U N I V E R S I T Y O F T O R O N T O D E PA R T M E N T O F P H I L O S O P H Y
FALL 2009
A B Anner AwwAArrdd -w iinnnniinngg YeAr !! LAte BreAking Announcement Hacking wins Holberg it was announced on 25th August that ian Hacking has won the Holberg international memorial Prize for 2009, perhaps the highest international honour for humanities and social science scholars. the prize, worth over 500,000 euros, was established by the norwegian parliament in 2003, “for outstanding scholarly work in the academic fields of the arts and humanities, social science, law and theology”. the previous winners are, from 2004 to 2008: Julie kristeva, Jürgen Habermas, Shmuel eisenstadt, ronald dworkin, and Frederick Jameson. the awards ceremony takes place in Bergen, 25th november, 2009. You can find the citation at http://www.holbergprisen.no/ Hacking y h p a r
Sumner wins molson Prize g o t
university Professor emeritus L. Wayne Sumner o h P
(BA, 1962) has been awarded the canada d r a
council for the Arts’ 2009 molson Prize in w o H
the Humanities, one of the country’s premier h g a
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academic honours. See Page 2 for more details. e h S
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Hacking wins SSHrc gold medal o h p university Professor emeritus Ian Hacking received the 2008 r e n
Social Sciences and Humanities research council (SSHrc) m u gold medal for Achievement in research, SSHrc’s highest S honour. See Page 2 for more details. Socrates Project wins northrop Frye Award Professor Mark Kingwell accepts the Northrop Frye Award for the Socrates Project is a three-year-old initiative in the The Socrates Project. Pictured: David Naylor, Mark Kingwell, St. george Philosophy department that gives our best under - David Peterson, Paul Cadario. graduate students the Socratic experience of learning philosophy by teaching philosophy. the Project students serve as teaching departmental initiatives. the award citation states: “the Socrates assistants (tAs) for introduction to Philosophy (PHL 100Y) and Project exemplifies northrop Frye’s conviction that teaching and at the same time take an intensive research seminar, where they learning are inseparable.” in its three years the project has develop independent projects related to topics covered in become a model for enhancing the undergraduate experience PHL 100. the Project received the university of toronto Alumni by integrating research and learning. Association’s 2009 northrop Frye Award of excellence for Sumner and Hacking stories continue on Page 2 We wish to thank the generous donors to the Department of Philosophy, without whom Philosophy News would not be possible. Please see the back page to see how you can support the Department in endeavours like this one. uniVerSitY oF toronto - dePArtment oF PHiLoSoPHY Conference in Honour of Wayne Sumner PHiLoSoPHY newS – October 24, 2009 www.philosophy.utoronto.ca on october 24, the department will be holding a conference, Rights and Wrongs: Editor: Anita di giacomo Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Happiness , in wayne’s honour. All the speakers at the Design: Alvin ng/dragon Snap conference will be former graduate students of wayne’s: Lisa Fuller (Phd, 2006), now teaching at SunY, Albany, after recently completing postdoctoral work at … more on Sumner and Sheffield; Anthony Skelton (Phd, 2005) of western ontario, and before that, a the molson Prize postdoctoral fellow at the university of michigan; Gustaf Arrhenius (Phd, 2000), university of Stockholm; and Michael Stingl (Phd, 1986), now chair of the canada council for the Arts awards Philosophy at the university of Lethbridge. the conference will close with the the molson Prize for “outstanding lifetime canada council’s formal presentation to wayne of the molson Prize. achievements and ongoing contributions Please join us for this special occasion. to the cultural and intellectual life of Check our website,
2 U n i v e r s i t y o f To r o n t o Story of the Thanks to Our Alumni Juggler of AnotHer nAmed grAduAte notre dame ScHoLArSHiP, tHAnkS to HAnS mAAg by Ian Hacking Hans maag has very generously endowed turned out to be fortu - when i received the gold medal in the Hans maag/ontario graduate nate, for it led him to ottawa last year, i told a parable about Scholarship in the department of start his own successful how i think of myself doing philosophy. Philosophy which will yield $15,000 per metalworking business, it has been told many times in many con - year. mr. maag tells us that, although he elrose metal. maag ran texts for many hundreds of years. it is the was not able to attend university, he has elrose metal, manufacturing custom story of the Juggler of notre dame. i am, always loved learning and wanted to make products, until his retirement