tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-100981152011-09-15T02:50:23.837+10:00The Blog Of The University of Newcastle Philosophy ClubEditorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.comBlogger5121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-46822124493744004292008-12-11T15:01:00.000+11:002008-12-11T15:16:04.273+11:00

I was recently in Kuala Lumpur with my 4 year old daughter. We saw a lot of Hindu temples, and my daughter was impressed by all the gods on their rooves.One day, we were walking by another temple and she asked, "Dad, are there Gods in Australia?""I don't know, what do you think?" I replied."I think they all died." she concluded.

Bill Pascoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04516651822009868115noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-61122406866567947892008-11-21T12:45:00.003+11:002008-11-21T12:56:49.745+11:00

Apparently we missed the World Philosophy Day yesterday on the 20th of November. This is not too surprising considering Australia held no events to support the initiative.Kellie Tranter laments our Government's inaction on the issue and postulates some questions Australia should be thinking about in On Line Opinion.list of other country's events.

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-3952522904085648872008-11-03T00:59:00.004+11:002008-11-03T01:31:50.162+11:00

Unless you have been living under a rock you may have heard of this: Mandatory Internet Filtering. In an effort to (ostensibly at least) "protect the children", there is a plan to install filters in all Australian ISPs. Under the plan there will be two levels of filtering. One level will be optional, and will be 'child friendly'. The other , according to Minister for Broadband et al, Senator

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-63237014739528090262008-10-24T18:29:00.009+11:002008-10-24T18:57:01.885+11:00

With the impending collapse of the entire capitalist system, the revolution must surely be at hand. More likely the media needs fuel to feed its ever expanding furnace, and Marx is useful fodder, as the most tenuous link is all that is needed to run with a story, especially in the world of opinion and columnists.What we have learned in the past few weeks is if you are not promoting the individual

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-32311066078537767222008-09-17T12:52:00.004+10:002008-09-17T13:02:11.717+10:00

Richard Wright is with Syd now, performing that great gig in the sky. Wright was the keyboardist for Pink Floyd and father in law of Guy Pratt, the man who played bass in place of Roger Waters after he left. Pratt is a fantastic bassist, sadly Waters is not.Echoes, part 1 off Live at Pompei (originally off the album Meddle). Wright is the beardy guy singing.

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-27893615755410094232008-09-17T12:21:00.004+10:002008-09-17T12:28:05.324+10:00

The Australian have run a piece about the 1996 Sokal scandal by Simon Blackburn, a professor of philosophy from Cambridge, taken from his book How to Read Hume.Misadventures in the quest for scientific truth

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-88348408855736761502008-09-10T17:17:00.004+10:002008-09-10T17:23:19.645+10:00

Here is an article by Carlin Romano about Bernard-Henri Levy and his new book newly out in the US Left in Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism from the Australian.

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-67070665073138131612008-09-10T17:01:00.008+10:002008-09-12T18:21:22.579+10:00

The time has finally come for CERN to fire up the old Hadron Collider and find some God particles in a mini big-bang. I for one welcome our new black hole overlords.Summary by PHD ComicsCern and the large Hadron Colider from Radio National's The Science ShowCern Colider ready for power up from the BBCPaul Davies on LatelineBBC Today's On the Hunt for the Higgs Boson. Contains audio of Stephen

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-89355839259223506292008-09-10T16:52:00.003+10:002008-09-10T17:00:02.424+10:00

The Scottish have built a statue of economist and philosopher Adam Smith.Article from The AustralianArticle from adamsmith.org Discuss!

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-55065299124899166192008-05-10T10:38:00.003+10:002008-05-10T11:16:31.190+10:00

Hey! Nietzsche! Leave Them Kids Alone!Free event at Bangarra Theatre, 14:00 to 15:00 on Saturday 24thCraig Schuftan will talk about Nietzsche's theories on music and opera.David Rieff on ABC Radio National’s Book ShowTicketed event at Pier 2/3, Downstairs, 10:00 to 11:00 on Friday 23rd.The son of Susan Sontag will talk about 'Swimming in a Sea of Death', a memoir of his mother's illness.The

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-40748436511047352352008-05-09T11:59:00.005+10:002008-05-09T12:19:50.894+10:00

There are plans to dig up the grave of Friedrich Nietzsche in Rocken, Germany to get to his precious precious coal. It turns out that Nietzsche carcus guards a brown coal seam.The site was earmarked for mining in the 1980's when he was blacklisted by the then communist regime who failed to separate him from his sister's revision of him as the official philosopher of Nazi Germany. Now for the

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-66611724012731953632008-05-09T10:26:00.005+10:002008-05-09T10:40:00.560+10:00

David Chalmers was an attendance at a Buddhist conference on happiness held in Sydney this week. This is an Article from the Sydney Morning Herald about the conference. Chalmers position apparently is that the 'bad' emotions are as fun as happiness.Do we value happiness above what it is worth?

