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Home , John Corvino, Michael Dummett

Letter from the Chair In this Issue Graeme Forbes Letter from the Chair 1 Dear Students, Alumni, Friends and Faculty Activities 1-8 Colleagues: Interview with Ajume Wingo 3 This is a rather tardy letter from the Chair, who Graduate Student has just survived a complicated semester. Accomplishments 7 Nevertheless, my timing allows me to wish you the seasons’ greetings appropriately. And I can Prizes & Awards 9 also pass on various pieces of recent news which Think! Talks 9 would be a bit old if I didn’t get to mention Graduation 10 them until next year as a result of having got this letter to the editor on ! Donation Appeal 11 First, you may recall that last year I expressed the hope that we’d rise in the Philosophical Faculty Activities Gourmet’s biennial rankings of 2010-2011 graduate programs, and I’m happy to report that Graeme Forbes, Department Chair in the recently unveiled 2011–13 rankings we David Barnett published three have indeed gone up, from 26 to 24 (you have a double one, in the Kayden Book Prize articles. In one, he argued that, less chance of falling over if you take small steps competition, with Rob Rupert’s book Cognitive unlike our bodies, we are not than if you attempt leaps and bounds). We’re Systems and the Extended winning first place composed of other things. In now 11th among state universities, and our new and Kathrin Koslicki’s The Structure of Objects another, he argued that it’s possible to know whether Harry is bald, even overall position represents a steady climb from (with its neo-Aristotelean themes) taking if it’s vague whether he’s bald. In 36th over the last seven years. runner-up. a third, he developed a new theory The Gourmet also groups programs by There will be a mini-conference on Rob’s of counter-factual statements– specialty, and here we have some big headlines, book, and he is becoming something of a statements of the form, ‘If so and for we were placed in the top group for Applied master-organizer of conferences, since he is so had been the case, such and such , along with Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, also the local organizer for the 2012 meeting would have been the case.’ He , Princeton, and Rutgers; and also for of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology delivered the Keynote Address to Feminist Philosophy, along with MIT, Sheffield, here in Boulder, and last spring organized the the Midwest Undergraduate and the University of Washington. In addition, very successful Cox Family Visitor events, Philosophy Conference at Creighton University. And his house burned we were strongly ranked in a wide range of other when we had in town for a down. [Quit whining. –Ed.] specialties, including , Ethics, and week. These are one-off occasions, and various areas in the History of Philosophy. complement our usual sequence of CHPS David Boonin completed his first We’ve also learned recently of success in conference, Morris Colloquium, Rocky year of exile as Associate Dean for some internal College competitions. Both Bob Mountain Philosophy Conference, and RoME Arts and Humanities. In between bouts of harassing department chairs Pasnau and Mitzi Lee are to be congratulated, summer conference. and threatening to cut their budgets, the former for his College Scholar’s Award and A clutch of our graduate students have just he made the final revisions to his the latter for her Center for the Humanities and been attending the APA Eastern Division, book Should Race ? (Cambridge Arts faculty fellowship (in which she repeats our where many have had job interviews. We keep Univ. Press, 2011) and continued success of the previous year with Mike Huemer’s our fingers crossed for them as they wait for to make progress on a new book on award). Bob will be working on “ the phone to ring with an offer of a campus our obligations to future genera- through Arabic Eyes”, mainly focussing on interview, though nowadays it’s more likely to tions. He also gave talks to the ’ commentaries, while Mitzi will be be a computer sound-effect signaling an email philosophy departments at Hebrew working on Aristotle’s . As with the same message. The philosophy major University in Jerusalem and the University of Haifa. you can tell, Aristotle is big at CU Boulder. also continues to flourish, with around three Earlier in the year we also had success, indeed hundred students, though we are watching Eric Chwang had two more papers changes in College advising procedures closely, reformulated his question, but Dummett still published, “A Puzzle about Consent as they may put a barrier between us and those looked puzzled, and the room, despite the in Research and Practice” in the who’ve expressed an interest in the . presence of McDowell, Peacocke, Charles Journal of Applied Philosophy and “On There is therefore much to rejoice about, but Taylor and other boldface names, fell silent. I Coerced Promises” in Promises and I can also find some things to complain about. fancied I had some of what Evans was Agreements: Philosophical Essays I wrote last year that nearly $7 million in getting at, so I took a very deep breath¯no-one (Oxford UP). In San Diego, he athletics revenue had been surrendered to switch who knew Evans will need to ask why¯and presented his paper “Freedom from conferences, and that this was only as much as said “What I think Mr. Evans is suggesting Autonomy” at the last session of the had been revealed at that point. Putting various is…” and then turned hesitantly to Gareth, pacific APA in San Diego, to a articles on different pieces of the process expecting the usual corrosive savaging. But rapturous audience of 10, including two personal non-academic friends together, I eventually arrived at a conservative what came out his mouth was “You have who were in the area. He also caught estimate of about $20 million in one form of stated my point clearly and precisely,” and his first plagiarizers (two!) and exam cost or another, and was told by a senior from Dummett, “Ah, I see, thank you.” I cheaters (also two!) ever, both in the administrator that this was correct. I was also believe I blushed. I certainly walked on air for same . He’s not sure whether told of various expected benefits that would the rest of the week, and sometimes wonder that’s good or bad. justify such a wild gamble¯sorry, sober if that was the high point of my career, Carol Cleland’s anthology (co- investment¯but some of these are already everything since then just a gentle falling edited with Mark Bedau), The starting to look shaky. Stay tuned for the bad back to Earth. of Life, was published by Cambridge news. Meanwhile, each time we try to put I got to know Dummett better three years University Press. Two articles, together our class schedule for a future semester, later, when my last two years at New College “Prediction and Explanation in we hit the same