in 1982. by the way, an atheist of conviction, but it possible for others to receive the educa - throughout his life, Hans maag has had a can tell the story proudly as part of our tion he wasn’t able to obtain. He came to relentless curiosity about the world, by no humanity. Here is my version of the tale: have a special appreciation for the means limited to metal structures and once there was a juggler in the French department and our students from con - applied science. He has a lively interest in countryside. He perfected his art at village versations with his former neighbour, politics and history as well as a love of art, fairs. But he wished to show his devotion longtime faculty member, Bernard katz. music, and literature. He is especially fond to our Lady. So he went on a pilgrimage Hans maag was born in Bachenbulach, of the poetry of Schiller. recipients of the to Paris. As the procession progressed Switzerland, and celebrated his 98th birth - Hans maag/ontario graduate Scholarship through the countryside it acquired rich day last may. He emigrated to toronto in in the department of Philosophy should and poor, nobles and beggars, cardinals 1951 with his wife Lydia and their two keep in mind, as they embark upon their and kings. Always the rich took the lime - children. though, as a young man in studies, not just Hans maag’s generosity of light, on their horses, with their Switzerland, he acquired considerable spirit but also his devotion to hard work, attendants, and with their splendid tents. training and experience in metalworking, his tolerant liberal disposition, and his when they reached notre dame de Paris, he had a difficult time finding similar optimism about the power of reason. the poor on the pilgrimage marveled as employment in toronto, where, as many the department is very grateful to the rich knelt down with their precious immigrants have found, prospective mr. maag for the help he will be giving gifts for our Lady, their gold ornaments employers were unfamiliar with his foreign to our graduate students. and elegant lace. the juggler was in credentials and references. this difficulty despair. what could he do to show his devotion? By now he had only a small knapsack with enough bread to feed him - Simon LectureS self on the morrow, and the balls and Professor Barbara Herman , griffin knives with which he juggled. He had Professor of Philosophy and Professor of nothing to offer. He slept, listless, among Law at ucLA, delivered the Jerome S. the beggars in the Parvis of notre dame, Simon memorial Lectures on november 6 the same space where the acrobats and and 7. the lectures developed the idea of mimes perform before the tourists today. moral content in kantian ethics, and con - sidered its bearing on assessments of He awoke long before dawn and did what wrongness and impermissibility when Professor Arthur Ripstein with Barbara Herman. only he could do. He went to the back of duties conflict. the biannual Simon the great church, where there is a garden Lectures, generously supported by charles Simon and his family, in memory of Jerome now, and juggled his best, for our Lady, Simon, are always one of the academic highlights of the year. John campbell, willis S. knowing that the guards of the nobles and marion Slusser Professor of Philosophy at the university of california at Berkeley would allow him no space in front of the will be delivering the Simon Lectures in 2010-11. building. She blessed him above all others. that is how i think of myself and the ways that i do philosophy. that is my juggling. cAreer nigHt 2009 i too have been blessed. Alumni Stephen Bowman (BA 1976, LLB 1979), toronto managing Partner at Bennett there may be a more general moral here. Jones LLP; David Danylewich (BA 1993, do what you are good at, perfect it in mBA 2004), director of Field operations, your way, and do not worry about the right to Play; Karen Dunk-Green (BSc rest. Students should never pay any atten - Alumni David Danylewich, 1984), VP of operational risk management, tion to what cardinals, kings, and heads of Karen Dunk-Green, and Adrian Montgomery td Bank Financial group; Adrian departments say they should do, in order Montgomery (BA 1996), general manager, rogers media inc; and Jim Shedden to get a job. instead, do your best at what (BA 1986, mA 1990), Senior manager, Bruce mau design, were the speakers at you care about. this year’s career night. See the photograph on Page 11 As in previous years, the upper class philosophy undergraduates found the evening showing Ian Hacking doing something enlightening and benefited from the speakers’ insights during both the presentations and he certainly cared about. informal conversations. our students are always thankful to hear first hand how their philosophy degrees can be used in the “real” world.
