APAGrantApplication insupportofthe PublicPhilosophyNetwork Submittedby EllenKFeder,Ph.D. AndrewLight,Ph.D. SharonM.Meagher,Ph.D. June29,2010 APASmallGrantApplication Overthelastfewyears,theAPAhasmadethepromotionofpublicphilosophyapriority.Thislastyeara groupofphilosophershasworkedtogethertoinvestigatequestionsconcerningthevalueofpublic philosophy.Inwhatwaysisphilosophy,whenengagedwithvariouspublics,transformative,i.e.,how canordoesphilosophyimprovepubliclife?Inwhatwaysisphilosophytransformedwhenengagedwith variouspublics,i.e.,howdoes/mightpublicengagementinformphilosophicalconceptsand understandingand/oralterdisciplinaryboundaries?And,ifpublicphilosophyisvaluable—thenhow mightwepromoteandsustainitspractice?Howcanweinsurethehighestquality andmostethical practices? Thepurposeofthegrant: WeareapplyingforseedmoneytolaunchthePublicPhilosophyNetwork,anentityintendedtosupport andencourageawiderangeofprojectsofpubliclyengagedphilosophicalwork.Specifically,wewould usethemoneyfortwoprojects,theevaluationofatrialwebsiteandthehostingofaconferencein Washington,DC.Thewebsitewillfunctionasbothaclearinghouseofinformationonawiderangeof publicphilosophyprojectsandasaplacewherephilosopherscannetworkwithotherphilosopherswho sharesimilarinterestsandprojectsaswellaswithvarioussortsofpractitionerswhowishtocollaborate withthem.Theconferenceisnotaimedmerelyatpromotingdiscussion,butatputtinginstitutional supportsinplacenecessarytotheadvancementofpubliclyengagedphilosophywork. BackgroundonthePublicPhilosophyNetwork: ThePublicPhilosophyNetworkisanoutcomeofadayͲlongmeetingheldonpublicphilosophyasa doubleͲsessionatthePacificDivisionmeetingoftheAmericanPhilosophicalAssociationonApril2, 2010.ConvenedbySharonM.MeagherandEllenK.Feder,fortyphilosophersespentth daydiscussing bothwhatpublicphilosophyisandhowandwhyitspracticeshouldbesupported.ThemeetingwascoͲ sponsoredbytheAPA’sCommitteeonPublicPhilosophyandGeorgeMasonUniversity’sCenterfor GlobalEthics.AttendeesincludedDavidSchrader,ExecutiveDirectoroftheAPA,severalAPAboard members,membersoftheAPACommitteeonpublicphilosophy,andphilosophersatallstagesintheir careers(fromdistinguishedprofessorstoundergraduatestudents),workingatalltypesofinstitutions and/orasindependentscholars.Theconsensusofthegroupwasthattherewasaneedforan independentnetwork(ratherthananotherprofessionalassociationorasubgroupofanexisting association)thatwouldsupportandnurtureafullrangeofpubliclyengagedphilosophicalprojects, provideaspaceforphilosophersinterestedinpublicallyengagedworktonetworkwithoneanother, anddevelopworkshopsthatwouldfosterphilosopherͲpractitionercollaborations.Afullreportofthat meetingcanbefoundonthenetwork’ssite:http://www.publicphilosophynetwork.org. ConvenersfollowedͲuponthemeeting,byinvitingthosewhoservedas“catalystspeakers”atthe originalmeetingtoserveasanadvisorycommittee/projectsteeringcommitteetohelplaunchthePublic PhilosophyNetwork(seeappendixformembersandtheirvitae).Alogowasdesigned,atemporary websitewaslaunched,andoutreachmadetoseveralprofessionalphilosophyassociationsaswellasto particularindividualstohostsessionsthatfocusonpublicphilosophyandalsowouldservetoraise awarenessof,andinterestin,thePublicPhilosophyNetwork.AlthoughindependentoftheCommittee 1 onPublicPhilosophy,thePublicPhilosophyNetworkhasthesupportoftheCommitteeonPublic Philosophy.Mostimmediately,weareworkingontwomajorprojects,thecreationofafullͲservice networkandtheplanningofastandaloneconferenceonpublicphilosophy. Thewebsite: Atemporarypageforhttp://www.publicphilosophynetwork.orgwaslaunchedinJune2010.Itisbeing hostedonanindependentserverownedbyNetworkSolutions.Duringsummerandearlyfall2010,a fullyfunctionalwebsiteisbeingdesignedusingsocialnetworkingsoftwaredevelopedandhostedby Ning.Publicpageswillprovideinformationonawiderangeofpublicallyengagedphilosophyprojects, rangingfromprogramsandresearchinbioethicsandotherappliedethicsfieldstophilosophicalworkon deliberativedemocracy,tophilosophyinprisonsprograms,tophilosophersconsultingoninternational developmentprojects,andsoon. Inaddition,visitorswillbeallowedtoregisterasmembersoftheNetworkfreeofcharge.Memberswill beabletopostinformationabouttheirownprojects,formorjoinonͲlineaffinitygroupswithother memberswhosharecommoninterests,andcommunicatewithbothphilosophersandvarioussortsof practitionersonsharedinterestsandconcerns.Thesitewillprovidelinkstoexisting,relevantblogsand projectsitesandwillalsoprovidespaceforindividualsandgroupstocreateblogsfortheirprojects. TherealsowillbeapplicationsforeventannouncementsandonͲlineeventregistrationformembers hosting“satellite”networkevents. PennsylvaniaStateUniversity’sRockEthicsInstituteisprovidingthetimeofagraduateassistantwho willtodevelopearlycontentanddriveinteresttothewebbyinvitingpersonsandgroupsengagedin