stumbling block, that the coincided with his first two as A. J. Ayer’s Historical Natural Science” and “Life campus simply doesn’t have enough classrooms successor in the Wykeham Chair of . He without Definitions” were published to satisfy demand. Fixing this would be worth was the most impressive individual I have met, by, respectively, British Journal of a multi-million dollar investment, I think. three or four complete human rolled and Synthese. She completed an article (with Sheralee into one. Besides being the top British Brindell) for a new anthology on philosopher at that point, he was also a science and pseudoscience and is committed campaigner for improved race finishing five additional articles on , which he the major social life and historical science for various issue of the time. When Amin expelled book projects and special issues of Uganda’s Asians, many of them came to journals. She is finishing up work on Britain, and Dummett spent countless hours a book, The Quest for a Theory at Heathrow helping them navigate the far of Life (under contract with from friendly reception they were getting from Cambridge UP). She spoke on British immigration authorities. His historical science at three confer- ences, spoke on the nature and origin involvement in many practical projects like this of life at three other conferences, explains why Frege: Philosophy of bears and was summoned by the National a publication date of 1973 instead of 1963. Research Council to “testify” on the Dummett was Britain’s leading Catholic arsenate life controversy in intellectual, and regularly contributed to Washington. The highlight of her religious “think” magazines. He was also a year was being invited to harass world authority on voting systems, and on the speakers at a select science workshop history of playing cards, writing tomes on each on the origins of life at Arizona State University. (1925–2011) that equaled the length of any of his philosophical works. He devised a voting John Fisher’s chapter “Popular But enough complaining. As I write, I have system that was used at All for the Music” was published in the Routledge just finished reading yesterday’s Guardian’s election of a new Warden, though rumor had Companion to Music. He delivered a obituary of Michael Dummett, who was, in the it that the system was deliberately designed to paper on the blues and Joel last third of the twentieth century, among a produce the right outcome () Rudinow’s book Music at the annual meetings of the American handful of the very best philosophers writing in but was so complicated that many of the Society for Aesthetics in Victoria, English, so I shall end with some personal Fellows misvoted, resulting in the wrong Canada in October 2010. He recollections of him. I first encountered outcome. As an antiquarian, he was regularly delivered a paper on “The Creativity Dummett in 1976, at his All Souls’ seminar, consulted by Sotheby’s and Christie’s when of Nature” at the Pacific Division when I was in my third year as a graduate playing cards of historical interest came up for of the American Philosophical student at Oxford. I retain one indelible memory auction. In all, then, he had a remarkably Association in San Diego in April from that seminar, of an occasion on which eclectic range of intellectual and practical 2011. Although he attended a very Gareth Evans put a question to Dummett, who achievements, and was a philosopher of whom nice retirement party in May (for seemed not to understand it. Evans the profession can be proud. ” himself), he continues to work on 2 Philosophy Department Newsletter various projects for which he Interview with hopes he now has more time. He is currently editing (with Jeanette Ajume Wingo Bicknell) a special issue of the Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism Professor Wingo is a political and social philosopher who on song, songs and singing. joined CU Boulder in 2008. He recently spoke with Graeme Forbes gave talks at a Graeme Forbes about his summer adventures. workshop on “Mental Files” at the GF: You’ve gone on some field trips recently Institut Nicod in Paris, at the to pretty “hot” parts of the world. Early in the Workshop in Philosophy and summer you went to Tunisia and Egypt. Tell us at the University of a bit about that trip. Michigan, at the University of Bucharest, and at Eötvös AW: Thanks to modern media, many of us University in Budapest. His paper witnessed in real time the uprisings in northern “Context-Dependence and the Africa that started in Tunisia and spread to Egypt, Sorites” appeared in Vagueness and Libya, and then to the Arabian peninsula. What Communication (Springer, 2011). I find most remarkable is that those uprisings¯ Ben Hale published articles in the Arab Spring¯were not sparked principally such journals as The Monist and by a political party or an organized interest group, Science, Technology and Human and that, for the first time on the African soil that Ajume H. Wingo Values; published essays in two I can remember, the armies¯which are always edited volumes; gave refereed talks the ultimate decider of events like this and nearly at the University of South so long here in the United States. After two always on the side of their benefactors, the ruling Carolina, the ISEE/IAEP annual weeks of waiting, I finally gave up and ordered governments¯turned down orders to crush the conference, the UNFCCC climate uprisings. That the putatively omnipotent them to send my passport back. The passport conference in Cancun, among President of Tunisia was forced by ordinary was sent back, and of course a week later I other locations; and was invited to people into flight at night; that Mubarak, the received a call that my visa had been approved. give talks at the University of “President for life” of Egypt, was compelled to I had already cancelled my prepaid air ticket and M o n t a n a G e o e n g i n e e r i n g resign by the might of the Egyptian people’s will; hotel reservations, but I decided to start the Workshop, the Geoengineering and that Colonel Kaddafi was led by his people process over again, this time successfully. So Working Group at the University into a losing standoff, were unprecedented events at last I was . of Washington, and the Seminar in Africa’s history. GF: We are getting the impression from the on the Environmental Economics of Creation Stewardship sponsored As a political philosopher and an African, I Western press that Tunisia is doing rather better by the Foundation for Research on wanted to get a first-hand look at what those than Egypt in making progress towards Economics and the Environment. remarkable African people were going through, democracy. Does that seem right to you? and how they were trying to remake their world. Most of his work recently has And I wanted to write something that is AW: The answer to that question depends in focused on ethical questions meaningful to me and to the African