breakaway (Jan. 4-15) will be a low-stress learning experience that allows undergraduate and graduate students a range of options. Some will cover non-traditional subjects such as the study of wellness. Others will ask students to step outside their majors… read more about Winter Breakaway: Students Design Their Future »
As part of its event series tgiFHI, the Franklin Humanities Institute is conducting interviews with its faculty speakers in order to familiarize broader audiences with the diversity of research approaches in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences at Duke University. Dr. Felipe De Brigard is the Fuchsberg-Levine Family Associate Professor of Philosophy, and Associate Professor in the departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University. He is also Principal… read more about Meet Your Humanities Faculty: Felipe De Brigard »
Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong joined Jonathan Maloney on Intelligent Speculation's 'Critically Thinking' podcast on July 31st to discuss 'Ethics, Argumentation, and Political Polarization.' The episode tackled a wide range of topics such as how science can't answer important questions on morality, values, etc., but it certainly can be used as an ancillary apparatus to help navigate these tough questions, how informal logic can help you to think better and help to identify fake news, conspiracy theories, that the goal… read more about Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong Participates in Intelligent Speculation's Critically Thinking Podcast »
Felipe De Brigard, the Fuchsberg-Levine Family Associate Professor of philosophy and psychology and neuroscience, explains that nostalgia doesn’t need real memories because an imagined will suffice. Read the article at Aeon. read more about Nostalgia Reimagined »
Travis Knoll expected to be in Brazil this summer. A Ph.D. student in History, he planned to visit film and Catholic Church archives to further his work on the relationship between Catholic thought, modern Black movements and education policy. But COVID-19 intervened. Recognizing that many students’ plans for teaching, research trips and in-person internships were overturned, Provost Sally Kornbluth and Executive Vice Provost Jennifer Francis pledged that Duke would provide employment opportunities for Ph.D. students who… read more about Changing Their Summer Plans, Duke Ph.D. Students Find New Options for Virtual Employment »
COVID-19 is bringing new scientific, behavioral and cultural challenges every day. The DIBS Faculty Network consists of 200 interdisciplinary neuroscience researchers from across Duke’s Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Law; Pratt School of Engineering, Fuqua School of Business, and Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. Their research can help us understand how the COVID-19 pandemic is influencing people’s decision-making, behavior, choices, and physical and mental health. The following faculty interviews offer an… read more about COVID-19: A Neuroscience Perspective »
Our colleague and friend Karen Neander has died after a long and valiant struggle with cancer. During her fourteen years at Duke, Karen served as the essential connecting thread between the famous philosophy of biology group here and the influential philosophy of mind and cognitive science group. She contributed extensively to both fields, and to their intersection, throughout her long and storied career. In her work and academic life, she presented a rare combination of philosophical rigor and wry wit. During her years… read more about Duke Flags Lowered: Philosophy Professor Karen Neander Dies »
Philosophy Honors Student, Sandra Luksic, has won Duke's Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Science and Cultural Theory's 2020 "Best Undergraduate Science Studies Senior Thesis" prize. Sandra's thesis was entitled, "Wittgenstein, Natural Language Processing, and Ethics of Technology". The prize for the winning thesis is $500 and the thesis itself can be viewed at https://cissct.duke.edu/teaching-learning/senior-thesis. read more about Philosophy Honors Student, Sandra Luksic, Wins Duke's Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Science and Cultural Theory's 2020 "Best Undergraduate Science Studies Senior Thesis" Prize »
This Fall, Benjamin Eva will join Duke University's Department of Philosophy as its newest Assistant Professor of Philosophy. Ben completed his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Bristol. He subsequently completed a one-year postdoc at the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy/LMU Center for Advanced Studies and in 2017, he received an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship, joining the University of Konstanz from 2017 to 2019. His main research interests are in the philosophy of science, epistemology and… read more about The Department of Philosophy would like to welcome its newest faculty member, Ben Eva »
