Author: Jeffrey Keefer

I stumbled across the London Philosophy Fixtures List from Tim Crane’s IP Blog. What an intersting idea; have a central list of all activities within a discipline in one central location. This is exactly what Google tries to automate, yet it still seems to take people to point out some of the information that may not be readily available in a Google-findable format yet. I wonder if something like this exists in the world of philosophy in New York? My hunch is that it does not. Why not? Perhaps the reason can be found within the Institute of Philosophy’s mission, which is:

The Institute’s aim is to make philosophy of the highest quality available to the widest possible audience, both inside and outside the UK’s academic community.

I wonder if all the supporting institutions in and around London have a common agreement and understanding of what philosophy is? From my experience in the US, some traditions and people do not acknowledge that some other people or views are true and serious philosophy at all. Some people claim that Baudrillard was not worth studying in a serious philosophical capacity (such as the likes of Kant or Plato). The same can be said of Ayn Rand or Derrida or even Continental philosophy in general. While a tension exists to an extent within the field, I wonder if something as simple as a central list is even possible given the animosity that exists? Rather than just muse on it, I wonder if there is any way I can be a part of the solution?

Technorati Tags: Ayn Rand, Continental Philosophy, Derrida, Institute of Philosophy, Philosophy, Baudrillard

I just ordered two books for a new class I am taking next week, Kant’s Critique of Judgment. The two books are:

Critique of Judgment (Hackett Publishing)

Kant’s Theory of Taste: A Reading of the Critique of Aesthetic Judgment (Modern European Philosophy)

I saw these two books at Barnes and Noble, and did not buy them since the Kant text was used. Somewhat ironic that I did not want to buy a used copy of a book entitled Critique of Judgment. As difficult as Kant is to read, I really do not want to struggle with him after somebody else highlighted and wrote all over it in the guise of understanding him.

Technorati Tags: Critique of Judgment, Kant, Philosophy

Do I smell Kant, especially regarding his Third Critique (the Critique of Judgment)? While some trace the roots of Continental Philosophy back to this part of Kant’s work, many who have studied it agree it makes for a difficult read. I will let you know next week, when I begin studying it.