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-63436666054664334082008-04-20T12:55:00.010+10:002008-04-20T13:54:38.452+10:00

The Sydney Writers Festival, on between the 19th and 25th of May, is hosting Simon Critchley as one of its speakers. Critchley, who is a professor of philosophy at the New School of Social Research, will be talking about death at the festival at three events. His latest book is entitled 'The Book of Dead Philosophers'. Critchley has previously written about the ethics of deconstruction.His events

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-67038000937359703772008-04-20T12:38:00.003+10:002008-04-20T12:54:05.216+10:00

Charles Darwin (along with that other Charles, Mr Sanders Pierce) died on the 19th of April, which just happened to be yesterday. To roughly coincide with the day, there has been a substantial new addition to the electronic catalogue of Darwin's writings at The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. The new release includes the first draft of his theory of evolution and The Decent of Man, notes

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-45173856929539188672008-04-20T12:28:00.003+10:002008-04-20T13:50:24.157+10:00

Keeping with posting obituaries several weeks after the event, John Wheeler, the theoretical physicist who coined the terms ‘Black Hole’ and ‘Worm Hole’ died last week on the 13th of April. Wheeler had collaborated with Albert Einstein, and that is about as much as I know. Instead of trying to write up something more substantial, I have decided instead to link to an interview with Wheeler by Paul

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-52407239629891073992008-03-11T17:22:00.004+11:002008-04-20T12:35:49.860+10:00

A little belated: Gary Gygax, the man who co-invented Dungeons and Dragons, author of the first edition of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and co-founder of TSR, Inc. (tactical studies rules), died last week on the 4th of March.While strictly speaking not a philosopher, in fact not a philosopher at all, I always liked Pete's description of philosophy degrees as 'top gun for nerds'. In this vein I

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-31594875143300886322008-02-22T11:26:00.000+11:002008-02-22T11:28:29.778+11:00

Aware that many of the members are fans of polemics, I would commend AC Grayling’s Against All Gods. I would even commend the work to those members of theistic persuasion, and those that maintain a belief fairies and/or goblins...

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-65368595780100862662008-02-22T11:21:00.001+11:002008-02-22T11:25:54.679+11:00

The Sixty-Third Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being hosted by a Mr Noah Greenstein. Mr Greenstein’s theme is comedy.Now, if only we had Aristotle’s work on comedy …

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-11885078258806770372008-02-05T07:58:00.000+11:002008-02-05T08:01:01.209+11:00

The Sixty-Second Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being hosted by Meaning More.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-58472066444885372922008-01-31T15:06:00.000+11:002008-01-31T15:11:30.564+11:00

The Executive, having had some preliminary discussions about the Club in 2008, is asking for comments and suggestions.Having organised the Club since 2005, the aim for 2008 is to engage the large membership we attract. The Executive intends to maintain the anarchic organisational practice that it has long adopted. It is this will allow for members to organise a vibrant range of activities.At

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-46370620496196172152008-01-30T09:58:00.000+11:002008-01-30T10:06:01.985+11:00

Professor Harold Tarrant, of the University of Newcastle, has translated the first volume of Proclus’ Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus. The translation is published by Cambridge University Press. [Thanks to NDPR.]

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-36824863111693223232008-01-22T09:23:00.000+11:002008-01-22T09:29:53.349+11:00

In early December (I recently rediscovered the announcement), Morgan Luck (of Charles Sturt University), Sarah Bachelard (St Mark’s National Theological Centre), and Nick Trakakis (Monash University) announced the formation of the Australian Philosophy of Religion Association.An inaugural conference has been scheduled for 2008.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-50386332465350757282008-01-22T09:20:00.000+11:002008-01-22T09:23:01.750+11:00

The sixty-first Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being hosted by Inconsistent Thoughts.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-69699020772381305202008-01-14T15:34:00.001+11:002008-01-14T15:41:58.604+11:00

The Department of Philosophy at the University of Sydney will be hosting ‘Philosophical Issues and Philosophical Methods’, a one day workshop in conjunction with the Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference.The workshop, on the 25th of March in the calm sandstone surrounds of the Quad, is intended for honours students and beginning postgraduate students in philosophy.Australasian

