It's once again that time of the month where I have to pass the torch from one Featured Author to the next. But before I do, I first want to thank Justin Caouette for doing a great job during January stirring the philosophical pot here at Flickers of Freedom. Given that he was the first graduate student to do a stint as a Featured Author, I thought he did an outstanding job highlighting some of the issues that loom on the horizon for the next generation of philosophers working on free will, moral responsibility, and related issues. As someone with research interests in several of the issues Justin discussed, I especially enjoyed his posts. So, please join me in thanking him for his time and energy. Also, join me in wishing him luck on the job market! If his time blogging here at Flickers is any indication, he'd be a delightful colleague to have around!
That said, I would now like to introduce this month's Featured Author--Professor V. Alan White. It's an honor having Alan as the Featured Author this month as he has been an active discussant over the years both here at Flickers and at Garden of Forking Paths before that. Because Alan has an especially good sense of humor, I will simply quote from the bio he has posted on his homepage:
I'm a full professor in the University of Wisconsin Colleges Philosophy Department. As such I teach freshman and sophomore level courses almost exclusively – the UWC, composed of 13 campuses across the state, is mainly a transfer-feeder institution for the other 13 baccalaureate campuses. My department colleagues are among the very best I've ever met, anywhere, anytime. No, we won't ever do the Carus or Gifford lectures. Our teaching loads prohibit putting out many landmark books (though we've outpublished many of our baccalaureate sibling departments). When it comes to teaching at the more introductory levels, however, I would put us up against anyone.
As for me – I'm a pretty basic analytic philosopher, nontheist, (card-carrying) skeptic, materialist (of some sort– just a non-Cartesian most aptly), though also enchanted by poetry, music, and silliness of all varieties (particularly British, being an unremitting Anglophile). I have a somewhat unusual background in that I come from shall we say underprivileged Southern stock, was for a time an evangelical Christian (trained for the ministry in fact, and have an undergraduate degree in religion as well as philosophy), and received my philosophical training from a "jock school" (as someone at an APA put it). My interests are mostly in the areas of analytical metaphysics and philosophy of science, but I suppose I intellectually (and attitudinally) align quite nicely with the "Canberra planners".
Given how fruitful and illuminating I have found Alan's contributions over the years in the discussion threads, it's a honor to finally have him posting some things of his own for us to mull over and discuss! So, please join me in welcoming him to the show!
p.s. Here is the lineup that I have put together thus far for the remainder of 2015. As always, there is more in the works!
2015:
March: Gregg Caruso
April: Susan Dwyer
May: Katrina Sifferd
June: Thomas Nadelhoffer
July: Helen Steward
August: Sarah Paul
September: Heidi Maibom
October: Natalia Washington
2016:
June/July: Patricia Greenspan
As always, if you, or someone you know, might be interested in doing a stint as a Featured Author here at Flickers of Freedom, please let me know!
Thanks, Thomas!
Posted by: Justin Caouette | 02/02/2015 at 12:37 AM