The 2012-2013 Philosophy Department Newsletter has been completed. Copies are now available in the Philosophy Lounge and will be sent out by mail. Within the next few weeks, an online version of the newsletter at philnews.commons.gc.cuny.edu will be completed.

View PDF of Newsletter

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July 9: Henry Shevlin
Cognitive Science and Philosophy, CUNY Graduate Center
“GAPS in the Mind—Introducing a New Theory of
Consciousness”

July 16: Jared Blank
Cognitive Science and Philosophy, CUNY Graduate Center
“Deflationist Approaches to Intentionality”

July 23: Aaron Schurger
Neuropsychology, INSERM-CEA Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Paris
Title TBA

July 30: Zoe Jenkin
Cognitive Science and Philosophy, CUNY Graduate Center
“The Epistemic Impact of Intramodular Effects”

August 6: Hung-Tzu Yhan
Philosophy, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan
“The Problem of Targetless Higher-order Representations
and Its Solutions”

August 13: Carrie Figdor
Philosophy, University of Iowa
“Cognitive Ontology and the Metaphorical Development
of Theories”

ROOM 7-102
The Cognitive Science speaker series meets weekly at the CUNY
Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, in room 7-102. Summer 2013
meetings are on Tuesdays from 2 to 4. Additional information at:

http://tinyurl.com/cstalks

or e-mail David Rosenthal

Image: “Brain Cloud” by John Baldessari

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Susanne Bobzien (Yale University):

“Kripke Semantics for Columnar Higher-Order Vagueness”

Date: Thursday, May 16, 4:15-6:15pm

Location: Graduate Center, room 5307

ABSTRACT:

Hierarchical higher-order vagueness leads to incoherence when it is used as a means to avoid a sharp boundary in the Sorites paradox (cf. Sainsbury 1990, Wright 1992, Shapiro 2006). The challenge is to provide a compositional notion of higher-order vagueness that (i) allows infinite higher orders, (ii) retains the desired relevance to the Sorites, (iii) allows for a model-theoretic representation that reflects such relevance, but (iv) does not run into any higher-order vagueness paradox. In some recent papers I have introduced the only type of higher-order vagueness that meets this challenge (“columnar higher-order vagueness”) and have set forth some of its elements.  In this paper, I explain what columnar higher-order vagueness is, give a formalization of its core properties in terms of an axiomatic modal system, and produce a Kripke semantics for its simplest (i.e. bivalent & classical) form together with a philosophical interpretation of the semantics. I finish with an illustration of how the semantics can be used as an infrastructure for epistemicist and non-epistemicist bivalent theories of vagueness and briefly touch upon possible modifications for three-valued logics.

Images: Doug88888 flickr

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13th – 15th September 2013 Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience Philosophy University of Glasgow

Submissions of papers are invited for an international conference on the topic of ‘Evaluative Perception: Aesthetic, Ethical, and Normative’, to be held at the University of Glasgow on the 13th- 15th of September 2013, in association with the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience.

Open Call for Papers Submissions should: (i) be in English (ii) include an Abstract (no more than 250 words) and a Paper that can be presented in approximately 45 minutes (iii) be prepared for blind review. (iv) be sent as a PDF to evaluativeperception@… no later than July 1st 2013 (all submissions will be acknowledged)

The website link is: http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/philosophyresearch/cspe/events/evaluativeperceptionconference/

Keynote Speakers

Professor Robert Audi (University of Notre Dame) Professor Robert Hopkins (University of Sheffield) Professor Dominic Lopes (University of British Colombia) Dr Jack Lyons (University of Arkansas) Dr Sarah McGrath (Princeton University) Dr Kathleen Stock, (University of Sussex) Dr Dustin Stokes (University of Utah) Dr Pekka Väyrynen (University of Leeds) Conference Organisers Dr Anna Bergqvist (Manchester Metropolitan University) Dr Robert Cowan (University of Glasgow)