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-79216223197812845362008-01-10T13:23:00.000+11:002008-01-10T13:32:09.239+11:00

After the comments at the close of the Dead Philosophers' Carnival, some discussion has ensued regarding how appropriate the attitude was, and how appropriate it was (or not) to actually express it. Since I'm now acting unilaterally from my co-editor, I've posted this under my own login.Two discussions of this (amongst other things) can be found at Jared's Sportive Thoughts and Annie's AnniemizI

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-18753602047207529222008-01-10T09:28:00.000+11:002008-01-10T13:23:16.886+11:00

I think Annie of Anniemiz presents a decent discussion of public 'snark' and I'd like to address a few of the points that she makes. She asks what it is that expressing such an opinion adds to the discussion or what it actually achieves and offers some ideas.Yes, it does inform the authors that their work stinks. But, from what I read, the authors should already have known that (more on that

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-18249175979041193902008-01-07T10:02:00.000+11:002008-01-07T11:28:31.862+11:00

Welcome to the Dead Philosophers’ Carnival - The 60th Philosophers' Carnival.The death of Socrates marks one of the most significant moments in the development of philosophy. It is one of the landmarks in the development of Plato’s thought, and thus influential on all who have laboured under his tutelage. It is also one of the deaths that have a presence in the history of philosophy; a notable

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-13424077382922346142008-01-01T16:02:00.000+11:002008-01-01T16:11:02.126+11:00

Issue 14 of Colloquy (December 2007), out of Monash University, has recently been published online. Issue 14 takes utopia as its theme.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-29572075374035042832008-01-01T16:00:00.000+11:002008-01-01T16:19:10.106+11:00

A brief note to remind those inclined to submit to the First Dead Philosopher’s Carnival - to be hosted here next week - that it would be most appreciated if they did so by tomorrow. See here for details.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-3208989457090386962007-12-18T08:41:00.000+11:002007-12-18T08:45:37.980+11:00

The 59th Philosophers Carnival has gone ahead at Buffalo Philosophy, despite heavy snow.We are up next with the 1st Dead Philosophers Carnival! So get writing already and go to the Philosophers' Carnival website for instructions on how to submit.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-87661233000090985022007-12-06T10:23:00.000+11:002007-12-06T10:56:26.862+11:00

Details of the honours program in Philosophy have just recently been made available.In 2008, the following Honours course work components be offered:Eros and Agape (Dr Joe Mintoff) An examination of the two forms of love: Eros and Agape. The writings of a range of classical and more contemporary authors will be considered.Consciousness (Dr John Wright). An examination of the philosophical

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-91067849413114853872007-12-06T10:15:00.000+11:002007-12-06T10:22:31.874+11:00

The 58th Philosophers' Carnival is on at Philosophy Sucks!

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-69319636084000023522007-11-29T11:01:00.000+11:002007-11-30T09:10:33.340+11:00

2007 saw the death of philosophers including Jean Baudrillard, Susan Hurley, Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, Richard Rorty, and Robert C. Solomon.Dialectic, in association with the Philosophers' Carnival, is hosting the first Dead Philosophers' Carnival (as the 60th Philosophers' Carnival).The Editors of Dialectic, as hosts of the Carnival, are calling for posts relating to the work of those

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-20048977372986545802007-11-08T10:04:00.000+11:002007-11-09T11:42:23.907+11:00

The School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Newcastle and the Division of Humanities at Macquarie University are organizing an annual postgraduate symposium for researchers in the Humanities. The aims of the symposium are to provide students with the opportunities to develop a wider audience for their research and to take part in an exchange of ideas and methodologies that

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-68708204499142570332007-11-08T09:46:00.000+11:002007-11-08T09:59:04.256+11:00

Philosophers' Carnival #56 is on at Philosophy and Bioethics.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-44878452702397881882007-10-26T10:31:00.000+10:002007-10-26T10:34:54.724+10:00

Philosophers' Carnival #55 is on at The Brooks Blog.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-86782211606029051612007-10-26T09:53:00.000+10:002007-10-26T10:30:46.079+10:00

David Chalmers and David Bourget have announced the launch of MindPapers, a new website with a bibliography covering 18,087 published papers and online papers in the philosophy of mind and the science of consciousness. Many of these are available online at no cost and many more should accessible for University of Newcastle students if the follow the instructions for 'off campus access' or via the

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-54967385038900466282007-10-18T13:58:00.000+10:002007-10-18T14:10:21.494+10:00