citizens I part on what we mean by “democracy”. associated with environmental was interested in hearing from. That’s why I went. Democracy entails some general sense of self- remediation. Specifically, he is working on the question of The most frustrating aspect of my trip was rule by citizens through elections. But the kind geoengineering as a response to obtaining a visa. Once I made the decision, the of democracy that I am interested in seeing countries in Africa and the Middle East develop climate change. In other areas, he next step was to obtain the visas to travel to again coordinated Rocky Mountain is more than just a system in which citizens elect Tunisia, Egypt, and, I hoped, to Libya as well, Ethics Congress with Alastair their political leaders. As a sort of a prologue where fighting between the rebels and Khaddafi’s Norcross. In January 2011 the forces was still going on at the time. The Egyptian to answering your question, let me first say I journal he co-edits re-launched as tourist visa was not difficult to obtain; all the started studying hoping Ethics, Policy & Environment. His Egyptian embassy really wanted was to know that it would shed some light on the problems of book The Wicked and the Wild: Why I had disposable income to spend in Egypt. At contemporary Africa. More precisely, I wanted You Don’t Have to Love Nature to be the time, of course, the images coming out of to know what it is that has so consistently Green is under contract with the Egypt had scared away their normal Western stymied the talent, energy, and ambition of University of Chicago Press and is tourists, so they were eager to let in anyone likely Africans from creating a better world for expected to be published in Fall to help replace that income. themselves. As part of this project, I’ve been 2012. working on a book manuscript entitled The The Tunisian visa was more difficult to get. Bob Hanna published 8 articles Citizen of Africa. When the Arab Spring broke, For some unknown reason, I was classified as and 3 book reviews, and did some kind of VIP (which I protested), and was I was working on a chapter in which I diagnose invited talks in San Francisco; told that I needed approval directly from some some of Africa’s problems as stemming from Campinas, Brazil; Oxford; Sydney; council in Tunis. So I waited. And waited. what I call leader-centrism, or the view that Melbourne; South Bend, Ind; Africans know nothing if not how to wait, but political systems should be represented and Victoria, Canada; Oslo, Norway; I guess I’ve lost some of that ability from living analyzed in terms of individual social and “Fall” 2011 3 political leaders, and the propensity to think of tomorrow”; bookshelves sag with the weight New York; and Oldenburg, problems and solutions to political problems in of works on leaders and leadership. Primary Germany. He continued work on his school libraries and classroom walls are adorned terms of finding the right individuals to fill book The Rational Human Condition, positions of power. This view, in my humble with images and narratives of past leaders and ran two discussion/research groups, opinion, is one bound to lead to self-deception heroes with the hope that the young will emulate supervised the departmental honors when one believes that one has found such a them. Indeed, people may allow consideration thesis program, and generally had personality and/or self-contempt when one of “leadership qualities”¯for instance, Barack his idea of a so-called good time. realizes that there are no such persons. Obama’s much-touted “temperament”¯to trump their policy preferences when it comes Chris Heathwood gave talks at to selecting candidates. Not surprisingly, then, Bowling Green State University, San well-intentioned Westerners sometimes seek Diego State University, and the to ameliorate problems in Africa by finding the Pacific APA. Four articles of his right individual leaders who will be good appeared in print–on the ontological “partners” in reform. argument; on personal and But there is a in American abortion; on desire theories of welfare; and on reasons, pleasure, leadercentrism. America has some good fortune and welfare. He completed a couple that Tunisia and Egypt do not. The Founders of encyclopedia entries–one on of the United States did everything to orient organic unities and another on their politics towards institutions and not in ethics–and continues personnel. Tyrannical tendencies are a factor to work on some projects on welfare Ask ordinary Africans all over the continent of all heads of state and they are devastating and in metaethics. He also continues what their main political problem is and you get to life in leadercentric nations like the ones you to be disappointed by the Rockies one resounding answer: bad leaders. Ask those find in Africa. The pleasure of political power (the baseball team, not the moun- same people how to remedy that problem and is infantile in nature. In action it is like a sugar tains). you are told that the solution is to replace the drunk kid feeling immortal, capable of doing bad leaders with good ones. The cry in Tunisia just about anything. It is a form of self- Adam Hosein presented work on was “Bin Ali must go!” In Egypt, “Mubarak must expression backed by the resources of the state. immigration and equality at the Leeds philosophy department and go!” And in Libya, “Kaddafi must go!” I went As long as Tunisia and Egypt continue on the the International Society for to these countries to find out from ordinary course of leadercentrism, they are merely giving Utilitarian Studies conference in people (the ones who best know their problems another personality or faction the chance to Lucca. He gave a talk at CU’s Center because they live them) what they hope will consolidate power. Maybe they’ll get their Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus or George Washington for Ethics on the doing/allowing happen when this trio finally goes. distinction in the law. He gave or Nelson Madela this time. But who would Now, to your question. When I asked the comments at the Pacific APA bet on that? What’s far more likely is that they’ll people I met in both Egypt and Tunisia what they meeting. Injury prevented him from get just what they’ve gotten before: ambitious, hope to happen after the tyrants finally go, continuing his goalless streak as a without exception, I was told that the next step brutal, and perfectly run-of-the-mill autocrats. member of Team . [Also for them was to organize elections to elect prevented him from breaking his members of the constituent assembly to put goalless streak. –Ed.] together new constitutions that will enable fair and free elections for new heads of state, Michael Huemer published papers presumably, good leaders. Well, Tunisia did just on probability theory and the that a few days ago and Egypt is about to follow coherence theory of justification, on suit, should the