International Society for Philosophers
Wisdom begins with wonder
PHILOSOPHY PATHWAYS ISSN 2043-0728
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Issue No. 229
29th January 2019CONTENTS
From the List Manager
I. Erdinc Sayan: Response to Craig Skinner's comments on 'Why am I not Someone Else?'
II. Craig Skinner: Response to Sayan's reply to my comments on his paper 'Why am I not Someone Else?'
III. Philosophizer's Bible by Geoffrey Klempner: Preview
IV. Pathways to Philosophy on Amazon
V. From Philos-L: Timothy Williamson on Climate Change
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EDITOR'S NOTE
In this issue, Erdinc Sayan responds to comments by Craig Skinner on his article published in Issue 228 of Philosophy Pathways, 'Why am I not Someone Else?'
Craig Skinner has responded to Erdinc Sayan's Response. For the record, my sympathies veer towards Sayan. However, readers will make up their own minds.
My new book Philosophizer's Bible was published on Amazon this month. There is a brief excerpt followed by a link to a Preview version consisting of the first five chapters, as well as a link to the Amazon UK page for the Kindle version.
For the first time since the launch of Pathways to Philosophy in 1995, the six Pathways programs are being published on Amazon in book form. The six programs are, of course, still free to download for all students of Pathways to Philosophy.
In his article, published in the New Statesman yesterday, Oxford Philosopher Timothy Williamson writes:
Recently, across Europe, children have been dying from measles. The World Health Organisation blames the resurgence of the disease onlow MMR vaccination rates. Confidence in the vaccine fell after a 1998 article inThe Lancet, later retracted, claimed a link to autism. Despite massive evidence against any link, populist parties in France and Italy oppose mandatory vaccination. In August, the Italian coalition government fulfilled election pledges to abolish a law making vaccinations compulsory. On a larger scale, political inaction over manmade global warming, facilitated by public scepticism about climate science, threatens the future habitability of the planet. What non-scientists believe about science is literally a matter of life and death...The post by Aaron James Wedland of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow and moderator of a new popular philosophy column in the New Statesman includes a link to the above article, which is free to view.
— I wish all the readers of Philosophy Pathways a happy and prosperous 2019!
(c) Geoffrey Klempner 2019
Email: klempner@fastmail.net
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I. ERDINC SAYAN: RESPONSE TO CRAIG SKINNER'S COMMENTS ON 'WHY AM I NOT SOMEONE ELSE?'
I thank Mr. Craig Skinner very much for taking the time to write comments on my paper. Below are my replies to his comments. In sum, though, I donŐt think he has solved my puzzle and he misunderstood parts of it [...]
Read more...
(c) Erdinc Sayan 2019 Email: esayan@metu.edu.tr
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II. CRAIG SKINNER: RESPONSE TO SAYAN'S REPLY TO MY COMMENTS ON HIS PAPER 'WHY AM I NOT SOMEONE ELSE?'
Sayan feels I havenŐt solved his puzzle and that I misunderstood parts of it, whereas I feel I have solved it and that I disagree with, rather than misunderstand, some of his views [...]
Read more...
(c) Craig Skinner 2019
Email: ingridandcraigskinner@btinternet.com
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III. PHILOSOPHIZER'S BIBLE BY GEOFFREY KLEMPNER: PREVIEW
Geoffrey Klempner's new book Philosophizer's Bible is now available as an Amazon paperback and on Amazon Kindle.
The book is dedicated to the memory of Rachel Browne, who passed away on Christmas Day 2015. Issue 199 of Philosophy Pathways collects together some of Rachel's best work for Pathways to Philosophy:
Below is a link to the PDF Preview of Philosophizer's Bible consisting of the first five chapters
From the description:
'Imagine you are Alice, in Alice in Wonderland, or Through the Looking Glass, or Dorothy in 'Wizard of Oz' — or Neo in 'The Matrix' (the movie script cleverly references Alice and Dorothy in the same scene). You are about to embark on a mini-adventure, which is also designed as a course of instruction (kind of, if you are willing to be instructed). Try not to anticipate. Let go, if you can. Let the ride carry you along.