Conference Theme

After long having been neglected, the possibility of evaluative perception is once again being given serious philosophical consideration. For example, in aesthetics, there has been renewed interest in the possible relations between imagination and aesthetic perception, and a growing discussion of the Wollheimian idea that the phenomenon of seeing-in, which is apparently typical of pictorial experience, marks out a distinctive form of perception (e.g., Lopes (1996, 2005), Hopkins (1998)), Pettersson (2011)). Elsewhere, in meta-ethics, there has been a flurry of debate around the topic of whether ordinary human agents could perceive the instantiation of ethical properties (e.g., Väyrynen (2008), McBrayer (2010), Dancy (2010)). These developments have complemented a long-running tradition of Aristotelian interest in ethical perception, of seeing the world in a distinctively evaluative way, the most famous contemporary proponent of which is John McDowell (1998). Finally, and related to this, is the development of interest in the idea that human agents could perceive reasons (e.g., Church (2010)). At least some of these developments have, it seems, been partly inspired by progress in the philosophy of perception. For example, the emergence of the high-level view about the content of perception (e.g., Siegel (2006)) has arguably given credence to the view that conceptually sophisticated perception might be possible. In addition, discussions about the possibility of cognitive penetration, i.e., the idea that the cognitive states and characters of perceptual agents can alter how they perceive the world (e.g., Macpherson (2011)), arguably provide proponents of evaluative perception with the beginnings of a psychological account of how evaluative perception might be possible. In light of these developments, the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience at the University of Glasgow is convening a conference on the topic of Evaluative Perception, where ‘evaluative’ is being understood so as to include aesthetic, ethical, and normative perception.

The central questions to which the conference will be addressed include:

(i) Are there good reasons for thinking that evaluative perception is possible? Is this limited to any particular sensory modality/ies? (ii) Is there anything distinctive about evaluative perception, or particular types of evaluative perception? (iii) What are the epistemological consequences of evaluative perception? As well as these questions, the topic of the conference will connect with broader discussions and debates in aesthetics, epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of perception, e.g., the possibility of cognitive penetration, amodal perception, and cross-modal perception, the admissible contents of experience, the relationship between imagination and perception, the impact of so-called ‘framing effects’ on perceptual experience, whether perception can be said to be rational and whether perception could be the conclusion of an argument, the role of experience in aesthetic appreciation, and the prospects for various approaches in ethics, e.g., ethical intuitionism and virtue ethics.

Please consult the conference website for further details of the topics which papers might address: http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/philosophyresearch/cspe/events/evaluativeperceptionconference/

Papers will be double-blind reviewed. Notifications will be sent out by the 1st of August 2013. The conference is supported by the Mind Association who has first refusal on the edited volume for their Occasional Series published by Oxford University Press. The papers selected through this call cannot be guaranteed publication. Subsequent to the conference, a book-manuscript will be submitted to OUP and all papers will be individually refereed. Accepted speakers will have their conference fee waived. Food and accommodation for the duration of the conference will be provided. Travel costs of a value up to £400 will also be covered. Conference Support The conference organisers gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the Mind Association, Scots Philosophical Association, British Society of Aesthetics, and the Aristotelian Society. Any enquiries should be addressed to: Dr Anna Bergqvist a.bergqvist@… Or, Dr Robert Cowan robert.cowan@…

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Attitude problems

This talk examines asymmetries in the semantics of attitude verbs and in their acquisition. An extensive number of studies show that young children display difficulty with verbs like think but not want. This difficulty is often interpreted as reflecting an asymmetry in conceptual development: while the desire concept is acquired early, children fail to grasp the concept of belief until their fourth birthday. This talk explores an alternative explanation for the asymmetry in children’s understanding of think and want, which doesn’t rely on a fundamental change in conceptual structure. Based on results from our lab, I will argue instead that asymmetries in the syntax, semantics and pragmatics of these verbs conspire to give rise to the asymmetry in their acquisition.

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Food will be provided and refreshments for students.

Faculty are encouraged to bring their own refreshments.

See you there!

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DISSERTATION COMPLETION NOW!

Every Tuesday, April 9, 2013–May 28, 2013
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
The Wellness Center, Room #6422.04

These workshops were developed especially for the doctoral students of the Graduate Center on the basis of the experiences of doctoral students who attended dissertation completion groups during the past three years. These workshops and groups are led by clinical psychologist, Prof. Daniel Rothenberg of the Student Counseling Services/Wellness Center.