military allow that to happen. agent-centered norms in epistemol- ogy, on the of “metacoher- The fact that the elections in Tunisia, the ence” (which requires thinkers to see flashpoint of the uprising, took place and did so their own beliefs as knowledge), and nonviolently should be an indicator of progress. on the problem of risk for absolutist But to the extent that the elections are thought ethical theories. Another paper on of principally as a means of finding the right Phenomenal is So to answer the question, I’d say that while leader, it is no progress at all. This is leader- forthcoming. His manuscript on things look somewhat more stable in Tunisia centrism all over again, and puts them back to political authority has stretched past square one, the place they were before the than in Egypt, both countries have a 350 pages. In the summer, he learned uprising. Had the people of Tunisia aimed at fundamental problem shared by much of the to write computer games, to give reorienting the question of political sovereignty rest of Africa, that is, an almost complete something back to the community. from “who should rule” to how to depersonalize reliance on the personal qualities of political governance, this would have meant real progress. leaders. Not good at all! Alison Jaggar published an edited Leadercentrism is not limited to Africa. The Yet I also have hope for both Tunisia and book, Pogge and his Critics (Polity United States has its own share, for it seems that Egypt, hope borne of the fact that the uprisings Press, 2010). She gave talks at the wherever you look you find leadership seminars, happened now. Many in the West see the University of Alabama, the courses, and institutes; universities pride uprisings in terms of bread and butter. But Australian National University, the University of Oslo, and the Pacific themselves on identifying “the leaders of strongman regimes like those that dominated APA. She continued her work as

4 Philosophy Department Newsletter Tunisia and Egypt have no difficulties dealing Egypt to the tyrant-stricken country of Research Coordinator at the Centre with protests arising from the physical needs of Mauritania, where only about 2 percent of the for the Study of Mind in Nature at their people. All they have to do is to increase population has internet access. the University of Oslo, where she rice and flour subsidies and get the police (and Here is the rub. In the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and co-organized a conference on if necessary the army) to spill some blood and ’90s, technology in most African countries naturalizing moral . She see the situation calm down or simply wait the favored the President, being monopolized by is proud that Amandine Catala and hungry protesters out. This strategy worked well the government. Radio houses were a good Barrett Emerick successfully in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and even ’90s in Africa. example of this. That is why coup leaders in defended dissertations which she But when, as in Egypt and Tunisia, the protests Africa often reached out for the radio house. supervised and that both are moving are sparked not by physical needs of the citizenry Nowadays the benefits of technology aren’t on to excellent positions. but because citizens are demanding a more confined to a ruling elite, and the resulting responsive government, then those regimes face exchange of at present has Dan Kaufman was on sabbatical in demands that can only be empowered the masses. the fall of 2010 and spent much of satisfied through total African tyrants are still on it in The Netherlands, Berlin, and overhaul of current gov- the verge of positioning Prague. While overseas, he gave a talk on Hobbes’ at ernmental structures. In themselves vis-à-vis the Oxford, which was the worst talk of fact, the uprising occurred new information technol- his career, but it was still fun. The not in spite of but because ogy, searching desperately insanely big and excellent Routledge of the economy’s strong for ways to use the tech- Companion to Seventeenth-Century performance. Tunisia’s nology to their advantage. Philosophy, which he has been economy expanded Notice that in both editing, is finally being published in between 2% percent and Tunisia and Egypt the March 2012. He gave two invited 8% percent in each of the tyrants’ attempt at shutting talks at the Pacific APA in the Spring past twenty years. Egypt is down the internet could and will speak at NYU in the Fall. also much better off than not work, because doing He will soon have time to work on it used to be. Since 1990 so also shut down the his masterpiece, Unity and Identity in its GDP per capita has banking system and cell Seventeenth-Century Philosophy. It will grown at an annual rate of phone services on which be awesome. about 3% percent; its they depended to alleviate standard of living has almost doubled. Infant the economic depression people were protesting Kathrin Koslicki completed three mortality has fallen sharply, and life expectancy in the first place. Nowadays, many criticize the forthcoming articles and began working on a book-length manu- is rising. weak social ties brought about by cyber script on dependence and grounding. When the demands against governments are technology, but this is the of aesthetic She won an NEH fellowship; gave for personal freedom, individual fulfillment and life, the reality of the time for those looking for numerous colloquia, a plenary meaningful work, then we see a chance for real personal freedom and freedom of self address, and a keynote address; and change, a paradigm shift. It is against this expression, as I believe was the case in Tunisia participated in several workshops background that one should wonder whether and Egypt. Even so, it is said that in the absence and conferences. An “author-meets- a change in leadership alone in Egypt and Tunisia, of horses, donkeys can do, and so without the critics” session was held on her ceteris paribus, would have any real effect at all. strong ties, we should go for the weak ones, book, The Structure of Objects at the “bowling alone” à la Robert Putnam. GF: Many credit modern internet technology Pacific APA meeting. She developed for the successes in Tunisia and Egypt. What is GF: After that you went to West Africa. What a new team-taught model for the your take? were you doing there? Proseminar for our incoming graduate students. In the Spring of AW: Humans as information-hungry agents need AW: I suppose I am a gypsy philosopher. Again, 2010, she taught Introduction to information to navigate the world, and when that this question calls for a preamble. As part of Ancient Philosophy and a graduate information is readily available, as in the case of my book, The Citizen of Africa, I am working on metaphysics seminar on dependence Tunisia and Egypt, then we can expect success. political elections. Recently I have been working and