The Philosophers' Magazine - 3rd quarter 2008
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tpm the philosophers’ magazine
Issue 42 • 3rd quarter 2008
Contents . . .
ACTIONS & EVENTS
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From the editor
News Getting down to business, on with interculturalism, and up with intellectuals and young talent
Mediawatch Philosophy and philosophers in the mass media
Word of Mouse Luciano Floridis barters on the web
In the city How Sheffield students are taking their subject into schools
Threads Ophelia Benson’s new column on the blogosphere
THOUGHTS
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The donor’s duty Havi Carel on the moral obligation to give your organs
Letter from... Malta Mark Montebello writes from a small but vital crossroads
Knowledge in the AI age New approaches to some very old problems
Rethinking Jung Paul Bishop on the ideas behind the psychoanalysis
FORUM
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Head to head Ophelia Benson and Dan Hind dispute the legacy of the Enlightenment
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The Interview Roger Scruton on being a conservative outsider
The TPM Essay Roy Sorensen on images that speak louder than words
Sci-Phi Mathew Iredale’s regular look at science and philosophy
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Fate defying feats Frank Furedi on the birth of a world made by history
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The erasure of Islam Ziauddin Sardar refuses to salute the Enlightenment
Northern lights John Haldane on the Scottish miracle
Engineers of minds Craig Nelson on what got Paine ticking
Problematic progress Brain O’Connor on what Adorno really thought
You’ve got to laugh Giles Fraser gets serious about humour
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The great infidel Ted Morris in praise of Hume
THE LOWDOWN
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Directory National and local philosophical associations
Snapshot: Avicenna The low down on one of Islam’s great thinkers
Pop culture Paraconsistent logic in The Office
REVIEW
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New books Reviews of new books by Alain Badiou, Simon Critchley, Colin McGinn and Alan Sokal
Author Q&A Harold Schweizer tries to keep us waiting
Picture this Jean Kazez’s new arts column
Review of reviews What the critics said about Ray Tallis and AC Grayling
LAST WORDS
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My philosophy Biologist Lewis Wolpert doesn’t mnice his words
The Skeptic Wendy Grossman’s regular column
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Philosophy Press, Dunstan House, 14a St Cross Street, London, EC1N 8XA UK Tel: 020 7841 1954 Fax: 020 7242 1474 editor@philosophers.co.uk www.philosophersnet.com
Editors
Julian Baggini (print edition) Jeremy Stangroom (new media)
Associate editor Ophelia Benson Reviews editor Nina Power Production editor Matthew Humphrys Publisher Edward Milford
Editorial Advisory Board Tim Crane, Miranda Fricker, Simon Glendinning, Susan James, David Papineau, Nina Power, Anthony Price, Jonathan Réée, Richard Schoch, Barry C Smith, Jonathan Wolff
Design
Paul Cooper
Layout
John Perkins
Illustrations/Graphics Felix Bennett (cover), Pipo di Bressana, Gareth Southwell.
Contributors Paul Bishop, Havi Carel, Joseph Chandler, Luciano Floridi, Giles Fraser, Frank Furedi, Sue Gerrard, Wendy Grossman, John Haldane, Dan Hind, Mathew Iredale, Jean Kazez, James Ladyman, Morgan Luck, Antonia Macaro, Ted Morris, Craig Nelson, Brian O’Connor, Sajjad Rizvi, Gordon Rugg, Ziauddin Sardar, Roy Sorensen, Mark Vernon.
Contributors’ Notes Contact the editor to submit proposals. Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts.
Distribution by (UK) Central Books, 99 Wallis Road, London E9 5LN Tel: 020 8986 4854 (North America) Source Interlink, 27500 Riverview Center Blvd., Bonita Springs, Florida 34134; Tel: (239) 949-4450 Ubiquity Distributors Inc., 607 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 Tel: (718) 875 5491
Printed by Warwick Printing, Leamington Spa CV31 1QD
With thanks toDenis Collins.
Subscriptions UK: 01442 879097 North America: 1 800 444 2419 See page 64 for full details
© 2008, The Philosophy Press Ltd and contributors
ISSN 1354-814X
All views expressed in TPM represent those of the authors of each article and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers.
Cover: Original artwork by Felix Bennett (after William Blake). Design by Paul Cooper.
3RD QUARTER 2008tpm