Philosophy Australia Call for EditorsEditors are required for Philosophy-Australia.com, a non-profit project that relies on the contributions from the Australian Philosophy Community.Position(s) are restricted to Honours Students/Post-Graduates and Academics in the field of Philosophy. All applicants must reside in Australia or be attached to an Australian University or Research

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-59318753889126415172007-10-16T08:56:00.000+10:002007-10-16T09:01:38.072+10:00

Is dwarf-tossing ethical? The question was raised in a forum at the St James Ethics Centre, but is one that, I believe, this forum should consider (if we have not done so already). (I recall that juggling Brazilian midgets, in some ways similar to dwarf-tossing, was a pass time of the late Professor C Ooly McCool …)

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-60018466800608165542007-10-11T14:34:00.000+10:002007-10-11T14:44:41.026+10:00

The Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference 2008 has just put out it's first call for papers - both complete single papers and 'work-in-progress' papers (for those in earlier stagers of their research. All sessions will be 45 minutes in length 20-25 for the presentation and the remainder for questions and discussion.The conference is on March 26 - 28 2008. The APPC is the perfect

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-33184154162550722302007-10-10T10:35:00.000+10:002007-10-10T10:51:32.394+10:00

The Philosophers's Carnival 54 is on at The Uncredible Hallq.Other than misnaming it the Philosophy Carnival, (something that could only annoy the hopelessly pedantic like myself), it is a good edition, containing a solid selection of articles and opinions.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-77967843647574514012007-09-30T20:17:00.000+10:002007-09-30T20:28:01.057+10:00

The University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (United Kingdom) will be hosting a workshop on Baudrillard and International Politics.The notice states:The translation and publication of Jean Baudrillard’s The Gulf War Did Not Take Place (1995) marked the first significant awareness of Baudrillard’s work among international politics scholars and was the source of a highly engaged debate. In the years since

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-61990066582507672802007-09-30T19:59:00.000+10:002007-09-30T20:01:58.038+10:00

I promised, some time ago, to set out my (vague) position on the relationship between philosophy and science. It will be tediously brief.If we look at the intellectual history of both philosophy and science, there is a considerable commonality. There are arguments over whether the early Greek atomists should be regarded ‘properly’ as scientists or philosophers (I remember this as theme of Russell

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-52976872549829216942007-09-30T19:55:00.000+10:002007-09-30T19:58:55.351+10:00

I’ve just been re-reading the attempt at a discussion with Mr Philip Atkinson, ‘author’ (I’m reminded of a glib one-liner to the effect that the subject of the retort was only an ‘author if that class is broadened to include anyone who can write a sentence’) of ‘A Definition of Philosophy’.I have to admit that, since it appears Mr Atkinson has moved on, I feel somewhat cheated. Mr Atkinson

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-35440886250144965882007-09-27T09:59:00.000+10:002007-09-27T10:13:45.542+10:00

Aidan McGlynn (of the boundaries of language) has recently constructed this page of links containing advice about employment and publishing (and they are intimately linked at this time) for philosophers.Anyone considering a career in Philosophy should take a look.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-60462223745353269162007-09-21T12:13:00.000+10:002007-09-21T14:09:01.356+10:00

The 53rd Philosophers‘ Carnival is on at Florida Student Philosophy Blog.Of particular interest (in my opinion and in no particular order) are: The Moving Light of Time at Daylight AtheismandThere Are Two Books On My Desk at A brood comb

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-67835774877576071412007-09-20T13:17:00.000+10:002007-09-20T13:27:30.970+10:00

On 24 September 2007 the University of Newcastle’s much loved Professor Godfrey Tanner would have turned 80. We take this opportunity to remember and pay homage to him and his charming intellectual exuberance.ABC Newcastle (Newcastle)Day Shift - 25/09/2007 - 02:10 PM (Forthcoming)Presenter: Carol DuncanInterviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle UniversityNewcastle University Archivist

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-82897481251838475582007-09-08T23:47:00.000+10:002007-09-09T00:07:14.727+10:00

For reasons outside my enthusiasm to tell (nevertheless we can chalk it up as a direct result of my immaturity) I have been asked to post a set of my beliefs. Being the sceptic that I am this should not take long.As a moment of consciousness (the existence of which this post will assert, constitutes an I, although this is merely for the use of language rather then any need for the argument) I do

James Bernard Willoughbynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-75083293369378516902007-09-07T16:03:00.000+10:002007-09-07T16:32:53.180+10:00

