Joint HPS CMU Philosophy Proseminar


Next Speaker:  Wed.,  Jan 23, Paul Griffiths,  Pitt, Cathedral, G28;
on excerpts from his recent book, Sex and Death (What?  No Rock and Roll?)

Default time:  Wednesday, 5:00 P.M., with a few exceptions including Van Fraassen and Camp.
Venue:  Alternates:  CMU Philosophy, Baker Hall 150, Pitt HPS Cathedral of Learning G28.

Welcome!  There has been an ongoing sentiment between faculty in the CMU philosophy department, the Pitt HPS department and the Center for Philosophy of Science to effect more genuine coordination in order to bring the broadest possible philosophical culture to our graduate students.  The newly instituted joint proseminar is the first concrete result of this cooperative spirit.  The positive response from faculty at the two institutions has been overwhelming, including participation by many colleagues from the department of Philosophy at Pitt.  Coordinating and funding this show (circus?) represents a major commitment by the sponsoring departments, not to mention the time and effort volunteered by all the participating faculty, so don't miss the opportunity to participate in this unprecedented cooperative event conceived entirely for your benefit (how often does that happen?).  If student interest is weak, the plug will be pulled.

Graduate student attendance of the seminar is strongly supported by faculty in both departments and also by faculty in the department of Philosophy at Pitt for at least the following reasons.

  1. Food and drink will be served!
  2. Requirements are minimial.
  3. It will expose students to current issues that they might not encounter in their own thesis research.
  4. Aside from its intrinsic value, such breadth is essential in situations like job interviews.
  5. The seminar will provide concrete practice at composing and presenting serious questions outside of one's own expertise at professional philosohical symposia.
  6. It will also provide a friendly and relevant forum for introducing students to potential thesis committee members.
  7. Finally, we hope it will catalyze spontaneous interaction between students in the various programs who currently have few opportunities to discuss common topics.  Time for eating and informal discussion is included in the schedule.
  8. The slate of speakers is spectacular, in breadth of area and in diversity of approach.  Just look!
      9. 1-16 Admin & party, speakers welcome
      Philosophy of Biology
      1-23  Paul Griffiths (HPS)
      1-30  Sandra Mitchell (HPS)
      Logic of Discovery
      2-6  Bruce Buchanan (Pitt CS, Pitt Phil)
      2-13 Clark Glymour (CMU, HPS)
      Philosophy of Language
      2-20 Bas Van Fraassen
      2-27 Anil Gupta/Mark Wilson (Pitt Phil)
      3-6 Holiday (Pitt)
      Pragmatism
      3-13 Richard Gale (Pitt Phil)
      3-20 Teddy Seidenfeld (CMU)
      Metaphysics
      3-27 Joseph Camp (Pitt Phil)
      4-3 Holiday (CMU)
      4-10 Robert Brandom (Pitt Phil)
      Kant
      4-17 Stephen Engstrom (Chairman, Pitt Phil)

Official Requirements:

Attendance and preparation of two questions for each speaker to be typed and turned in at the beginning of the meeting.  That's it!

Gentle Admonition to the Unregistered: 


The aims of the seminar will not be served by occasional attendance by students of talks related to their own research.  There is enough specialization in philosophy!  The point here is to have a chance to think hard about a variety of unfamiliar issues in the company of graduate students in other programs and to foster a broader student culture at the two institutions.  If you are not signed up, at least plan to attend several sessions so you have a chance to meet other students and to test your mettle in unfamiliar areas.

Meeting Structure

5:00 beginning of seminar
    20 minutes:  pre-meeting review and discussion of student's questions before speaker arrives (registered students only).
Speaker and non-registered students arrive at 5:20
    50 minutes: speaker presentation.
 Speaker ends at 6:10
    20 minutes: questions to the speaker
Over at 6:30-dinner time
    20 minutes etc.: food + social meeting with speaker and other students.

Readings

Distributed in class to registered students one week in advance.   Available at CMU and HPS in designated boxes.