Rutgers Philosophy Newsletter Spring 2010 Ernie Sosa wins inaugural Rescher Prize for systematic philosophy. Inside: Distinguished Rutgers epistemologist Ernest Sosa has been named International Affairs- Rutgers the first recipient of the Rescher Prize for Contributions to Systematic 3 philosophers lead programs Philosophy. The award is named after Nicholas Rescher, a prolific around the nation and world. Pittsburgh philosopher. The University of Pittsburgh will give the award every two years to “an individual who has made substantial contributions to philosophy”. It carries a $25,000 prize. Sosa will receive the prize at a ceremony in Pittsburgh on November 12th. Sports- Erik Hoversten reports 4 Sosa is currently the Board of Regents Professor of Philosophy at on our department’s IM Rutgers. He has long been a leading figure in epistemology and teams. metaphysics. In 2005 Sosa gave the Locke Lectures at Oxford, and his recent work has focused on developing virtue epistemology (among many other topics). Reacting to the Rescher prize A peek inside the student-led 6 announcement, Sosa reports: “The news that I'd be awarded this undergraduate journal, Arete. prize came as quite a surprise. I can only hope to be worthy of it some day." Necessary Existence and Inconvenient Truths… Philosophers tackle issues ranging from modal metaphysics to environmental policy. ZIMMERMAN ORGANIZES and food for the duration of the MAJOR WORKSHOP IN PHIL. research seminar. Two Rutgers RELIGION: graduate students—Blake Roeber and Meghan Sullivan— Dean Zimmerman and Michael have been selected as Rota (from the University of St. participants this June. Thomas) have received a major grant from the Templeton A BUSY SPRING OF COLLOQUIA: Foundation to start the St. Thomas Summer Seminar in There is never a shortage of Philosophy of Religion and talks or conferences around the Philosophical Theology. The department, and this spring has Above: Peter Klein and Jerry Seminar takes place over three been no exception. The Fodor lead a lunch discussion weeks in Minnesota. colloquium schedule has been with undergraduates. (See p.6) Zimmerman hopes the program especially busy, including two Below: Barry Loewer chats with will fill a needed role in training named lectures. Rutgers alum Quayshawn Spencer after a talk philosophers of religion: “Only a Jacob Ross (USC) began the on philosophy of biology. few graduate programs include semester with a talk on faculty with enough expertise in normativity and commitment. philosophy of religion to offer Tim Williamson (Oxford) much by way of coursework; delivered the annual Mesthene but many current graduate lecture on February 18th, students and recent Ph.D.s arguing for necessitism—the have a great deal of interest in doctrine that everything the subject. So we're trying to necessarily exists. Quayshawn bring the best faculty who work Spencer (MIT) brought the in the area into contact with department up-to-speed on the best younger scholars. (We recent developments in race had 181 applications for the theory. Glenn Shafer (Rutgers summer seminar this year, Business) shared recent work on which suggests that there's a lot game theoretic probability. of younger people out there Jesse Prinz (CUNY) argued for who want to do philosophy of the AIR theory of consciousness. religion.)” Speakers include David Albert (Columbia) Peter van Inwagen, Alvin delivered the Class of 1970 Plantinga, Roger White, and lecture on quantum mechanics Tom Kelly. Participants receive and philosophy. Christian List stipends along with housing (LSE)will round out the semester. 2 Rutgers Philosophy Newsletter: Spring 2010 RUTGERS AROUND THE WORLD: BUNZL TAKES ON THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH: Faculty and graduate students are venturing far and wide over the For the last three years, Martin summer and coming school year. Bunzl has been directing the We continue to exchange scholars Rutgers Initiative on Climate and with the Arche Institute at the Social Policy University of St. Andrews. In July, (www.csp.rutgers.edu), which he Jason Stanley is co-organizing founded. Here he reflects on another CEU Summer School in some of the challenges and Budapest—this year focusing on opportunities for a philosopher meaning, context, and intention. wading into the arena of climate Above: Andy Egan inaugurates He’ll be joined by Ernie Lepore, change debates: Friday Grad-Prof research talks one of many distinguished with “Three Grades of Self speakers on the program. In “Working on climate change has Involvement.” Below: Jason August, Ernie Sosa (our been a shock for me, if only Stanley admires the official motto distinguished Rescher Prize because I suddenly have to of office 215A winner!) will lead the Fifth Cologne traffic in facts!... The issue offers a Summer School in Philosophy in textbook instance of the problem Cologne, Germany. Finally, Bob of choice under both uncertainty Matthews and Frankie Egan are and ignorance. We don’t know among four Americans