On July 1st, Internet Infidels released the first installment ("Mind and Will") of a four-part series of debates called "God or Blind Nature? Philosophers Debate the Evidence." This "Great Debate" concerns which of naturalism or theism is more likely to be true given different kinds of evidence. The second installment ("Evil and Evolution") was released on September 1st, and the third and fourth

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-87377912981312071742007-09-06T09:47:00.000+10:002007-09-06T10:10:28.743+10:00

The latest edition of Parrhesia: A Journal of Critical Philosophy is available online.This issue includes essays by Alain Badiou with Tzuchien Tho, Clare Blackburne and Marguerite La Caze, just to name a few contributors, as well as reviews.Michel Foucault’s last works tell us that parrhesia is the act of fearlessly speaking the truth.To engage in parrhesia is never, however, a ‘neutral’ act.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-44457386492585446972007-08-28T08:44:00.000+10:002007-08-28T08:45:42.131+10:00

The 52nd Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being hosted at Philosophy, et cetera.In regard to forthcoming Carnivals, Dialectic is pencilled in to host early 2008. In terms of an early notice, the theme will be posts on philosophers who died in 2007. The hope is that the Carnival will be more of symposium than the ordinary conferences, and the intention is to host similar undertaking annually.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-46739424433942928112007-08-24T23:38:00.001+10:002007-08-24T23:46:43.682+10:00

I have created BAM! Telling It Like It Is. A cutting edge news and current affairs discussion which tackles the hard subjects. I am looking for contributors.BAM! Telling It Like It Is

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-11699537879725151632007-08-18T19:31:00.000+10:002007-08-18T20:20:16.941+10:00

Phillip Atkinson said in the pretext to his A Definition of Philosophy - The Study of Understanding that philosophy must become a science before it is considered a useful discipline.As I am paid to listen to radio you would only do so if you were paid, I encountered on Canberra's ABC 666's morning Saturday show with Greg Bayliss, an interview with Jeanette Kennett, Centre for Applied Philosophy

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-66254715902877424592007-08-17T10:59:00.000+10:002007-08-17T11:15:44.948+10:00

A new(er) Carnival - the Post(-)modern[ism/ist[s]/ity] Philosophy Carnival (can we just call it the Postmodern Philosophy carnival?) is currently being hosted at Philosophy and Literature and then at Simon Ives on the 1st of September.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-49190374368646172772007-08-10T11:29:00.000+10:002007-08-15T12:13:34.397+10:00

Recently I was contacted in my capacity as Club President with a request by one Philip Atkinson who expressed a wish to meet with the group and speak about his views on Philosophy. Before deciding whether or not it's wise for such a meeting to occur, I thought it would be educational (for all parties) if various contributing members could take a look at his work on his website and present their

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-19085990819304969422007-08-08T09:10:00.000+10:002007-08-08T09:11:24.477+10:00

The 51st Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being hosted at Enigmania.The ‘bias’ of this carnival, to quote the host, is towards mathematics, science and logic, and there are, apparently, 37 posts to work your way through …

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-46856776014727112482007-07-31T10:00:00.000+10:002007-07-31T10:10:41.972+10:00

Ethics and professional practice in a world of fluid valuesSpeaker: Professor John Buckeridge (RMIT, Melbourne)Date: Tuesday, 7 August, 2007Time: 10.00-11.00 am (followed by in interactive discussion session 11.00-12.00 pm)Location: Griffith Duncan Theatre, University of NewcastleABSTRACT: This seminar will use case studies in engineering and science wherein varying values have led to conflict.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-65724594443019272592007-07-30T14:25:00.000+10:002007-07-30T14:28:18.918+10:00

'Any two philosophers can tell each other all they know in two hours.' - Oliver Wendell Holmes.[Apologies for not providing a more precise citation at present.]

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-5347523867347247152007-07-22T15:24:00.001+10:002007-07-22T15:31:57.997+10:00

From the New York Times:PARIS, July 21 — France is the country that produced the Enlightenment, Descartes’s one-liner, “I think, therefore I am,” and the solemn pontifications of Jean-Paul Sartre and other celebrity philosophers.But in the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy, thinking has lost its cachet.In proposing a tax-cut law last week, Finance Minister Christine Lagarde bluntly advised

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-70289652646478849322007-07-17T07:55:00.000+10:002007-07-17T08:05:38.203+10:00

The 50th Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being hosted at Philosophy Sucks! Yes, the Philosopher’s Carnival has been cobbled together fifty times …Mr Brown, generous host, chose the theme ‘Mind, Meaning and Morals’ and it is into those three groupings that you will find the various submissions.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-19311446207564354242007-07-13T15:12:00.000+10:002007-07-13T15:58:54.577+10:00

David Chalmers has a couple of interesting powerpoint slide shows posted in his Conference wrap-up .Any budding (or full-blown) ethicists would find "Moral Relativism and Conceptual Analysis" interesting. I can also highly recommend "From the Aufbau to the Canberra Plan" after seeing it presented at AAP 2007.