Practical dimensions of completing your dissertation

What you need to know about the “nuts and bolts”, as well as the complexities of completing the dissertation, selecting an advisor and what you must do in order to successfully navigate the dissertation completion process from beginning to end.

Personal dimensions of completing the dissertation

What you need to know about the personal dimensions of how you relate to your dissertation topic, your advisor, your family and friends in order to successfully complete the doctorate. What is the inner wisdom that you need to acquire in order to navigate the dissertation and avoid pitfalls on the road to a life in academia?  This workshop will provide mindfulness skills, as well as awareness tools that you need to regulate your life and maintain clarity from the time that you begin your dissertation through the time that you obtain employment beyond the doctorate.

You must be a registered GC student to participate in this workshop.  To register for this workshop stop by the Wellness Center Student Counseling Services in Room 6422 to fill out an application (also attached for your convenience).

For more information, please call (212) 817-8731. For a calendar of all upcoming workshops or to download an application, please visit our website at http://cuny.is/wellnesscenter

Thank you,

Wellness Center

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Nominations are still going on this week! Please take the time to nominate any philosophy student (including yourself) that you believe should be a part of one of the eleven available committees.  This is an excellent opportunity to gain important experience working on academic committees and will enhance your CV as well as our program.

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On Thursday, April 25, we will be hosting Will Kymlicka (Philosophy, Queen’s University Canada). Prof. Kymlicka will be presenting a talk entitled “Cultural Diversity and Animal Rights,” to be followed by discussion and a reception. We are excited to close our endeavors for the year with such a distinguished and engaging scholar, and hope that you will be able to join us. The talk will be held at 4:15p.m. in the Skylight Room (Room 9100) of The Graduate Center (365 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10016). We request that you RSVP here.

Streaming video of all our events throughout the year is available here.

[Image: American Art Museum]

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In addition to the below CFP we are also seeking to expand our pool of reviewers for this issue. If you are available to review a paper please contact the guest editors named below.

Deadline for initial submission of papers February 28 2014

Submissions must be made using Topoi’s online submission system at: http://www.editorialmanager.com/topo/

Much work in the philosophy of consciousness begins with the premise that consciousness offers a uniquely Hard Problem. This premise can lead to radical speculative metaphysics such as pan-protopsychism (Chalmers) or epiphenomenal property dualism (early Jackson). It can also be used by researchers to justify ignoring advances in consciousness studies from other disciplines. However, not everyone agrees that consciousness poses a Hard Problem and instead offer explanations of consciousness in general (Clark, Dennett, Irvine, O’Brien and Opie, Prinz) or particular conscious experiences (G.Carruthers, de Vignemont, Frith and Hohwy). Given that the existence of a Hard Problem is controversial and that it is supposed to lead to radical metaphysical conclusions we would expect that advocates of the existence of a Hard Problem would have considerable arguments in favour of their view. Often, however, the nature of problem is treated as self-evident and not argued for, despite the controversy. In this issue we wish to ask what arguments, if any, can be put forward that consciousness really does pose a uniquely hard problem and how they fare in the face of conceptual and empirical scrutiny.

Additionally work in developing theories of consciousness has led to a proliferation of hypotheses regarding the nature of consciousness. These hypotheses are motivated by empirical discoveries in numerous fields such as attention (Prinz), psychophysics (Dennett, Clark) and delusions research or psychiatry more broadly (Frith and Hohwy). As these hypotheses are developed implications for how consciousness is to be characterised emerge.

These considerations suggest a variety of questions to be posed regarding the existence of a Hard Problem. Here are some (non-prescriptive examples):

Are there good a priori reasons to believe that consciousness offers a uniquely “Hard Problem” and so demands a radically different explanation to other mental phenomena?

Is the characterisation of consciousness as ‘Hard’ plausible in light of theoretical advances? If not how is the problem of consciousness to be characterised; i.e. what is the explanatory target of a theory of consciousness?

What do various empirical discoveries about consciousness tell us about the nature of the problem we are investigating? Is it plausible that consciousness poses a hard problem in light of discoveries in attention, psychophysics or any other research?