'This book may change you. At least, that is the author's intention. It won't make you cleverer or more knowledgeable, or better at spinning arguments. But if you let it, it will give you something more precious: it will show you, or give a hint anyway, of what there is to be seen — I mean, down there.
'You will see things differently — maybe even in colours you have never experienced before. You will become suspicious of things you were never suspicious of before. Just like Descartes, you will learn to doubt things you previously never thought of doubting — including your own precious sense of who you are.' (from chapter 2, 'Fairground ride')Download...
(c) Geoffrey Klempner 2019
Email: klempner@fastmail.net
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IV. PATHWAYS TO PHILOSOPHY ON AMAZON
From January 2019, the six Pathways to Philosophy are being made available as book-length paperbacks and as Amazon Kindle eBooks. This will be of interest to readers who prefer to study without the additional support available to students who have joined Pathways to Philosophy.
Each of the six books includes the full text of the original fifteen-unit Pathways program, together with the five sets of essay questions to use as a study and revision aid.
The Amazon links are to the UK page for the Kindle eBook versions. More details of the six Pathways to Philosophy programs can be found on the Pathways web site at LINK
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The Possible World Machine
Pathways Program A.
Introduction to PhilosophyHow different might the world have been from the way it actually is? Thinking about possible worlds is an important tool of philosophy. Such 'thought experiments' challenge our intuitions concerning the limits of logic and meaning [...]
PATHWAYS LINK
AMAZON LINK
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Searching for the Soul
Pathways Program B.
Philosophy of MindWhat is the relationship between mind and body? We shall be investigating the background to Descartes' argument in the Meditations for a dualism of mental and material substances, based on the impossibility of doubting the existence of the 'I' that says, 'I think.' [...]
PATHWAYS LINK
AMAZON LINK
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The First Philosophers
Pathways Program C.
Ancient PhilosophyHow did philosophy begin? Some time around 600 BC in ancient Greece a radically new idea took root. Beliefs about a world derived from religious dogma and often lurid myths handed down from generation to generation gave way to the idea of logos, the notion of a universe structured on rational principles [...]
PATHWAYS LINK
AMAZON LINK
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Language and the World
Pathways Program D.
Philosophy of LanguageHow does thought relate to reality? One answer is, 'Through the medium of language.' That answer, a major outcome of developments in philosophy in the 20th century, implies a necessary priority of language over thought [...]
PATHWAYS LINK
AMAZON LINK
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Reason, Values and Conduct
Pathways Program E.
Moral PhilosophyWhy should I be moral? The view that it is in my self-interest to consider the possible harm my actions might do to others encounters the objection that sometimes it can appear very much against our own interests to act morally [...]
PATHWAYS LINK
AMAZON LINK
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The Ultimate Nature of Things
Pathways Program F.
MetaphysicsIs there more to existence than the familiar objects of sense perception, or the underlying structures that science describes? Are there things that lie beyond the mundane world of empirical inquiry, things whose nature can only be approached through pure reasoning? [...]
PATHWAYS LINK
AMAZON LINK
(c) Geoffrey Klempner 2019
Email: klempner@fastmail.net
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V. FROM PHILOS-L: TIMOTHY WILLIAMSON ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Dear Colleagues,
I hope this email finds you well! As the moderator of a new popular philosophy column in the New Statesman, I am writing to pass along a piece by Tim Williamson (Oxford) on climate change and the philosophy of science:
Since I need to get the word out about my new initiative, I would certainly appreciate it if you posted Tim's article to your preferred social media account. Also, please feel free to follow me on Twitter, @ajwendland https://twitter.com/ajwendland, to receive the latest articles in the series.
Finally, thanks in advance for doing what you can to help me get this new popular philosophy initiative off the ground!
Sincerely and with best wishes,
Aaron
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Aaron James Wendland
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
National Research University
Higher School of EconomicsEmail a.j.wendland@hse.ru
Website LINK
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