invited to the probability of worst-case the Hebrew University’s Institute for climate scenarios or their cost. Advanced Study in coming Spring Much of the discussion of climate 2011 to join a working group on change policy assumes, computation and cognitive erroneously I think, that we can neuroscience. proceed using an expected utility analysis either ignoring NEW FACULTY JOIN THE worst case scenarios or by DEPARTMENT: extending a calculus based on less extreme outcomes for which The Rutgers Philosophy family is we can assign both costs and expanding next year. Branden probabilities.” Fitelson (formerly of Berkeley) will department. The department The CSP promotes philosophically move into 1 and 3 Seminary this provides donuts and drinks. In informed research on these fall. Branden works in formal March, Andy Egan was chosen as issues. In line with this project, epistemology and philosophy of the first speaker, and he delivered Bunzl is at work on a book of science. From the other side of a lecture on different appoaches philosophical reflections on the globe—Jonathan Schaffer to de se content. A lively climate change policy. and Susanna Schellenberg discussion followed that continued (formerly of ANU) will join the DE SE AND DONUTS- THE at Charlie Brown’s pub long after department in the Spring. In the FACULTY/GRAD RESEARCH the talk. In April, Frankie Egan (no hiring coup of the decade, FRIDAYS PROGRAM KICKS OFF: relation) followed up by leading a Rutgers gets three presentation on computational Schaffer/Schellenbergs for the In addition to the usual busy theories of mental representation. price of two—Jonathan and colloquia and graduate talk Egan argued against essentialist Susanna just had their first child, program, this Spring the theories of mental content and Ezra. Congratulations guys! department has begun to offer sketched a model where Additionally, Alec Walen (formerly Friday Faculty-Graduate pragmatic considerations influence of Maryland) will take up a part- research talks. Once a month a the assignment of representations. time appointment here and at the different faculty member gives a Once again, debate continued law school in Camden. Alec works presentation to the graduate long after at Charlie Brown’s. Is a in ethics and philosophy of law; community on a current research theme developing? you may remember him from the project. The talks are designed Fall colloquium series. to give participants a broad sense of projects going on in the 3 Rutgers Philosophy Newsletter: Spring 2010 Inner Lives and Inner Tubes… Catching Up with the Grad Program Incoming PhD students visit—(clockwise) Alex Anthony, Lucy Jordan, Tara Rhoades, Stephanie Leary and Ed Green. PROSPECTIVE PHD STUDENTS VISIT THE DEPARTMENT: Seven philosophers March 24-26th, twelve prospective Philosophy PhD students visited from around the U.S. Rutgers to meet members of the department and experience the intellectual life around 1 and 3 Seminary Place. Visitors came and world will join from a wide-range of undergraduate universities with interests ranging from metaethics to philosophy of physics to philosophy of the department as law. Jason Stanley organized admissions for the department this year. Some admitted students were unable to come, but for Ph.D. Students in those who made the trip, it was a fun and philosophically-packed 2010, after a very week. Highlights include a talk on resemblance theories of pictorial semantics by Gabe Greenberg, a dinner in the Soviet competitive Non-Conformist wing of the Zimmerli Art Museum, and a blowout final party at Dean Zimmerman’s house. admissions season. Seven students accepted offers to join the 2010 Philosophy PhD cohort: Alex Anthony (from Wesleyan), Edwin Green (from Rutgers), Lucy Jordan (from University of Southern California), Stephanie Leary (from University of Washington, Seattle), Tara Rhoades (from University of Delaware), Una Stojnic (from University of Belgrade) and Christopher Weaver (from Northern Illinois). Welcome to the department—we hope at least one of you is also a good goalie! THINK OR SWIM! THE DEPARTMENT ADDS TO ITS INTRAMURAL SPORTS SEASONS: Erik Hoversten has been organizing the department’s active intramural sports teams. We caught up with Erik for his take on the seasons so far: “The Phenomenal Zombies ended their 2009 campaign with a 3rd place finish in the Intramural Soccer Coed-B division. They took a (Continued) 4 Rutgers Philosophy Newsletter: Spring 2010 5-2 record into tournament some rough waters early on, play, and ousted EJB in a but finished the season with spectacular 3-2 game before even wins and losses. To a falling to the Marshmallow Puffs person they have found the in the semifinals 6-3. new experience to be a splendid romp in the pool. Although two thirds of their scoring output came from the Now as we finish the spring foot of player/coach Preston semester, we start our second Greene (24 goals), this years' year of intramural softball with Zombies were far from a one the Home Platos.