D e p a r t m e n t o f P h i l o s o p h y N e w s 3 ethica Scholarship A new Lecture SerieS - in 2007 ethica clinical research inc. funded a tHe roSemAn Lecture Bioethics Scholarship in honour of Barry F. in PrActicAL etHicS Ellen Brown (mA 1963, Phd 1966), retired pro - thanks to the generosity of Roseman (mA 1969) and the Constance fessor and founder of the undergrad bioethics and David Roseman Fund at the program at u of t and St. michael’s college, Toronto Community Foundation , ethica and chair of ’s ethics review the department will be able to host committee. Bernice Duan , the winner of Bernice Duan, winner of the ethica another biannual lecture series. the scholarship for the first two years, is now Scholarship in both 2007-2008 and 2008- ellen, a financial columnist for the in Halifax at dalhousie university’s medical 2009, with Barry Brown at her convocation. school. Bernice writes: “the big draw for toronto Star, has been a very active me to attend dalhousie was the strong focus they have on bioethics: they not only alumna of the Philosophy department, emphasize humanities in medicine, they also have a bioethics department within their from the original “Friends of Philosophy” initiative in the early 1990’s to the more medical school. coming to uoft four years ago as a pure science student and choosing recent projects such as our annual to do a major in bioethics along with my major in toxicology was something completely career nights and the Law and out of my comfort zone. However, in retrospect, it was the best decision i could possibly Philosophy Fellowship. She has been have ever made. Bioethics and philosophy have truly become a passion for me; they have teaching economics related courses at opened my mind to so many different perspectives and will undoubtedly help me to the u of t School of continuing Studies become a better physician. i honestly have to say that i am incredibly grateful to the for many years. the inaugural roseman entire philosophy department and all the professors, not only in bioethics but throughout Lecture will be held Friday, october 23, the philosophy department (as i also took many courses in philosophy outside the 2009, the afternoon before the Sumner bioethics realm). they mentored me throughout my years at uoft, opened me up to conference. John Broome , white’s a completely different way of approaching medicine, and challenged me to take the Professor of moral Philosophy and ‘blinders off and think outside the box’.” Fellow of corpus christi college at the recipient of the 2009-2010 scholarship is Natalie Jesenak , a third year student, oxford, will be speaking on “the ethics who is doing a double major in Bioethics and global Health and is working towards of climate change.” Please see the a minor in environmental chemistry. departmental website for more details. FROM THE CHAIRS and ADMINISTRATORS From the graduate chair From the St. george chair i write this a few days it’s been another busy and exciting year, supporters for their before ending my stint as and our students and faculty members efforts at strengthening Acting chair, while continued to thrive despite the difficult our graduate program, donald Ainslie has been on financial environment. in particular, i am and are very pleased to Mullin sabbatical. i am relieved to very pleased to report that the graduate be able to share this be handing the chair’s department of Philosophy at the recognition of our joint office back to its rightful university of toronto continues to do success. occupant. it was hard Boyle extremely well in Blackwell’s Philosophical i wish to express congratulations to our work, but rewarding and Gourmet Report 2009 rankings (they were graduate students for their very successful with a lot more success than frustration. last done in 2006), the most reputable organization of the graduate Philosophy the successes include a number of promo - analysis of faculty reputation in our field. conference which took place in may on tions (see page 6), as well as special funding we remain ranked first in canada by a the theme of “Action, Agency and for a number of new initiatives, including an considerable margin and are tied for 17th explanation,” featuring keynote speaker extension of the Socrates Project (see page 1), in the english speaking world, behind John McDowell of the university of a “ Writing for Research ” (w4r) project, and Harvard and Princeton, but ahead of Pittsburgh. the quality of both the presen - the implementation of a new Philosophy cornell, cambridge, university of tations and the general discussion was undergraduate research coordinator posi - chicago and many other fine institutions. very high. tion, now ably filled by Vida Panitch we have also done remarkably well in (mA, 2002; Phd, 2008). specialty rankings, particularly in ethics, Finally, i welcome the return of Donald political philosophy, the philosophy of law, Ainslie from his sabbatical leave spent as a i should note also that, at the same time as Joe Heath the philosophy of science, ancient and visiting researcher at Stanford university. i finish as Acting chair, will be medieval philosophy, and also for the first He has resumed his position as graduate finishing his term as Associate chair and time in philosophy of mind, metaphysics chair (as well as chair of the St. george undergraduate coordinator. during his and the philosophy of language. You can campus department of Philosophy). three years in this position, Joe has worked see more details at www.philosophicalgo - Amy Mullin endless hours to ensure that our students urmet.com. we thank all of our Acting Graduate Chair get the best philosophical education we can provide. most importantly, Joe was the continued next page...
