NEWSLETTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY I • , I, I • I. I "It is the habit alone of reasoning which can make a reasoner."-Shaftesbury (1671-1716) riitings and wilcomi to thi fifth idition of '(1gora, thi Philosophy 6<E>ipartmint's '(1nnualhliwslittir! Let me begin by thanking N orvin Richards forhis hard work once again in producing a finenewsletter. Agora provides a forumfor maintaining the ties that bind us as a community, both intellectual and social. Professor Richards's editing of Agora is one of the many tasks that this year earned .James R. Otteson him the Morris Mayer Award, which recognizes "selflessand significant Chairman service and leadership forthe U of A community, significantcontributions to student life, and integrity." Congratulations, ProfessorRichards! The Philosophy Department has once again are doing. That is one of the most important been a busy place this past year, as you will parts of this newsletter, so be sure to send us see herein. One member of our department your own updates fornext time-the "inquiring got tenure and promotion this past year, minds" of your fellowstudents, not to mention which means that as of now all permanent your former professors, want to know what members of the department are tenured. A great things you're doing. second member of our department was promoted to full professor, and a third is Finally, it is with a heavy heart that I report applying forpromotion to fullprofessor this that I am resigning the departmental fall. We also had a number of papers chairmanship at the end of the summer, and pub I ished, and had several books published then resigning my faculty position at UA with several more in the works. We are also altogether as of January 2008. I will be heading traveling to give papers, we are being invited offto new adventures in New York, after ten to contribute to prestigious projects, we are great years in Alabama. I would like to publicly conducting research in areas outside of thank my colleagues and my students for philosophy. challenging me to become the best teacher, researcher, and colleague I could. I will miss We are even doing our part to expand the Alabama. The University of Alabama College of Arts & Sciences ranks of future philosophers: three babies Dept. of Philosophy were born to faculty membersthis past year. I look forwardto continuing to findout about Box 870218 Welcome to the world, George, Dora, and your exploits, and to informingyou of mine, in Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0218 Tel: 205 348-5942 Irving! future editions of Agora. Fax: 205 348-7904 Website: You will also find inside updates on what Respectfullyyours, www.as.ua.edu/philos many of your fellowstudents and graduates James Otteson Change In Leadership With the unanimous support of the Department, materialize. (Of course, every department chair Scott Hestevold has been appointed its Interim fantasizesthat an alumnus will solve a personnel crisis Chair in place of the departing James Otteson. by funding an endowed chair. Alas, such a solution remains fornow but a fantasy.) Not without sadness do I wish Jim Otteson and his family the very best as Professor As we search fornew philosophers, I hope to Otteson pursues a wonderfulopportunity at begin planning the first Annual Philosophy Yeshiva University. On behalf of my Alumni Lecture. Over the past several years, colleagues, I thank Professor Otteson for several of our prominent guest colloquium having enriched our Department with his speakers have not only addressed the faculty teaching and research and for his having and majors, but have conducted a seminar served an all-too-short term as our tireless session forsome of our advanced students or chair. I also thank the Otteson family-Katie, given a lively public lecture. Beginning in Victoria, James, Joseph, and year-old Spring 2008 with help fromphilosophy alumni, George-for sharing their husband/father I hope to make these sorts of opportunities with the Department of Philosophy. for our faculty, students, and university community an annual event that will also Regarding the Department, Professor entice philosophy alumni back to campus. The Otteson's departure marks not only the loss Prof. H Scott Hestevold Department will invite our alumni to renew of a finecolleague but the loss of our historian their love of philosophy by meeting some of our of philosophy and our political philosopher. Thus, as I majors, auditing a favoriteprofessor's class, attending the begin several years as Interim Chair, the pressing concern guest's public lecture, and chatting with our faculty. forthe Department is to findnew philosophers with these areas of expertise. (Yes, the Department will need two Thanks to the many years of dedicated leadership that Max philosophers to replace one Jim Otteson!) The Hocutt and then Norvin Richards provided and to the Department is gratefulto Dean Robert Olin forapproving course that