One of the oddities of philosophy as a kind of disciplined practice (so being inclusive of the professionals and the serious (ahh) amateurs) is the surprising lack of sustained interest in the conditions that give rise to philosophy as (ahh) a social kind.| digressionsimpressions.substack.com
While reading Joseph Tainter’s (1988) The Collapse of Complex Societies (recall this post; and here), I had noted that he frequently criticizes Alfred Kroeber’s analysis of the collapse of societies.| digressionsimpressions.substack.com
More than a month ago, I agreed to an offer to be a visiting scholar at a private US university next year. This was no simple matter because of obligations to my own family and (somewhat more unexpectedly) my department. I have made no public announcement on it yet not because I am especially personally worried by the Trump administration’s policies toward higher education, but rather because I am still completing (electronic) paperwork and background-checks from the host institution. (It w...| Crooked Timber