grounding. Modern information technology¯the internet, (and looking for funding) in a project I call Mitzi Lee gave a paper on “Justice cell phones, et cetera¯played a significant role. “Election Lab”. I intend to bring together an and the Laws in Aristotle’s Ethics” I saw internet cafes all over Tunis and Cairo. eclectic body of about 65 CU juniors and seniors at UC Berkeley and at Harvard There were ATMs all over, which is just another from across disciplines to work on electoral University. She co-authored, with indication of the penetration of information corruption and to cross-pollinate that C.C.W. Taylor, the entry on “The technology into everyday life in North Africa. would help in the design of a brand new Sophists” for The Stanford Encyclopedia Recent surveys show there were over 100 million electoral system, one that could deliver for of Philosophy. She is now editing a internet users in Africa in 2010. More than 17 developing nations, especially African states. volume of essays on ancient Greek million Egyptians use the internet, more than Elections are supposed to be a means of philosophy, From Refutation to Assent: a fifth of the Egyptian population. In Tunisia, tapping into the of individual citizens, Strategies of Argument in Ancient Greek penetration of the internet is even greater, with aggregating the results in some manner, and Philosophy (Oxford University Press, about 3.6 million users out of a population of using the result to determine what the public expected 2012). only about 10 million. Compare Tunisia and as a whole prefers or wants on certain issues. Claudia Mills was invited to be the

“Fall” 2011 5 Achieving this is incredibly difficult, due both in ways that¯as, say, John Maynard Keynes did Robert and Carolyn Frederick to the conceptual problems of aggregating in economics¯focus on the individually Distinguished Visiting Professor of preferences and to the more practical problems insignificant factors that affect the big societal Ethics at the Prindle Institute for of ensuring the fairness of the voting system itself. changes. My aim is to write things that can affect Ethics at DePauw University in The basic questions about what an electoral the lives of actual people. If that is the case, Greencastle, Indiana. She will spend system should do were laid out by John Stuart then, I do not want to imagine “people that have the 2011-12 academic year in Mill, who, in 1861, distinguished between never been known or seen to exist”¯or worse, residence there. “government of the whole people, equally to create them in my study and then write about represented” and “government of the whole them. I traveled to Africa because of this view Bradley Monton has three papers people by a mere majority of the people of how political philosophy should relate to the coming out any day now. “Mixed exclusively represented,” or what is known as world. My aim is to bring philosophy back to Strategies Can’t Evade Pascal’s winner-takes-all elections. He thought the first the agora, to the public square. If that is my aim Wager” in Analysis; “Against Multi- verse Theodicies,” which critiques one was an ideal. Much progress has been made and my understanding of political philosophy, the solution to the problem of evil by mathematicians on the technicalities of then it is only fitting that I travel to these hot that says God created all universes achieving such a system of voting, including the spots where the action is. I like theory to inform with more good than evil, and that’s development of instant runoff or “preferential” practice, but I also want practice to inform why He created our universe; and voting. theory. “Prolegomena to Any Future The Election Lab aims to make progress by Many young Africans attempt to answer the Physics-Based Metaphysics,” which modifying the inputs to the electoral systems and questions: What went wrong? How did things argues that philosophers need to be rethinking the types of questions voters are asked come to this? And, why aren’t things better? more careful than they have been in in the election booth. My journey to West Africa As they do so, they look outside of themselves, drawing metaphysical conclusions was in part to work on this project by learning pointing fingers to the colonial legacy and so from physics. Monton spent a week from voters what it is that they want to obtain on, calling for justice. But there is a difference this summer in St. Paul, Minnesota, from elections and how best to present between what justice demands of the West and as the resident critiquer of the fine- information about candidates and particular issues what Africa needs (or what has been lost). To tuning argument at a seminar at the to them. I learned that the voters invariably be sure, it would be convenient if the valid moral University of St. Thomas. wanted to see the world on the ground the way claim that Africa has against the West were Wes Morriston had his paper “Is they wanted it to be. They wanted to see real enough to place the burden of responsibility Faith in the Ultimate Rationally projects on the ground that speak to them, ones for fixing Africa’s problems on Western Required?” accepted for the Central that they can own and for which they can hold shoulders. But if history tells us anything it is APA meeting as well as the journal their representatives accountable; those that this is not a convenient world for Africans, Religious Studies. His “Doubts about representatives, then, are important only in so and only in an Africa that “has never been seen the Kalam Cosmological Argument” far as they can help people realize the world they or known to exist in ” can it be imagined was accepted for the book Debating envision, and not as ends in themselves. that what justice demands will actually correct Christian Theism (Oxford). His Improving the electoral system is about direct what those wrongs have produced. Justice can “Ethical Criticism of the Bible: The delivery of real projects on the ground. That is demand from the West only what the West can Case of Divinely Mandated the subject of my present paper manuscript provide¯cash, food, loans, debt relief, and Genocide” (Sophia) and “God and entitled “Election by Contract: A Covenant to technology. What the West cannot do is bestow the Ontological Foundation of Deliver Concrete Pro- upon Africans that Morality” (Religious Studies) have jects on the Ground”. which has been lost or appeared online (print versions still that which Africans forthcoming). His “Comments on GF: Philosophers don’t most desperately need¯ ‘God Beyond Justice’” and often make field trips an understanding of “Comments on ‘What Does the Old for their research. Can what it is to be a citizen, Testament Mean?’” appeared in you tell us how these and the character of a Divine Evil? The Moral Character of the travels and what you citizen with the convic- God of Abraham (Oxford). His saw relate to your “Beginningless