4 U n i v e r s i t y o f To r o n t o From the St. George Chair continued... force behind the recent development of our new undergraduate programs. these now offer a utm Philosophy news structured entry into the discipline, its history, and traditional fields of study. Joe’s uncompro - i am delighted to report that we have hired two new assistant professors who join mising energy, intellectual vision, and good us in the fall of 2009. they are Ulrich Schlösser (dPhil from Humboldt), who humour made these significant changes possible. joins us as a specialist in german idealism and Phenomenology, and Andrew Mark Kingwell is taking over from Joe in the Sepielli (Phd expected from rutgers), who does research in moral philosophy, undergraduate office. with a special focus on moral uncertainty. thanks to the many utm students and faculty who helped us make these terrific hires. the overwhelming impression i take away from my year in the chair’s office is that our i am very proud of our newly formed Philosophy Academic Society. their activi - department works; it is very well run. ties over the past year included guest speakers, graduate student presentations, we know our priorities and over the last few movie nights, Philopardy (Philosophy Jeopardy), and an undergraduate sympo - years have been pursuing them intelligently, sium where students presented their work. A complete listing of their activities cooperating among ourselves in a collegial and can be found on their website: http://utmphilosophy.sa.utoronto.ca/. respectful way. this could not happen without this year for the first time, we honoured our graduating philosophy majors and superb support from the friendly but busi - specialists at a reception held on the downtown campus after convocation. nesslike staff on the fourth floor of the Jackman thanks to generous donations from our faculty, we were also able to present all Humanities Building. this year the collegial of our graduates with philosophy books. leadership of Amy mullin, who served as Acting during 2009-10, i am on sabbatical leave and Sergio Tenenbaum will be graduate chair, was pivotal. the result for me Acting chair. thanks to Sergio for taking this on. was a year of hard work, but not unpleasantness, and a sense of satisfaction in being part of such we welcome hearing from our alumni. write us at [email protected] to an outstanding academic community. let us know what and how you are doing. Joseph Boyle, Amy Mullin Acting Chair Chair, Department of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto at Mississauga Faculty of Arts & Science utSc Philosophy news From the the past year was marked by a number of notable events for phi - graduate department losophy at Scarborough (utSc). the “second” annual utSc undergraduate philosophy conference was held in march 2009. As we have a large and impressive in the inaugural year, the utSc students served as commentators new group of students admit - (and referees), ceding the podium to budding philosophers from ted this year: 14 Phd students canada, the united States, and Britain. in addition, Professor and 11 mA students. Among Mohan Matthen provided the keynote address that wrapped up the Phd students, four are a very successful event. Seager coming to us with external two of our most hardcore philosophy students graduated this past year but have not funding from SSHrc (Social Kremer moved on from philosophy. Mark Lee and Carl Legault are continuing the Sciences and Humanities pursuit of wisdom (or at least another degree) in graduate school: carl, in the mA research council) or ogS (ontario graduate program here at the university of toronto; mark, in the Phd program at rutgers Scholarship program) and one has received an university. good luck to both. internal award; among our mA students, three have won the impressive cgSm (SSHrc’s utSc is also welcoming a new tenure track faculty member this year. After an canada graduate Scholarship masters) awards arduous search, Karolina Hübner emerged as the first choice from a strong pool and one has an ogS. we continue to contribute of candidates. currently finishing her Phd at the university of chicago, karolina’s to the collaborative Program in Ancient and specialty is the philosophy of Spinoza. She adds much needed strength in the history medieval Philosophy, adding two students this of philosophy to utSc and the graduate department as well. year to the six we recruited last year. Across all Finally, after serving several years (too many to recall) as discipline representative years, we will have four students funded by the (dr), as the position has heretofore been known, i have “retired” to the joys of ogS and 20 students funded by SSHrc. Among sabbatical leave and perhaps get some work done. over the last few years utSc the latter, four students won SSHrc’s canadian has almost doubled in size and the responsibilities of the dr have grown commen - graduate Scholarship, the so-called super- surately, but also the scope and prospects of philosophy at utSc have never been SSHrc valued at $35,000 per year; and one greater. Professor Sonia Sedivy has now taken over as Program director, as the student, Ariel Zylberman , won SSHrc’s new position will henceforth be titled, and i wish her good luck and a thoroughly Vanier Scholarship, valued at $50,000 per year. unexciting time next year. Phil Kremer William Seager Graduate Coordinator Philosophy Discipline Representative, University of Toronto at Scarborough
D e p a r t m e n t o f P h i l o s o p h y N e w s 5 TRA NSITIO NS