Two Philosophy Department faculty members have written about the implications COVID-19 has on their research. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Chauncey Stillman Distinguished Professor of Practical Ethics, argued that moral messaging may be at least as effective as public health messaging when it comes to convincing the public to follow new public health regulations. As a result, Sinnott-Armstrong and his research group "are beginning to test potential effects of accepting or ascribing moral responsibility for causing or risking… read more about Philosophers Reflect on COVID-19 »
Professor Jennifer Hawkins receives a Fall 2020 ACLS fellowship.The ACLS Fellowship Program awards fellowships to individual scholars working in the humanities and related social sciences. Institutions and individuals contribute to the ACLS Fellowship Program and its endowment, including The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Council's college and university Associates, and former Fellows and… read more about Jennifer Hawkins receives Fall 2020 ACLS Fellowship »
Adapting to remote learning means much, much more than taking a lecture online. On Monday, faculty and students began the process of relearning how to do the hands-on educational experience that Duke is noted for, even if they are a continent apart. The ingenious solutions that several have already developed are good indications that it will work. Below are some snapshots from moments during the first day of remote learning: Utterly Claymated Nicholas Professor Elizabeth Albright needed a good backdrop for her virtual… read more about Dispatches From the First Day of Remote Learning »
"Effects of sub-chronic methylphenidate on risk-taking and sociability in zebrafish (Danio rerio)" by Rebecca G. Brenner, Anthony N. Oliveri, Walter Sinnot-Armstrong, and Edward D. Levin has recently been published online. This paper is a revised version of Rebecca G. Brenner's undergraduate philosophy thesis. read more about Former Undergraduate's Philosophy Thesis Published in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology »
Matthew Adler, the Richard A. Horvitz Professor of Law and Professor of Economics, Philosophy and Public Policy, has written a new book, Measuring Social Welfare: An Introduction, which examines the theoretical underpinnings of two social welfare function measures, utilitarianism and prioritarianism. The first, utilitarianism, originated with the 18th century philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham, and advocates policy choices that would satisfy the preferences of the greatest number of people. The second… read more about Professor Matthew Adler publishes new book »
Duke Professor Walter Sinnot-Armstrong was recently featured on the Examining Ethics podcast in an episode titled, "Is It Possible to Be Too Good?". In this episode, Professor Sinnot-Armstrong explores the phenomenon of "Scrupulosity", a disease where patients become obsessive over morality. read more about Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong on Examining Ethics podcast »
Beischer Professor of Philosophy, David Wong, has been selected to receive the 2020 Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring. A committee of senior deans and students representing the major disciplines of The Graduate School selected Professor Wong from a highly competitive pool of nominees to receive this award, which recognizes faculty who exhibit a consistent record of mentoring practices. Dean Paula D. McClain will present Professor Wong with a $3,000 award at the 2020 Dean's Awards Reception on Wednesday,… read more about David Wong receives the 2020 Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring »
The Graduate School has announced the recipients of its 2020 Dean's Awards, which recognize outstanding efforts in mentoring, teaching, and creating an inclusive environment for graduate education at Duke. The recipients will be honored at a reception on Wednesday, March 25. Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Faculty William Darity, Samuel DuBois Cook Distinguished Professor of Public Policy Jennifer Roizen, Assistant Professor of Chemistry David Wong, Susan Fox Beischer and George D. Beischer Professor of Philosophy… read more about 10 Dean’s Awards Recipients Named for 2020 »
The exploration the public lives of the “first ladies” of America’s Christian evangelical megachurches and an intimate portrait of the joys and hardships of rural life in Appalachia are among the new noteworthy books by Duke authors this fall. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the "Duke Authors" display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be purchased through the Gothic Bookshop. [Duke Today will… read more about Fall Books: Clean Hands, Aging Brains, Evangelical Women and Other Great Reads »
On May 12, 2019, Philospher Kwame Anthony Appiah was one of four distinguished scholars to receive an Honorary Degree at Duke's Commencement. Appiah is a Professor of philosophy and law at New York University and has taught at Yale, Cornell, Princeton, and Harvard. From 1990-91, he taught philosophy and literature at Duke. His works include, "In My Father's House: Africa in the Philosophy of Culture" and "Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers." He also writes The Ethicist column in The New York Times… read more about Philosopher Kwame Appiah Awarded Honorary Degree »