For this issue we are interested in papers which address the status of the Hard Problem as a characterisation of consciousness from a rigorous multi-disciplinary perspective. Contributions should be accessible to anyone within the broad (multi-disciplinary) field of consciousness studies. We are open to new empirical and theoretical advances that specially address the status of the Hard problem. The guiding question for the issue is only: is the characterisation of consciousness as posing a uniquely Hard Problem reasonable?

When submitting your paper, please make sure to select “S.I.: Hard problem of consciousness (Carruthers/Schier)” in the scroll-down menu for Article Type. In preparing your article for submission, follow the guidelines available from the journal website, http://www.springer.com/philosophy/journal/11245 , under Information for Guest Editors and Authors –> Manuscript Preparation.

If you have any questions please contact the guest editors:

Glenn Carruthers

Elizabeth Schier

[Image: Pittsburgh Glass Center]

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I hope you enjoyed a restorative break. I write to update you on current events at the Graduate Center.

Most important, our financial circumstances remain stable. In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s commitment to five years of revenue certainty for CUNY and SUNY, next year’s state budget preserves CUNY’s base funding. This is extremely important news. CUNY is again free from the budget-cutting woes that afflict so many public universities. We are grateful both to Governor Cuomo and our representatives in Albany and to Chancellor Goldstein and his staff.

In this period of relative stasis, we are advancing the three primary goals articulated in the Graduate Center’s strategic plan.

The first of those involves enhancing student support. This year we awarded 83 dissertation-year fellowships at a total cost of 1.65 million dollars. Last year that number was 70; in 2009 it was 33.  In five years we’ve tripled our investment in these fellowships. We are also developing new programs to advance research prior to the dissertation phase, including archival work.

Further, the fiscal stability of the university has enabled the chancellery to increase, on an incremental basis, the value of our fellowships.  The 200 packages we’ve extended for 2013-14 year increase stipends and reduce teaching requirements. We are grateful to the Chancellor both for this enhancement and for his ongoing support of doctoral education. We are also attentive to the disparity in ECF teaching responsibilities that will arise during the 2014-15 academic year.

These advances are important steps in a long march forward. In 2001, the Graduate Center provided 14 million dollars in student support; next fall that number will be 51 million.

We’ve also made significant progress on the second of the strategic plan’s objectives. Jennifer Furlong, our new Director of Career Planning and Professional Development CareerPlan@gc.cuny.edu, has had a major impact in the brief time she has been with us. She has launched a broad range of initiatives that include career counseling, job and fellowship postings, and a series of innovative workshops and panels. I’m excited about Dr. Furlong’s work and look forward to its evolution.

The third of the strategic plan’s goals calls for the enrichment of the Graduate Center’s research culture. Here too, there is significant progress to report. The Advanced Research Collaborative, launched with a major gift from the Mellon Foundation, brings together in trans-disciplinary seminars, doctoral students, GC and college-based faculty, visiting scholars, and post-docs. Seminar subjects are broadly cast and include such topics as inequality, globalization, immigration, science studies, and religion in the contemporary world. In the coming academic year, ARC will launch a Distinguished Fellows Program that will bring 15 accomplished scholars to the Graduate Center, 8 from within CUNY and 7 from other universities. ARC will also support student research in a new praxis seminar, which will bring groups of Level II students into discussion with our distinguished visitors.

There is news on other fronts as well. Permissions are now in place to begin the build-out of the ninth floor and the construction of a roof-top pavilion. When that project is completed, we will have another attractive sky-lit assembly area and a show-stopping space under the presiding presence of the Empire State Building. Funding for this project has been provided by the City Council and by the Manhattan Borough President’s Office. We are very grateful for that support. Thanks as well to the BP’s Office for underwriting our new digital signs, an initiative that has made the extraordinary wealth of activity at the Graduate Center visible to us all.

I note as well the opening of a new staff lounge on the eighth floor (Rm. 8404), and thank all those responsible for bringing that project to completion.