department for one year and finishing her Promotions & Appointments first term as the inaugural chair of the utm department. Anjan Chakravartty critical social theory in has been appointed the tradition of the director of the Frankfurt School. His Martin Pickavé was institute of History recent books include promoted to Associate and Philosophy of Following the Rules: Professor with tenure. Science and Practical Reasoning and His main areas of technology until June Deontic Constraint (2008) research are medieval 2015. Paul thompson Chakravartty and Filthy Lucre: Economics Heath metaphysics and finished his term as for People Who Hate medieval philosophy of Pickavé director in June 2009. Capitalism (2009). mind. He is cross- appointed to the centre Imogen Dickie was Benjamin Hellie was for medieval Studies. promoted to Associate promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. Professor with tenure. Sonia Sedivy has been She is currently working His area of specialty is appointed Program on questions in the philosophy of mind. director of Philosophy at philosophy of language utSc. Her research is Cheryl Misak was in the areas of about reference and appointed Vice President Dickie related questions in Hellie Philosophy of mind and Sedivy and Provost at the Philosophy of Art. the philosophy of mind university of toronto (about perception of objects) and last spring after having served as interim Sergio Tenenbaum metaphysics (about what objects are). provost and deputy provost. while has accepted an appoint - She is presently on leave as a Bersoff performing her adminis - ment as Acting chair of Fellow at nYu. trative duties efficiently, Philosophy at utm for Jennifer Hawkins she still manages to pub - 2009-2010 while Amy was promoted to lish – The Oxford mullin is on leave. His Associate Professor with Handbook of American areas of research are tenure. Her research Philosophy last year, and Tenenbaum ethics, practical reason, interests are moral phi - New Pragmatists the year and kant. losophy, philosophy of before. Misak Jessica Wilson was mind, moral psychology, Amy Mullin was promoted to Associate Hawkins and bioethics. re-appointed for an additional term as Professor with tenure. Joseph Heath was promoted to Full chair of the department of Philosophy at Her areas of research Professor. His areas of research are social university of toronto mississauga until are metaphysics of sci - and political philosophy, moral philoso - June 2012. She is currently on leave after ence and foundational phy, rational choice theory, specializing in serving as Acting chair of the graduate metaphysics. Wilson
found the funding for the regent Park retirement Learning exchange Programme. this project, sponsored by the Provost’s office, brought A Politically engaged Political Philosopher: together professors and local residents to Frank cunningham retires explore a variety of philosophical topics Frank cunningham retired this summer from the university of including the nature of personhood and toronto, where he spent his entire academic career with the exception the meaning of life. Frank tells us that of visiting professorships in china, italy, Japan and the netherlands. he considers his work on this project in toronto we have been the fortunate recipients of his dedication to particularly rewarding. teaching, scholarship, and the building of community. Frank displayed similar focus and drive in his Frank Cunningham His undergraduate teaching was recognized with a SAc/APuS decades-long project to bring philosophical undergraduate teaching Award in 2005. As a graduate teacher he instruction into ontario’s high schools. He spent countless hours has supervised numerous dissertations on a range of topics related working with the ontario ministry of education to develop to democracy, poverty, equality, justice, and political theory. curriculum for high school philosophy courses; he also co-founded in addition, his commitment to teaching has ranged beyond the the ontario Philosophy teachers Association, and he has university, both locally and provincially, for adults and high-school co-authored, along with several secondary school teachers, students. For example, Frank almost singlehandedly created and a philosophy text for high school students. ...continued on Page 7
6 U n i v e r s i t y o f To r o n t o Frank Cunningham Retires continued... and he is delighted to note that increasing numbers of students and professors are exploring the role of philosophy in studying urban Frank’s scholarship has been deep, extensive, and highly influential. life through the cities centre, a new multidisciplinary research His three most recent books on democracy, Theories of Democracy: institute at u of t. A Critical Introduction (2002), The Real World of Democracy Revisited and Other Essays on Socialism and Democracy (1994), and Democratic Theory Frank cunningham’s contributions to the department, the and Socialism (1987) have been translated into multiple languages, university, and the profession include serving as department chair, and we look forward to reading his forthcoming book The Political where he is especially pleased to have forged closer ties with philoso - Thought of C.B. Macpherson in 2010. His research accomplishments phers at the university of montreal; as Principal of innis college were recognized by the royal Society of canada which elected him where he enjoyed the close contact with students and curricular a Fellow in 1995. development; as coordinator and first chair of the committee of ontario university chairs; and as president of the canadian But Frank has not kept his scholarship in the ivory tower. in addi - Philosophical Association (one of three of our department members tion to his many philosophical publications, he has been generous in to have served in this capacity, along with Professors thomas goudge sharing his ideas with the public in more popular forums. His cur - and Francis Sparshott). As he retires from full-time teaching this rent research interests in urban philosophy allow him to unite his year, we look forward to a long ongoing association with this theoretical work with more practical activity related to city politics, politically engaged political philosopher.