publicphilosophyprojectstoparticipateactivelyonthesite.NetworkcoͲchairSharonMeagherwill supervisetheproject. Afteraoneyeartrial,wewillevaluatethesitetodetermineifningsoftwareissufficienttocreateand maintainthesiteandassessnextstepsindevelopingafullblown,sustainablesite.Weplantoapplyfor anNEHdigitalhumanitiesstartͲupgranttosupportthesecondstageofwebdevelopment.Asmall portionoftheAPAgrant,ifawarded,willbeusedtodoanassessmentofthetrialwebsitenecessary todevelopasoundNEHdigitalhumanitiesproposal. WewouldmostdefinitelyliketocreatealinktooursitefromtheAPA’ssite,andwillalsofeaturealink totheAPAonoursite. Theconference: TheconferencewillserveasafollowͲuptothedayͲlongmeetingheldonApril2,2010inconjunction withthePacificDivisionAPAmeeting.TheconferencewillbesponsoredbyGeorgeMasonUniversity’s CenterforGlobalEthicsandAmericanUniversity’sDepartmentofPhilosophyandReligion,andheldin anaccessiblelocationinaWashington,DChotel.Registrationwillbeopentoall.Theconferencewill featureworkshops,plenarysessions,andplanningsessions.Workshopswillbringphilosopherstogether withvarioussortsofpublicpractitionerstodevelopandplancollaborativeprojects.Workshopswillbe proposedbyphilosophersorteamsofphilosophersandpractitioners.TheNetwork’sadvisory committeewillassistphilosopherswithstrongproposalsbutwholackpractitionerͲcollaboratorsin 2 findingsuitablepartners. Eachofthetwodayswouldhavedifferentaims.Thefirstdaywouldfocusoncreatingspacesand opportunitiesforthepracticeofpublicphilosophy;theseconddaywouldfocusontheformallaunching ofthePublicPhilosophyNetwork.Conferenceattendeescouldchoosetoattendoneorbothdays, dependingupon theirneedsandinterests. Day1:Wewouldholdworkshopsonvariousissuesinpracticalphilosophy.Thegoalsforsuchsessions wouldbetofostermeaningfulandsubstantivedialoguebetweenphilosophersand“practitioners” (publicpolicymakers,governmentofficials,grassrootsactivists,nonprofitleaders,etc.)andfoster partnershipsandprojects,whetherneworongoing.Individualsorgroupswouldsubmitproposalsfor specificworkshopsonanissuethattheyworkon/wouldliketodiscuss,e.g.,bioethics,philosophyin/on prisons,philosophyandhousingpolicy,deliberativedemocracy,environmentalethics,queerpolitics, andsoon.Theseproposalswouldthenbecirculatedtoinvitetitlesbymultipleparticipantsforshort(5Ͳ 10minute) presentations.Thosewhosubmitindividualsubmissionsseparatefromthesesessionswillbe askedtosubmitabstractsthatdescribetheirinterests.Conferenceorganizerswillaggregatethese individualsubmissionsintoworkshopsof5ormorepeople.Thisstructureprovideswideropportunities foramorediversegroupofparticipantswhowillappearontheprogram. BothsessionproposersandconferenceorganizerswouldworktobringnonͲprofitandgovernment leadersintothediscussion.Theworkshopswouldthenbeadvertisedwidely,andindividualswould registerinadvancetoparticipateinparticularworkshops. Inaddition,lunchtimesessionswouldfocusonmoregeneralquestionsandconcernscommontomost publicphilosophyprojects,suchasretainingone’s“identity”asaphilosopherwhenworkinginthe publicrealm,ethicalissuesinvolvedwithpublicengagement,developingmodelrankandtenurecriteria andevaluationmodelsforphilosopherswhoare scholarͲactivists. Theeveningwillfeatureadinnerandplenarysessiondevotedtodialoguebetweenaprominentpublic figureandprofessionalphilosophers.Becausetheconferencedependsonreceiptofthegrant,wehave notyetmadefinalinvitationstospeakers.Amongthoseweareconsideringforkeynotespeakers includephilosophersAnitaAllen,WilliamGalstonandMarthaNussbaumaswellasfiguresinpublic servicewithwhomwehavecontacts,includingValerieJarrett,SeniorAdvisorandAdvisortothe PresidentonPublicEngagement,NancySutley,ChairoftheWhiteHouseCounselonEnvironmental Quality,andAnneͲMarieSlaughter,DirectorofPolicyPlanningattheStateDepartment.Wewelcome theinputoftheAPAforadditionalspeakerrecommendations. Day2:LaunchingthePublicPhilosophyNetwork.Thisdaywouldbedevotedtobuildingthepublic philosophynetworkanditsactivities,identifyingneedsthatmustbeaddressedifwearetoencourage andpromoteawiderangeofpublicphilosophyprojects.Wewouldinvitetheorganizers/proposersof eachworkshopfromday1aswellasarepresentativefromanysatelliteconferencesand/oraffiliated groupstorepresenttheirprojectsand/orgroupsatthemeeting. 3 Inthemorning,wewouldengageinthefollowingactivities: x oralreportsandgroupdiscussionofday1workshops x discussionofsatellitemeetingreports(alreadyprovidedontheweb) x thesolicitationanddevelopmentofideasforfuturemeetingsandworkshops Thepointofthesediscussionsisto: x informnetworkmembersofvariouspublicphilosophyprojectsandresources x fostertheseprojectsandothermeetingsbygivingothernetworkmembersthe opportunitytomakesuggestions,helpprovidecontacts,fundingsuggestions,new directions,etc. Day2Lunchtimesessionswouldfeatureadditionalgeneralkbrea Ͳoutdiscussionsoninterests/issues thatcutacrossvariouspublicphilosophypractices(asinday1).