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-64640979655713137212007-07-13T08:15:00.000+10:002007-07-13T08:19:49.851+10:00

What is inequality and what are its origins? Is some form of inequality necessary for societies to function?[A variation of these questions were once asked, leading to Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality. I have been thinking about them recently and thought I might raise them in the broader forum.]

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-31044565787247911312007-07-13T08:12:00.000+10:002007-07-13T08:15:24.216+10:00

Late last month, Justice Susan Crennan of the High Court of Australia, gave this speech on scepticism and the judicial method. It contains an interesting (if possibly light-weight) discussion of the problem confronting theories of judicial method, in particular as they rely on the existence of objective truth, by the work of Foucault.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-42297953956656955582007-07-13T08:07:00.000+10:002007-07-13T08:08:27.749+10:00

Since his death Rorty has become something of a regular here about. Here is one of his last works, discussing the premises of his philosophy.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-14898727305167104142007-07-13T08:02:00.000+10:002007-07-13T08:06:58.798+10:00

An article by Iranian philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush on the conflict between reason and religion, via eurozine.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-57687893195412664812007-06-27T10:33:00.000+10:002007-06-27T10:34:49.845+10:00

The 49th Philosopher’s Carnival, or ‘All Philosophy is a footnote to Plato (and Aristotle)’, is presently being hosted at Tales of Modernity.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-31001982948996608792007-06-27T10:26:00.000+10:002007-06-27T10:33:41.837+10:00

Ramin Jahanbegloo, who made an appearance in these parts last year when he was arrested and imprisoned in Iran, has written an obito-analysis of Richard Rorty.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-59634755481999727622007-06-26T22:05:00.000+10:002007-06-26T22:25:17.641+10:00

"In our rich and beautiful country, there are children living out a Hobbesian nightmare of violence, abuse and neglect. Many are in remote indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. To recognise this is not racist. It's simply an empirical fact." John HowardThen there was his own description of himself as a Voltairian.Are we all detecting a little

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-7663975807414575912007-06-14T08:56:00.000+10:002007-06-14T09:01:06.502+10:00

‘Alas, I have come down with the same disease that killed Derrida.’Considerable American philosopher Richard Rorty died on the 8th of June (of pancreatic cancer).Jürgen Habermas provides a personal obituary, while Roger Scrutton is critical and the New York Times is biographical. (Arts and Letters Daily is listing other obituaries.)

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-14749510645740110782007-06-14T08:54:00.000+10:002007-06-14T08:56:18.106+10:00

This month’s Politics at the Pub will see Rod Barton and Arthur Chesterfield-Evans discussing Iraq. (I’ve heard Chesterfield-Evans a couple of times recently, and he often has interesting things to say).The Hamilton Station Hotel, Tuesday 19th of June at 6.30 pm.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-85465202791779348072007-06-07T23:08:00.000+10:002007-06-07T23:12:15.705+10:00

I was attempting to try and make the ‘sex as communication’ theory fly by i) removing the prescriptive element, and making it more a definition rather than a line drawn in the sand, ii) treating these communicative instants as Austinian performatives, as is my obsession these days, and iii) introducing greater ‘social fields’ ala Wittgenstein or even Foucault, to account for the apparent

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-61327016002901097612007-06-06T09:28:00.000+10:002007-06-06T09:33:57.299+10:00

This shall be a brief note, following on from a comment earlier made. It needs must be proceeded by acknowledging I am neither a theologian nor a biblical scholar.The genesis of this idea was a discussion of whether an individual today could know anything about Jesus. (To avoid an obvious complexity, it is assumed that there was a single actual individual whose variation of Judaism is the origin

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-35967115605129734522007-06-06T09:26:00.000+10:002007-06-06T09:27:58.132+10:00

The 48th Philosopher’s Carnival presently being hosted at Common Sense Philosophy.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-37327187689190751182007-06-01T20:00:00.000+10:002007-06-01T20:17:49.242+10:00

