Monthly Archives: December 2010
TTP, 1. Introduction: Platonism vs ‘naturalized epistemology’
Let me begin by setting the scene, embroidering only a little on Weir’s opening pages. Consider then the following claims, ordinarily regarded as mathematical truths: 3 is prime. The Klein four-group is the smallest non-cyclic group. There is an uncountably … Continue reading
Truth Through Proof, 0. Preamble
I am eventually going to be writing a (short) review for Mind of Alan Weir’s new book Truth Through Proof: A Formalist Foundation for Mathematics (OUP, 2010). The blurb on the publisher’s website gives you an idea what of what … Continue reading
The Bertrand Russell Chair
That well-known website LeiterLeaks tells the world Huw Price, Challis Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney and a two-time winner of the lucrative Australian Federation Fellowships, has been offered the Bertrand Russell Professorship in Philosophy at Cambridge University … Continue reading
Florence, for body and soul
Florence in winter is a delight. You can get even into the Uffizi without queuing. Stand quietly in front of your favourite paintings or frescos for as long as you like without crowds around you all the time. And when … Continue reading
A room with a view
Well, that isn’t supposed to happen. Heavy snow in Florence before Christmas. The city cut off. The airports closed. But there are far worse places to be forced to stay a couple more days than planned. The galleries and the … Continue reading
On teaching philosophy
I’ve just added some long comments of my own to the exchange between Tom Stoneham and Paul Noordhof in the comments thread here. Perhaps of most interest to UK philosophers, but do read and join in the discussion!
Jane Austen and moral philosophy
I’m one of the panelists on the Ask Philosophers website. And I’m amused to notice that three particular favourites of mine happen to be the topics of my last three responses, namely the philosophy of maths, wine, and Jane Austen. … Continue reading
Students are right to be pissed off …
… about the proposed “reforms” to higher education funding. I’ve started a couple of times to write a blog-post adding my two-pennyworth of comment. But firstly, I get too depressed musing more generally about the awfulness of various education “reforms” … Continue reading