We’ve begun this spring a three-year process designed to manage more attentively the size of our incoming doctoral cohorts. Our focus is on both student support and placement opportunities.  Adjustments will be very modest. During the next three years we will reduce our incoming class by a total of 61 students across 24 programs. When those reductions are realized, the Graduate Center will remain one of the top ten U.S. universities in the number of degrees awarded in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Our efforts to insure the diversity of our student body continue. We’ve increased the value of the Magnet Fellowships we will award going forward, and this year we expanded investment in the Dean Harrison program. I’m pleased to report that during this academic year every eligible student who applied for a Harrison grant received support.

Our residence facility continues to enjoy success. From its opening day, it has been fully subscribed; a lengthy waiting list is in place. To accommodate that demand we hope to build a second facility. Discussions center on an attractive property in Long Island City. We are not at the point of agreement –  I’ve learned that such deals are always fluid — but we remain optimistic.

Our development efforts continue to bear fruit. This semester we passed the 100 million dollar mark. Funding for public higher education remains fragile, and the cultivation of non-tax levy revenue streams grows ever more important.  I am grateful to the many friends of the Graduate Center who support our work.

I’m delighted to report that at our commencement ceremonies at Lincoln Center on May 23, we will present honorary degrees to the theatrical magus, Robert Wilson, and the influential New York artist,  Lawrence Weiner. Distinguished Professor David Nasaw will deliver the commencement address. I hope to see many of you there.

All of this is the tip of the iceberg. I feel very fortunate, indeed, to be a member of this remarkable community.

Warm regards,

Bill

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Application includes:

·        400 word Research Proposal

·        Curriculum Vitae

·        Unofficial Student Transcript

·        Approval of Advisor and Executive Officer

Applications from qualifying students in all fields are welcome, but since Distinguished Visiting Fellows will be working principally on the research themes listed below, students working in those areas may find the opportunity especially valuable. Students who accept this award will work with ARC Distinguished Visiting Fellows from within and without the CUNY system and will be required to attend three (3) research praxis seminars during the semester. The research themes of the Distinguished Fellowship Program for 2013-2014 are:

·        Immigration
·        Inequality
·        Religion

In addition to attending the three sessions above, Awardees will be required to do the following:

·        Post  three 400 word blogs on the ARC student research website sharing their research interests and activities with other graduate center students
·        Submit a formal research proposal to a grant agency requesting support for their research project

Deadline for applying is Friday, April 19, 2013.  Students will be notified of the selection committee’s decision by Friday, May 10, 2013.

Nominations for this award should be sent to ARC at:  arc@gc.cuny.edu   An application form is attached.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

ARC Resarch Praxis Application Form

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Jonathan Adler

Our dear friend and colleague, Professor Jonathan Adler, passed away on March 26, 2012. The faculty and staff of the Department of Philosophy wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to Jonathan’s family.

Jonathan is remembered with affection and respect by all of us in the department that has had the honor of being his professional home for so many years. All of us remember with pleasure and gratitude his kindness, generosity and intellectual energy.

About Jonathan

Jonathan Adler graduated from Brooklyn College in 1970; he received a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in 1974 and a D.Phil. from Oxford in 1978. Over the three decades since then he established himself as a prominent and innovative thinker in contemporary epistemology. His book, Belief’s Own Ethics (MIT, 2002), is a defense of a strong version of evidentialism, the view that one’s beliefs should be proportionate to the evidence. He authored nearly 70 articles covering a wide range of epistemological topics, including skepticism, induction, testimony, the argument from ignorance and fanatical reasoning; he also wrote on philosophy of language, ethics and the philosophy of education. He co-edited an important anthology on reasoning published by Cambridge University Press (2008), and an introductory anthology in philosophy from Hackett Press (2007). During his long and distinguished career, he won important teaching and research awards, including a Wolfe Institute Fellowship at Brooklyn College and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities (1991–1992 and 2008–2009). In 2009, he was elected as an alumni member to Brooklyn College’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Jonathan also had an exceptional record of service to the profession, which included participation in the American Philosophical Association’s Program on improving and evaluating teaching in philosophy, and consulting work for a number of projects and institutes for critical thinking. He served for four years as the president of the Association for the Philosophy of Education, and for nearly 20 years on the Executive Committee of the Society for Philosophy and Public Affairs. He also worked to make philosophy available to a wider public by serving on the U.S. board of editors of the popular magazine Philosophy Now, and by many years of service to the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.

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