'"Insane person" - Any person who shall for the time being be idiotic lunatic or of unsound mind and incapable of managing himself or his affairs and whether found insane by inquisition or otherwise' - An Act to Consolidate and Amend the Law Relating to the Insane 1879 (NSW) s 3.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-37480112336901909692007-05-17T08:56:00.000+10:002007-05-17T09:37:40.824+10:00

The 47th Philosopher's Carnival is on at nichomachus.net . There are a number of good entries, I thought that The Philosopher vs. the Biblical Fundamentalist at The Space of Reasons and Sexual Perversion at the Florida Student Philosophy Blog were particularly interesting.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-11434887521429533512007-05-16T12:14:00.000+10:002007-05-16T12:20:11.503+10:00

The 2nd Online Philosophy Conference (OPC2) has opened this week with a keynote address from Professor Ernest Sosa.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-43755398595110099572007-05-07T08:42:00.000+10:002007-05-07T08:53:10.123+10:00

‘The Art of Disappearing’, via Eurozine, contains excerpts from a discussion between Jean Baudrillard and an interviewer. Baudrillard, while discussing death and disappearance makes some interesting comments on Foucault’s death ...

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-50125475129649618722007-05-01T09:06:00.000+10:002007-05-01T09:15:45.237+10:00

‘Let's define what a sceptic is, a sceptic is someone who based on the information he or she has received to date has a position. It doesn't say they won't consider another position, they say based on the scientific evidence that I've been presented with, there is a debate about what the connection is. There is a growing weight of evidence and I'm happy to sit here and consider it.’ – Ian

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-47924352949612484092007-04-27T13:11:00.000+10:002007-04-27T13:17:36.914+10:00

The program outline for the new Bachelor of Theology (BTh) is now finally available here.While there are no Philosophy courses listed as being compulsory, a few have made their way into the directed elective list, so it's not a dead loss for us.

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-80514881405605422182007-04-25T15:10:00.000+10:002007-04-25T15:12:30.452+10:00

The 46th Philosopher’s Carnival is presently be hosted at The Space of Reasons.Worth noting, and reading if you’ve the time, is ‘Higher Order Truths about Chmess’, a keynote address by Daniel C. Dennett.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-12149064661734758502007-04-20T14:48:00.000+10:002007-04-20T15:39:30.714+10:00

A while back I had started to look into the history of our Philosophy Club. After giving up on individuals memories I recently had a dig through the archives under Auchmuty Library. I didn't find much, as I suspect that there is more material relevant to this gathering dust in various parts of McMullin building, but I did manage to extract a few key facts.Officially, the Philosophy Club was

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-15048473921054232472007-04-17T23:19:00.000+10:002007-04-17T23:32:41.209+10:00

Ok, time to decide on mugs. To do about 6 of them, I may want to keep the number of screens down to save time because I don't want it to be a multi-week epic. I have been trying to have new screens each week, because time is limited in how long I have access to the equipment. So if there is any aesthetics ideas, remember that 2 or three colours is best, 3-4 colours probably absolute maximum, but

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-18439583516408361372007-04-11T11:35:00.000+10:002007-04-11T11:44:19.343+10:00

This month’s Politics at the Pub looks at moral panic and the exploitation of fear for political gain. This discussion is in conjunction with the Newcastle launch of Outrageous! Moral Panics in Australia, co-edited by George Morgan who, with Shane Homan (University of Newcastle), will be on the panel of speakers. Morgan's book looks at various moral panics in Australia.Politics at the Pub will be

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-48452048785484825492007-04-08T20:52:00.000+10:002007-04-08T20:55:27.998+10:00

Perhaps, at this auspicious time in the Christian calendar and after some recent discussions, it’s time for the divine hand to smite some heathens …Happy Easter.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-9422431509887465112007-04-07T14:26:00.000+10:002007-04-07T14:34:42.231+10:00

Two recent NDPR reviews – Alan Schrift’s Twentieth Century French Philosophy and Jason Powell’s Jacques Derrida.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-76277215431802763572007-04-07T14:23:00.000+10:002007-04-07T14:26:26.108+10:00

Finders University is hosting a conference on religion in a secular age later in the year. The organisers have called for papers.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-58628254260741215462007-04-07T14:00:00.000+10:002007-04-07T14:15:39.717+10:00

The 45th Philosopher’s Carnival is presently being held at Ainslee Hooper’s blog.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-23686215732302082142007-04-04T08:52:00.000+10:002007-04-04T09:02:08.313+10:00

The Restraint Project – James Franklin, author of Corrupting the Youth, and Cathy Legg are charting the progress of their study of restraint in Australia.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-41252285380549128092007-03-30T14:50:00.000+10:002007-03-30T15:08:33.609+10:00