Past, Endless Future, tion that the purpose of current research project? and the Actual Infinite” appeared government is to serve in Faith and Philosophy. And he AW: It is perfectly fine the people, the resolve learned that his paper, “What if God in many branches of to follow through on Commanded Something Terrible,” philosophy to conduct this conviction by was one of the three winners of the “armchair” research by considering imaginary holding leaders accountable, and the stubborn 2009 Excellence in Philosophy of worlds or reflecting on conceptual relations. But refusal to rely on luck to better their lives. To Religion Prize. it is my fervent belief that political philosophers be a citizen is not to have problems lifted from who are interested in making changes on the one’s shoulders¯it is to take up those loads Alastair Norcross spent most of ground do not have that luxury. In this way, along with the burden of responsibility for the year drunk. In that condition, he political philosophers are more like scientists¯or failure when things go badly (as they surely must published several papers on ethical theory and , and gave maybe, social scientists¯in that they should from time to time). This is the central argument numerous talks, including an APA describe the world as clearly as they can. They of The Citizen of Africa that turned me into a symposium on “How to Be a Good should do this to obtain the little details of life gypsy philosopher. ”

6 Philosophy Department Newsletter Consequentialist in a Deontological Graduate Student Accomplishments World” (which is really hard, because 2010-2011 of all the morally degenerate deontologists) [No wonder he drinks CU has a nationally ranked graduate program Wages” in Today, as well as three so much. –Ed.], and a talk on the in philosophy, number twenty-four in the nation encyclopedia articles, “Moral Imperialism,” moral significance of animal death, according to the most recent report (http://www. “Consumer Society,” and “Oxfam” for the at a conference in honor of Tom philosophicalgourmet.com/overall.asp). Springer Encyclopedia of Global Justice (2011). Regan. He directed an honors thesis, began the arduous task of shepherd- Last year, the department was awarded a research Jay Lynch (PhD 2011) had his paper, “Domestic ing Duncan Purves through the assistantship program, to allow us to offer Abuse As Terrorism,” accepted for publication writing of the definitive answer to admission to PhD students with full funding and in the journal . the non-identity “problem”, and served on several dissertation no teaching for the first year. We received close Co n fe re n c e Pre se n tatio n s to 300 applications to the PhD program this past committees. With Ben Hale, he year, making us the envy of the world. Annaleigh Curtis (3rd year PhD student) organized the fourth annual Rocky presented “The Pursuit of Happiness: Utilitarian Mountain Ethics Congress, which kicked more ass and took more Our students distinguish themselves in many Obligations to Immigrants” (awarded the prize ways¯winning awards and fellowships, presenting names than you can shake a stick at. for best grad student paper) at the North With Diana, he ran the Bolder their work at conferences, organizing their own American Society for Social Philosophy conferences, publishing academic articles, and Boulder again (when will he learn?), conference. Her paper “Just Interpretation: a couple of half marathons, and taking academic posts around the county. Feminist Standpoint Theory and Experimental trained for his first marathon. Fe llo w sh ip s Philosophy” was accepted for the North Graham Oddie spent the last year American Society for Social Philosophy Beth Seacord (PhD student) has been awarded on a combination of sabbatical leave Conference and the Feminist Ethics and Social (in the Fall) and the College Scholar a Templeton Dissertation Fellowship in Evil, Theory Conference, 2011-12. Award (in the Spring), his first Pain, and Contemporary rd sabbatical since 1990, and his first by the Center for the at Ryan Jenkins (3 year PhD student) presented break from administration since the University of Notre Dame. She will spend “ ‘Knockout Animals’? Knock it off: Vegetarian 1997. As the Starr Visiting Fellow 2011-12 there, attending workshops and seminars, reasons besides suffering” at the 2011 Animal at Lady Margaret Hall (Oxford) he and working on her dissertation. Her dissertation Ethics Graduate Student Conference at wrote and published papers on three is on animal pain and the problem of evil; she Colorado State University in Fort Collins. main research projects–, truth-makers, and truthlikeness. He is working with Wes Morriston. rd Kelly Vincent (3 year PhD student) presented gave presentations in Reading, Cory Aragon and Kacey Warren both won her paper “Backwards Explanation: What’s Bristol, Glasgow, Kent, Cambridge, Emerson Student Support Fund in the Wrong with Weak Ground” at the Rutgers- Delft, Uppsala, Stockholm, and Humanities Dissertation Fellowships (2011-12). Princeton Graduate Philosophy Conference, Oxford, and delivered the Starr The fellowships provide one year off from Rutgers University (March 2011). She presented public lecture at Lady Margaret Hall, entitled “Evil Tyrants, Capricious teaching to work on their theses. Kacey is another paper “The Paradox of Commitments” Gods, and a Thousand Happy at the Stephen L. Weber Graduate Conference working on a dissertation on disability. Cory is Egrets”. working on a theory of individual moral in Ethics, San Diego State University (April responsibility to work to remedy structural 2011). Bob Pasnau returned in January injustice. Both are being supervised by Alison from a year in Morocco. He now Chelsea Haramia (PhD student) presented “The hopes to write a book on Islamic Jaggar. Moral Asymmetry of Praise and Blame” at the philosophy, amidst various other Tyler Hildebrand (PhD student) was awarded Pacific APA meeting. projects pertaining to what we know a Graduate Summer Fellowship, by the Graduate and what we merely believe. [N.B., Pamela Lomelino (PhD 2011) presented Bob is not a terrorist. –Ed.] School. The fellowship is highly competitive, and “Revising Informed Consent in the Medical Rob Rupert presented his research is awarded to a promising graduate student to Context,” at the Florida Philosophical at a symposium at the Central APA help him or her complete his or her thesis with Association Annual Meeting in Daytona Beach. financial support during the summer. and commented on a paper at the Joseph Stenberg (MA 2011, PhD 2011-) Pacific APA. He spoke at the Pu b lic atio n s presented “Aristotle, the common good, and International Conference on Memory; the meeting of the rd to kalon,” at the Pacific APA meeting. He Ryan Jenkins (3 year PhD) published “The International Society for the History, Paradox of Indiscriminate Warfare: The Battle presented “Atomism and Irreducibly Social Philosophy, and Social Studies of of Fallujah and the Charge of Genocide” in the Goods” at the North Carolina Philosophical Biology; and the University of The Journal of Genocide Awareness and Applied Society annual conference, and “Rule Edinburgh. He won one of CU’s Research. He also published “You’ve Earned It!: Consequentialism, Inconsistency, and the Right” Kayden Book Awards and was A Criticism of Sher’s Account of Desert in at the Michigan State Philosophy Graduate awarded a visiting fellowship at the

