Philosophy and the Science of Human Nature-Open Yale Course

Here is an interesting looking course on philosophy and cognitive science from the Open Yale programme.  The course comprises 26 lectures by Prof. Tamar Szabó Gendler.  As you would expect, the course is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing on literature from  philosophy, psychology, behavioral economics, politics and literature.  The course is structured around three intertwined sets of topics: Happiness and Flourishing; Morality and Justice; and Political Legitimacy and Social Structures.  It looks really good, with a fascinating syllabus.  Get your think on. 

 

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Latour’s Tour of Dublin 2012

Bruno Latour is a troll.  A very interesting, witty and often brilliant troll, I grant you but a troll nonetheless.  Earlier this year he was in Dublin and gave two different talks.  The first, at Dublin City University on Friday, February 17th, was given at  a special seminar on interdisciplinarity, the arts and the sciences.  The talk, entitled ‘From Critique to Composition’, addresses nature, science and climate.  We need, he says, to shift our thinking about these matters from one of ‘critique’ to one of ‘composition’ and change matters of fact (back) in to matters of concern. The seminar, and Prof Latour’s trip to Ireland, was organised by the Celsius interdisciplinary research group at DCU, the French Embassy and the Science Gallery, and also to Trispace, DCU.  The second talk, ‘Reenacting Science’, was delivered at Science Gallery, Trinity College a few days later.  Some aspects of the talk are covered in this paper. 

I recommend both but the second is more typically a lecture, with slides etc.  It is perhaps composed a little better.