‘“I don’t know how to ask this question, because it’s so multifaceted,” he said. “You’re Baudrillard, and you were able to fill a room. And what I want to know is: when someone dies, we read an obituary—like Derrida died last year, and is a great loss for all of us. What would you like to be said about you? In other words, who are you? I would like to know how old you are, if you’re married and

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-40473590157000079902007-03-23T09:40:00.000+11:002007-03-23T09:48:55.680+11:00

'Christendom, an expert on the topic lamented on CBC the other night, is in decline in the West. Apparently "Modernity" is to blame. The Pope probably agrees. Though I'm not sure what Modernity includes, the advancement of science, technology, literacy, higher education; the greater awareness for cultural diversity; the greater appreciation of the value of tolerance; and so on, are probably all a

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986439579966977930noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-77360086334743276912007-03-21T11:32:00.001+11:002007-03-23T09:46:52.914+11:00

I will be making a short run of Foucault shirts as pictured.This is a two colour image printed on a dark brown shirt, which will hopefully be raglan sleeved. The image is about 30cm in height.If you would like a Foucault shirt, then let me know before next Monday. Tell me what size you are after and whether you want men's/lady's.Also, I have been considering adding text either underneath the

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-61752337464872064902007-03-21T11:32:00.000+11:002007-03-21T11:39:33.831+11:00

Philosophers Carnival 44 is on at Movement of Existence.It is worth a look, if you can be bothered.

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-33594602025194318292007-03-20T09:01:00.000+11:002007-03-20T09:04:11.763+11:00

The Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics will be hosting a conference on the interplay of meta-ethics and cognition, in Sydney, in late August.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-67069328561337487242007-03-16T15:10:00.000+11:002007-03-23T09:49:29.537+11:00

Disclaimer: All attributed comments (even my own) are paraphrased to the point of being semi-fictional and events may have occurred in a different order than I remember. If you don’t like it, put your corrections/perspectives in the comments.I arrived late, so I hope that some of the other members present will fill the gaps in my patchy and biased recollection.James expressed his resentment at

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-8398920717273405002007-03-14T15:23:00.001+11:002007-03-14T15:23:08.430+11:00

One of our most active and well-known members has left our small community (physically at least) for the exciting and exotic shores of Japan. Peter Woodward has probably devoted more of his time to the Philosophy Club than anyone else I've known since I have been at this University. A well as a period as club president Pete has at different times provided the venue, the food (really, really good

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-35132382069658519972007-03-14T09:59:00.000+11:002007-03-14T10:18:54.100+11:00

On Friday 9 March 2007 the Academic Senate of our university approved the introduction of a Bachelor degree program in theology. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Kevin McConkey has indicated that this degree could be of interest to anyone in the community, not just those seeking to enter religious ministry.A new position of Professor of Theology will be created, and this position will

Samuel Douglasnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-44604247638242872442007-03-12T09:18:00.000+11:002007-03-23T09:48:24.483+11:00

This month’s Politics at the Pub considers the politics of water, with speakers Nat Jeffery (former weather presenter with NBN and candidate for Climate Change Coalition for NSW Upper House in coming State election) and Michael Osborne (Newcastle Councillor for NSW Greens, Green's candidate State Seat of Newcastle Author of "Talking Water: An Australian Guidebook For The 21st Century").The

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-55671618746092035292007-03-12T09:15:00.000+11:002007-03-12T09:18:31.492+11:00

I was recently in a hardware store perusing paint samples, when I discovered that Dulux has a paint colour called ‘Simone Weil’. It is a shade of grey.

MHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09068975650320612418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-77570727203068804562007-03-11T22:37:00.000+11:002007-03-11T22:48:01.549+11:00

Osama, the empire's old arch-nemeses is celebrating his 50th today, which is quite an achievement considering he wasn’t meant to see the end of 2002, with two wars apparently being waged to bring about his timely death. Only being 50, he could have a good 20 years of terrorist masterminding ahead of him before retirement

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10098115.post-20586400364698687392007-03-09T17:45:00.000+11:002007-03-23T09:47:27.556+11:00

Those of you who have been paying attention to the news over the last eight months have been aware of the ‘situation’ concerning the local labor party and the state election. Ostensibly we are at a momentous event in the history of Newcastle politics: it will not vote labor and instead elect an independent. Stateline last week had a story about this followed by another concerning the fact that it

Captain Kickarsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09761360601256251604noreply@blogger.com5