from the university of he has held positions new Faculty chicago this year, and both there and at the arrived here after a stint university of Sheffield. Karolina Hübner , of teaching at the a specialist in Spinoza, Andrew Sepielli , who university of california, specializes in normative early-modern philoso - San diego. phy, and the history of ethics, metaethics, and Ulrich Schlösser , has philosophy of law, has metaphysics, has been Schlösser Sepielli hired at the university been hired as an assistant been hired as an assistant of toronto Scarborough professor at the university of toronto professor at the university of toronto as an assistant professor. Hübner mississauga. the focus of his research is mississauga. He will receive his Phd She receives her Phd on post-kantian philosophy. His Phd is from rutgers university. from Humboldt university in Berlin, and
in memoriAm by John G. Slater douglas Poole dryer adopted the Harvard way of addressing male students by their surnames. every so often, during the years when the depart - douglas dryer was born in toronto on ment required candidates for the master’s degree to submit a 27 november 1915, but soon afterward thesis, an overly ambitious student would propose writing on his family moved to the united States kant and be sent to dryer for supervision. one of these mis - where he received all of his education. guided young men reported back to me when i was chairman After being awarded an A.B. degree in that dryer listened patiently to his ideas and then remarked, both economics and philosophy by ‘the first thing you have to be clear about, Smith, is that there Harvard in 1936, he decided to pursue are no m.A. theses on kant.’ truer words were never spoken. graduate studies in philosophy. three years later, with an A.m. As can be gathered from this exchange dryer set very high in hand, he accepted an appointment to teach in union standards in his teaching which only a few students succeeded college at Schenectady, new York. two years later he resumed in meeting. his graduate studies at Harvard and completed all of the requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation. in 1966 he published The Solution for Verification in Kant’s exempt from military service, he taught part-time at both Metaphysics which was essentially the culmination of his work Harvard and tufts university before being appointed a special on the doctorate. oddly enough, it gained him his Harvard lecturer in this department in 1945 by Fulton Anderson who Ph.d. degree. it came about in this way. in 1977 Bruce kuklick had just taken over as head of the department. douglas told published The Rise of American Philosophy: Cambridge, Massachusetts, me that the ‘special’ in his title was added when he insisted on 1860-1977 , which includes an appendix listing all those who being paid more than a lecturer’s salary. got a Harvard doctorate during those years. dryer decided he wanted to add his name to that list, so he submitted his book, dryer fitted nicely into Anderson’s theory of philosophical which Harvard accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirement. education which centered on the great figures in the history of dryer was given an oral examination by Hilary Putnam and philosophy. dryer’s great love was immanuel kant and he martha nussbaum, and awarded the degree in 1980, a year spent his whole career studying his difficult works. thomas before he retired. in 1978 he was elected a fellow of the royal goudge and he took turns teaching The Critique of Pure Reason Society of canada. which both had studied at Harvard under c.i. Lewis. Lewis required his pupils to acquire a mastery of the book by handing dryer died on 17 April 2009 in toronto after suffering for in an outline of an assigned part every week. Both men contin - several years from the ravages of Parkinson’s disease. ued that tradition. For the next couple of decades dryer also He was 93 years old.
D e p a r t m e n t o f P h i l o s o p h y N e w s 7 Awards & Honours
“Bootstrapping in general” will be pub - Faculty Awards lished in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research . Jonathan Imogen Dickie has been awarded a sec - writes: “trusting a ond year of the prestigious Bersoff source you don’t know Assistant Professor / Faculty Fellowship to be reliable is thought in the department of Philosophy at to lead to paradoxical new York university. reasoning called Stevenson (middle) with Naylor and Peterson Professor emeritus Jack Stevenson ‘bootstrapping’. this Weisberg received an Arbor Award from the david r. Peterson. paper argues that the university of toronto Alumni Association Jonathan Weisberg won rutgers bootstrapping paradox does not depend in 2008 for the many decades of work university’s bi-annual Young essentially on trust in an unauthenticated he did improving the university’s tenure epistemologist Prize for the best essay in source; instead it arises from exploita - appeals process. He is pictured here epistemology written by someone whose tions of the intransitivity of probabilistic between uoft President david naylor Phd was awarded within the past ten support.” and uoft chancellor, the Honouarable years. His prizewinning essay,
justification for conser - intro to ethics. the Student Awards vation biology. rachel department is very says: “conservation biol - pleased to have such an Ryan Beaton won the ogy aims primarily at the exemplary tA – he con - martha Lile Love protection of biodiversi - sistently receives some teaching Award for ty. often, this is of the highest tutorial course PHL 315 F – justified by reference to leader student evalua - topics in 19th century the intrinsic value of Bryant tions. Alex’s research Sinha Philosophy at utm in biodiversity. focuses on deontology the summer of 2008. my dissertation critiques this, and offers (the study of duty as an ethical concept) the award is given to a Beaton a justification for conservation based not and the justification of rights. His Phd student who has on the value of biodiversity, but on the supervisors are Professors tom Hurka demonstrated a combination of skill, value of welfare.” Besides continuing and wayne Sumner. inventiveness, competence and enthusi - with her thesis, rachel will be participat - Owen Ware has won asm while teaching an undergraduate ing in the centre’s seminars, conferences, a chancellor Jackman course. From the design of the syllabus and other activities. rachel’s research is graduate Student to his supportive approach to his stu - being supervised by Professors wayne Fellowship in the dents, ryan was a model graduate Sumner and denis walsh. Humanities