“Fall” 2011 7 Student Conference. starting as an assistant professor at St. Mary’s Australian National University (for College of Maryland, a four-year liberal arts Tyler Hildebrand (PhD 2011) presented Spring 2012). He published two college. “Genuine Empirical Metaphysics” at the Pacific book reviews and a contribution to APA meeting. Jay Lynch defended his PhD dissertation on a book symposium. He taught philosophy of mind, logic, and a February 16, 2011. His dissertation, “Liberal- Amandine Catala (PhD 2011) presented “Self- graduate seminar on the epistemol- Democratic Education and the Challenge of Determination, Justice, and Flourishing: ogy of philosophy. His first Ph.D. Religion,” was directed by Claudia Mills, with Reframing the Normative Question of Secession” advisee graduated. committee members Alison Jaggar, Alastair at the Central APA meeting. She received a Norcross, Michelle Moses (Education), and Ken Michael Tooley, in addition to graduate student stipend from the APA to present serving as President of the Pacific Howe (Education). He did not seek academic this paper. APA, published “Farewell to employment, and is now working as an editor McTaggart’s Argument?” in the Todd Grassman presented “Which Direction at an academic publishing company. journal Philosophia, “Michael Tooley” to Fundamental Ground?: Four Theories” at the in Metaphysics: Five Questions, “Hume Amandine Catala defended her PhD dissertation Society of Christian Philosophers Mountain/West and the Problem of Evil” in on February 25, 2011. Her dissertation, “Beyond Conference at George Fox University in Oregon. Philosophy of Religion: The Key Thinkers, Political Legitimacy: Reframing the Normative and “, Science, and CU PhD students dominated the Society for Question of Secession,” was directed by Alison Religion,” in The Nature of Nature. He Exact Philosophy conference in Winnipeg, Jaggar, with committee members Claudia Mills, spoke on Hume and Berkeley’s Manitoba, presenting the following papers: Tyler David Boonin, Ajume Wingo, and Steven skeptical challenges at the Pacific Hildebrand, “Can Bare Dispositions Explain Vanderheiden (Political Science). Amandine will APA meeting and discussed abortion Observed Regularities?”; Michaela McSweeney, be a Fellow at the Philosophy Department, with Don Marquis on Philosophy “Against Generalism”; Tom Metcalf, School of Economics and Political TV (www.philostv.com/don- marquis-and-michael-tooley). “Prospects for an Empirical Normative ”; Science this coming year. Noel Saenz, “Truthmaker Theorists Need Not Michael Zimmerman published Ben Pageler defended his PhD dissertation on Be Truthmaker Maximalists”. papers on “Sustainability” in March 14, 2011. His dissertation, “The Sustainability Ethics: 5 Questions, “The Cory Aragon presented “The Politics of Racial Explanatory Value of the Cognitive Uncon- Final Cause of Cosmic Develop- Humor” at the 28th International Social scious,” was directed by Rob Rupert, with ment: Divine Spirit, or the Second Philosophy Conference at Marquette University. committee members Carol Cleland, Bradley Law of Thermodynamics?” in Integral Monton, Tim Curran (Psychology), and Mike Theory in Action, and “Including and RMPC Mozer (Computer Science). Ben accepted a Differentiating among Perspectives: An Integral Approach to Climate The graduate students hosted and organized the lecturer position at the University of California, th Change,” in the Journal of Integral 13 annual Rocky Mountain Philosophy Merced, where he is teaching a course entitled Theory and Practice. He spoke at the Conference, a graduate philosophy conference “The Brain’s Self: Mind, Brain, and ‘Identity’”. Integral Theory Conference at JFK attracting submissions from students from across Tyler Hildebrand defended his PhD University and the After Humanism the U.S. The keynote speakers were Hud Hudson ” dissertation on Monday, July 25, 2011. conference at Williams College. (Western Washington U), Boris Kment His dissertation, “, Natural (Princeton), and Peter Railton (U Michigan). Regularity, and Necessity,” was directed Seven graduate students presented papers, and by Michael Tooley, with committee CU students did the commentary. Duncan Purves members Graeme Forbes, Graham and Chad Vance were the co-organizers. Oddie, Robert Hanna, and Ben Hale Grad u ate s (ENVS). He is a lecturer at CU for 2011- 12. Pamela Lomelino defended her PhD dissertation on December 9, 2010 under co-chairs David Rebecca Chan defended her MA thesis, Boonin and Eric Chwang. Her title is “Revising “A New Model for Libertarian the Philosophical Foundation for Informed in an Eternalist Theory of Time,” which Consent Guidelines for International Research was directed by Bradley Monton with on Human Subjects”. She is a lecturer at CU for committee members David Barnett and 2011-12. Kathrin Koslicki. She was accepted to the PhD program for Fall 2011. Barrett Emerick defended his PhD dissertation on May 2, 2011. His dissertation, “Apology as Joey Stenberg defended his MA thesis, an Indispensable Practice of Moral Repair,” was “Being and Goodness: A Medieval directed by Alison Jaggar, with committee Metaethical Thesis,” which was directed members David Boonin, Claudia Mills, Robert by Robert Pasnau with committee Hanna, and Benjamin Hale. Barrett will be members Chris Heathwood and Mitzi

8 Philosophy Department Newsletter Lee. He was accepted to the PhD program for visiting professor at Marquette University. Fall 2011. Talks You Might Jason Wyckoff (PhD ’09) accepted a position Have Missed Ne w s ab o u t Past Grad u ate s as visiting professor at Marquette University. Kendy Hess’s (PhD ’09) paper, “Collateral Mike Austin (PhD ’04) co-edited Cycling: A From the philosophy department’s Responsibility: Accounting for the Moral Philosophical Tour de Force, published in 2010 by THINK! public lecture series, here Responsibility of Members of Collectives,” was Wiley-Blackwell as part of the new Philosophy are some talks you could have presented at the Conference on Value Inquiry for Everyone series. It includes a chapter from attended last year: in Carbondale, Ill. and accepted at the 7th CU alumnus John Harris. Conference on Collective Intentionality in November 9, 2010 Basel, Switzerland, and as a poster at RoME in Gail Linsenbard (PhD ’96, current instructor) Michael Huemer, “Report on the Boulder. She was also invited to give a two-day authored a new book, Starting with Sartre, Search for the Worst Thing in the series of presentations to the philosophy which was published in 2010 by Continuum. World”: department at Davidson College and to attend Gail accepted a tenure-track position at Indian What is the world’s worst problem? the Kroc Summer Institute for Peace Studies at River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida. World poverty, global warming, Notre Dame, on an environmental justice cancer, the threat of nuclear war...? theme. Mary Krizan (PhD 2010) accepted a tenure- track offer from Spring Hill College, in Michelle Maiese (PhD 2005)’s book, Mobile, Alabama. Embodiment, Emotion, and Cognition, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2011. Former CU PhD student Nat Stein (who Ryan Mott (PhD ’09) accepted a position as a transferred to Oxford) accepted a tenure-track job at Florida State University. ”