Jim Otteson has been setting for the a search forone new philosopher to join us in Fall 2008. Department, the University's philosophy facultyis strong As I write, the Department remains optimistic that the indeed: every philosopher is actively engaged in research Provost and Dean will create for us an eighth tenure­ and remains committed to teaching. Arguably, person for track facultyline, allowing a second new philosopher to person, the Department is among the strongest in the join us within the next two years. College of Arts and Sciences. We now have between forty and sixty majors that include some of the fineststudents at The eighth faculty line is especially important for the University. Serving as the Interim Chair of such a moving the Department forward.As you know from department is most certainly an honor; and I take this previous newsletters, the Department features three opportunity to thank publicly my colleagues fortheir vote specialty tracks: Mind and Brain, PreLaw, and of confidencein my serving in this capacity. Philosophical Foundations of Civil Society. Adding an eighth philosopher with expertise in philosophy of law I hope that you will stay in touch with the Philosophy and political philosophy would not only allow the Department-through email, our website, or with a visit to PreLaw Track to continue while Professor Richards the third floor of ten Hoor Hall when you are next in is on sabbatical leave, but it would enhance what we Tuscaloosa! can offerour Civil Society majors-approximately one­ third of our majors. I hope to be able to report to you H. Scott Hestevold next year that this eighth position did indeed Page 2 FACULTY ACTIVITIES Torin Alter: This was an eventful year for me. On February 27th, Stuart Rachels reports the publication of the 5th edition of The my wife Elizabeth gave birth to the world's cutest twins: Dora Elements ofMoral Philosophy (previous editions by James Rachels) Jane Alter and Irving Jeremiah Alter. I and the 4th edition of The Right Thing To Do: completed several projects, including a co­ Basic Readings in Moral Philosophy (previous edited book, Phenomenal Concepts and editions by James Rachels). The Elements of Phenomenal Knowledge: New Essays on Moral Philosophy will be published in Consciousness and Physicalism (OUP, Norwegian in 2008, and was probably the best­ 2007); a guest-edited book symposium for selling philosophy book in 2006. In addition, Psyche; and several articles on Columbia University Press has published The consciousness. A new "Torin Alter & the Lying Angels" CD was Legacy of Socrates: Essays in Moral released. And my USATT table tennis rating rose to 1596. Philosophy (written by James Rachels, edited by Stuart.) I-lealso presented "I-lowto Make Group Progress" to a values conferencein Syracuse, published a book review in Phil Review, and became a Life Scott Hestevold gave presentations on the nature of the present Master at bridge. This October, he will deliver the 2007-2008 and temporal passage at annual meetings of the Alabama Edwards Lecture at Emory University. Philosophical Society and the Southern Society forPhilosophy and Psychology. I-lepublished an Norvin Richards spent his writing time this year revising and essay on "God and Morality" in physicist Louis resubmitting a book-length manuscript. In the fall he co-directed W. Perry's Jeffersons Scissors: Conflicts of the College's Freshman Learning Center Religion with Science and Democracy. [Perry, an for Pre-Law, and in the spring he was alumnus of the University of Alabama, enjoyed a honored to receive the Morris Mayer Award. distinguished career in nuclear energy and is now I-leis now figuringout how to teach Intro to a passionate advocate forthe separation of church Philosophy this fall, having discovered that and state, both as an author and teacher.] In Bar Harbor in 2007, he hasn't done so in 25 years and that some Scott taught for the American Academy of Judicial Education, of those notes are showing their age just a conducting forjudges the logic/judicial-reasoning seminar. bit-the examples involving Gerald Ford will probably have to go! Max Hocutt (Emeritus) had to have operations on one of his eyes, Richard Richards wrote two essays: "Solving the Species Problem: but still wrote a handful of essays for a forthcoming encyclopedia Kitcher and I-lullon Sets and Individuals" fora Prometheus textbook of American philosophy and a piece on Herbert on the philosophy of Biology; and "Linnaeus' Spencer for Independent Review. I-le has also Systema Naturae" forthe Harvard Companion been invited to speak at an international to Evolution. I-le is currently working on two conference on mind/brain at the University of papers: "Darwin's Philosophical Impact" for Guadalajara in Spring 2008. the Routledge Companion to the 19th Century and "Taxonomy in Darwin's Origin" for a Cambridge University volume celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Darwin's Birth.