for 2009- instructor. Students were generous in Charlie Cooper-Simpson has been 2010, which will enable their praise for ryan’s clarity, patience, granted a Jackman Humanities institute him to spend the year at organized approach, and sensitivity to undergraduate Fellowship for 2009- Ware the Jackman Humanities students’ needs. An observing senior 2010. He will be working on an institute focusing on his professor noted that ryan lectured independent project, “defending the research. He writes: “my dissertation is Socratically, “inspiring the students to ask Human: materialism is a Humanism,” on kant’s argument for how the moral themselves, and him, questions. there under the supervision of JHi Faculty law applies to us as human beings. i take really was a sense of intellectual commu - research Fellow, Brian cantwell Smith, up issues of freedom, agency, and moral nity – one learnt history [and how] to a member of the graduate department feeling as they arise in his two most think about deep matters.” great teach - of Philosophy and former dean of the famous ethical works: the groundwork ers instruct, challenge and inspire, and Faculty of information. what an (1785) and the critique of Practical this year’s martha Lile Love award win - opportunity for a 4th year student! reason (1788). the chancellor Jackman ner did all three. Alex Sinha , a 5th year Phd student, Fellowship will provide me with an ideal Rachel Bryant has been awarded a was short-listed for the uoft teaching opportunity to work on my dissertation doctoral Fellowship in the centre for Assistants’ training Program’s teaching and exchange ideas with an interdiscipli - ethics for the 2009-2010 academic year excellence Award. He has tA’d for us in nary group of fellows on the institute’s where she will be working on her disser - PHL 271 F – Law and morality, in PHL annual theme, ‘Pressures on the Human’.” tation about the fundamental normative 281 Y – Bioethics, and in PHL 275 –
8 U n i v e r s i t y o f To r o n t o Awards & Honours
2008, in order to attract and retain world- Ejercicio de Derechos congratulations to class doctoral students. the awards are Humanos , published administered by canada's three federal by AProdeH. Ariel Zylberman, granting agencies: the canadian institutes He co-taught a winner of the Vanier of Heath research (ciHr), the natural seminar on Sciences and engineering research intercultural canada graduate council (nSerc) and the Social Sciences education and and Humanities research council Human rights at Scholarship (SSHrc). Ariel was among the 166 recipi - the technological our Phd student Ariel Zylberman has ents of this award, as announced recently university of the received an inaugural Vanier canada by gary goodyear, minister of State Andes. He also graduate Scholarship, the most prestigious (Science and technology). served as the Zylberman doctoral award in canada. Valued at Ariel’s path so far includes a rhodes executive $50,000 per year for three years, the Scholarship in 2002, university-level teach - coordinator of an education program – scholarships are awarded to the world's ing before he entered graduate school, and with six other ngos and the Peruvian leading students from canada and abroad. work in Peru with cuSo, canada’s largest government – for community leaders, the value and prestige of the Vanier international cooperation agency. there, he teachers and government officials. canada graduate Scholarships put them on worked with AProdeH (Asociación Pro congratulations again to Ariel! par with such highly renowned scholar - derechos Humanos) on three projects. ships as the rhodes in the uk and the For more information on the Vanier He engaged in a research project on inter - Fulbright in the uS. these awards were canada graduate Scholarship, see cultural education which culminated in a created by the federal government in http://www.vanier.gc.ca/hp-pa-eng.shtml book, La Educación Intercultural como dePArtment ActiVitieS
careful distinction between mathematical high school student to write a satirical the Aristotle contest 2009 truths and the ways we express them, and essay combining the two topics (“why For the past four years, the department argued that only the latter are invented. math is torture; the view from grade of Philosophy has worked with secondary in second place, an essay by Alvin 12”). “the submissions were in fact all school philosophy teachers to sponsor the Chauhan of Vancouver advanced a very earnest and sincere, but many did Aristotle national philosophy essay com - surprising argument that there could be find fresh things to say on these old prob - petition for canadian high school circumstances in which torture would be lems, or at least fresh ways of putting old students. this year’s topics were on tor - not only morally permissible, but morally ideas,” nagel commented. “i do look for - ture (is it ever morally permissible?) and required. Vincent Wen of north York ward to seeing some of the contest the truths of mathematics (are they argued in his third-place essay that even participants in our university courses in invented or discovered?). entries came in the fundamental axioms of mathematics the next few years.” from coast to coast, and were judged by a are best seen as artificial human inven - the winning essays are available for down - team of toronto faculty and secondary tions. contest co-organizer Professor school teachers. the winning essay, by load at Jennifer Nagel (BA 1990) claims she
First Annual Philosophy undergraduate world Philosophy research conference day 2008 the First Annual Philosophy undergraduate research conference the university of toronto took place on tuesday, April 28th and wednesday April 29th, celebrated uneSco’s world 2009. the conference was open to all students in PHL 489: the Philosophy day on november 13, Socrates Project Advanced Philosophy Seminar, and PHL 499: the 2008. Professor Jeff McMahan individual Studies research Seminars. Students in these seminars of rutgers university delivered had pursued independent research projects with faculty supervi - the wPd Lecture on “the sors during the 08-09 academic year. there were 13 presenters in responsibilities of Soldiers and all. the papers were very impressive and generated lively discus - Vida Panitch civilians in an unjust war.” Students found the talk captivating sion as the students involved engaged with one another's projects. Undergraduate the conference ended with a dinner for all presenters. and appreciated being able to Research Coordinator interact with him informally over Vida Panitch, Undergraduate Research Coordinator lunch and at the reception.