December 7, 2010 Prizes & Awards Bradley Monton, “Time Travel”: Is time travel possible? Could Jentzsch Prize schools, churches, and synagogues that someone be their own father and request information about the rights of mother? Philosophy PhD student Christian Lee was immigrant children. Martin was heavily awarded last year’s Jentzsch Prize for his paper, involved in efforts to get the DREAM Act February 1, 2011 “Vague Intuitions and Knowledge”. It is vague passed last year, making phone calls to John Corvino (Wayne State how much money you need to be rich. Does senators from many different states to solicit University), “What's Morally Wrong this mean that no one can know how much their votes. He has gone to rallies in support with ?”: money you need to be rich? Mr. Lee argues Is homosexuality wrong? Does gay of immigrant rights and regularly worked with that it does. He claims that some putative marriage threaten society? students to fight for Colorado ASSET, which evidence to the contrary relies upon an would give undocumented high school implausible account of the way in which March 10, 2011 graduates in-state tuition in Colorado vagueness presents itself in intuition. The Charles M ills (N orthwestern universities. Jentzsch Prize is given once a year for the best University), “Philosophy and Race: The Whiteness of Being”: graduate student paper. It includes a cash Teaching Awards Discussed racial bias in the award and an invitation to present the paper as Tyler Hildebrand (PhD 2011) and Corwin philosophy profession and what to part of the next year's colloquium series. Aragon each won a 2010-2011 Graduate do about it. Stahl Prize Student Teaching Excellence Award. The honor includes an award of $500. The April 27, 2011 Martin Chamorro was the winner of this year's Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award Ajume Wingo, Stahl Prize, a prize awarded by the Department is the university’s highest teaching honor for “The Paths for the Perplexed: The to a graduate student for combining graduate students. The award is made to only Perils of Leadership in Modern scholarship in philosophy with community 12 graduate students per year, by a committee Africa”: leadership. Martin has been working closely composed of faculty members who visit each D iscussed the p roblem of with the Boulder community and beyond to nominee multiple throughout the leadercentrism (cf. his interview, this bring awareness to the issue of immigration semester. Congratulations Tyler and Cory! issue). rights, particularly rights of the children of immigrants. He is a member of Boulder Lamont Scholarship All Think! talks are free and open to VOICE (Voices Of Immigrant Children for Kelly Vincent (3rd year PhD student) was the public. The series is funded through the generosity of the Collins Education and Equity), the Colorado awarded the Katherine Lamont Scholarship Foundation. To learn more, email Immigrant Rights Coalition, and our very own ($1K) by the CU Philosophy Department A lastair N o rcross (A lastair. CU group Eye-Resist. With Boulder VOICE faculty, for her academic work and for being [email protected]). ” he visits places in the community such as high a good department citizen (2011). ”

“Fall” 2011 9 Philosophy Graduation, 2011

The spring graduation ceremony was held on May 6, 2011. The department honored six students receiving Doctorates, three receiving Masters of Arts, and sixty-three receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees. The department acknowledged six BA students who graduated with honors and thirteen who graduated with distinction. Department Chair Graeme Forbes presided over the ceremony. The graduation address was given by Professor Robert Pasnau. Prof. Pasnau grew up in Minnesota before attending college at the University of Pennsylvania (1985–1989). He received his PhD at Cornell University (1994) and then began teaching at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. In 1999, he moved to the University of Colorado, serving as Department Chair from 2004–2006. His teaching and research concentrates on the history of philosophy. He has published eight books in the area of medieval philosophy, and dozens of articles ranging from ancient philosophy into the modern era. Most recently, he has become interested in philosophical President Kennedy did not speak at the ceremony this year debates over the ethics of belief and the value of faith. In 2010, he spent the year with his wife and two children in Morocco, studying Arabic. Graeme Forbes and Sheralee Brindell presented the undergraduate degrees. Claudia Mills presented the graduate degrees. Awards were presented to the winners of departmental prizes. Martin Chamorro received the Stahl Prize for Community Service, and Christian Lee received the Jentzsch Prize for the outstanding graduate student paper. ”

Philosophy Department Graduates

Bachelor of Arts Samuel John* Christopher Spurr Erin Kane* Kirsten Suddath Kylee Adams Ananda Kaplan Derick Teng Jacob Ainciart Jacob Kidd Daniel Tholen Trevor Anderson John Knapp Ian Tolar Alexander Beal* Chelsea Komlo* Brittany Uris Clark Becker* Justin Kuster*, summa cum laude Joseph Vandeven Katharine Brown Luke Levulis Serena Watman Molly Brown Michael Lind*, summa cum laude Samuel Wilson Steve Byerly, cum laude Lauren Makowski Alexander Wojcik Kenneth Choi Lindsey Clark Paulo Martinez Daniel Wolt* Peter Colis Michael Martis Evan Yarus Levi Cooper Evan McCune Sarah Cowart Meaghan Millan Master of Arts Norman Moore Ken Crossman* Rebecca Chan Molly Morrison, magna cum laude Matthew Cucchiaro*, summa cum laude Dan Lowe Dustin Nirschl Hana Dansky* Joseph Stenberg Bradley Dunlap Danielle Peck Michael Pleasonton* Elliot Easterly Doctorate of Philosophy Rena Goldstein Eric Prinzing* Carson Grass Michael Salazar Amandine Catala Erik Grigsby Douglas Schmidt Barrett Emerick Hirschbaum Jonathan Shapiro, magna cum laude Pamela Lomelino Casey Hudson Brendan Shea Jay Lynch Brian Jacobsmeyer Spencer Sinclair Ben Pageler Brenden Jendersee Nicholas Smiley–Kallas Michael Zerella

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