D e p a r t m e n t o f P h i l o s o p h y N e w s 9 dePArtment ActiVitieS FLc Program the 2008-2009 academic year saw the department of Philosophy participating in the First-year Learning community (FLc) program for a second year. FLcs are small discipline-specific peer-led groups of approximately 24 students. the groups met regularly throughout the aca - demic yea r for fifteen 90 minute sessions. this Arts and Science program, now entering its fifth year, aims to help students make the transition from high school to university and to create a sense of community amongst those who share common academic interests. the Philosophy department hosted two FLc groups last year: • mind and Brain, for students with Prof. Joseph Heath with FLC students in the University College Quadrangle. combined interests in Philosophy and Psychology (facilitated by peer mentor mentor Anda Petro , currently a development activities as well as social Stephanie Sugar (BA, 2009), and Philosophy and Psychology double outings that bonded the group. Activities assistant peer mentor Jaime Oh , a major and who is acting as peer mentor our Philosophy FLcs enjoyed included current Philosophy and Psychology to the 2009-2010 Philosophy FLc). specialized tours of the thomas Fisher double major); and Last year Joe Heath offered his time as rare Book Library, presentations on the • ethics & Society, a group created for Faculty Advisor, and Leanne Dawkins philosophy programs and research oppor - students interested in the intersection acted as the Staff Advisor to both groups. tunities at u of t, and a skating excursion of Philosophy and Political Science to nathan Phillips Square, to name just a the groups participated in a number of (facilitated by peer mentor Navona few. At the 2008-09 year-end FLc semi- academic, professional and personal Calarco (BA 2009), and assistant peer formal banquet, each group was asked to put together a short video that represent - ed their group and its interests. Philosophy’s ethics & Society group filmed their contribution in silent film style, going so far as to making a group trip to toronto’s distillery district in hopes that the setting would maximize the effect. their efforts were well rewarded as they received the award for the best silent film by a FLc group. we look forward to welcoming a new group of FLc students in the fall of 2009. For more information about the First-year community Program, see Leanne Dawkins with FLC students at the FLC Year-End Banquet and Dance. www.flc.utoronto.ca.
Continued from Page 2... dent. it should come as no surprise, then, favourite pastime is walking up hills, SSHrc – Hacking that ian’s motto is: “teachers need students “which is getting harder and harder, for, disability: A challenge to moral more than students need teachers.” just as policemen are getting younger and Philosophy” at SunY, Stony Brook, that on a final note, ian and his wife Judith younger, the hills are getting steeper and was co-organized by his former student Baker grow exceptional varieties of tomato steeper.” they describe a recent fortnight- Licia Carlson (Phd, 1998) of radcliffe; and pole bean in an inner-city plot in long walk in the high Andes in a “diary” in his commentator was another former stu - toronto. ronnie de Sousa, who fancies the September 10 issue of the London dent, Victoria McGeer (Phd, 1991) of himself as a gourmet, and to whom they Review of Books . Princeton, and he got some of the ideas for gave a tomato, said the next day: “that was ian says there that “the hills there are steep - his talk from conversations with Janette not a tomato, but the Platonic Form of a er! each pass involves walking up one Dinishak (Phd, 2008), a recent grad stu - tomato.” ian comments that his and Judith’s vertical mile and then down again.”
1 0 U n i v e r s i t y o f To r o n t o uPcoming eVentS 2009 PHiLoSoPHY The University of Toronto Colloquium in Medieval Philosophy Book LAuncH The department’s 22nd Annual Book Launch, “Things in the Mind” – A held on March 12th, 2009, featured: Workshop on Medieval John Canfield . Becoming Human: The Development of Language, Self, and Cognitive Psychology Self-Consciousness. Palgrave macmillan, 2007. Thursday-Saturday, September 17-19, 2009 Ian Hacking . Scientific Reason. national taiwan university Press, 2009. For details please see Jennifer Hawkins and ezekiel emanuel, editors. Exploitation and Developing
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