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What Matters Most Conversations on the Art of Living Edited by Anthony Morgan Paperback £15.00 248 pages • June 2023 978-1-78821-624-1 “A series of gripping, personal interviews that bring philosophy to bear on matters of urgency … a source not just of fresh ideas but of moral and political inspiration.” – Kieran Setiya, author of Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way “Unlike so many philosophy books, it never strays from what is morally and intellectually urgent … a field guide for how to think in the twenty-first century.” – Andy West, author of The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Family and Philosophy “A masterful collection of thoughtful, urgent conversations on some of the most pressing issues of the moment.” – Arianne Shahvisi, author of Arguing for a Better World Much has been written about the “art of living” and it typically conjures up ideas of therapy, meditation, peace, happiness, and so on. But what about the art of living in the midst of all the spectacular messiness generated by an aggressive, anxiety-ridden, acquisitive and lustful species? The conversations that make up this book explore the questions that matter most to us as citizens of increasingly fractious societies and inhabitants of an increasingly fractured planet. They invite us to think anew about the complexities and challenges involved in living a good life in a world characterized by uncertainty and change. a g e n d a p u b l i s h i agendapublishing www.agendapub.com n g
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Issue Autumn 2023, Vol.111, No.2 Website thephilosopher1923.org Email thephilosopher1923@gmail.com Editor Anthony Morgan Editorial Assistant Maryam Aghdami Contributing Editor Jana Bacevic Editorial Board Nathalie Etoke, Adam Ferner, Yarran Hominh, Solange Manche, Nathan Oseroff-Spicer, Alexis Papazoglou, Andrés Saenz De Sicilia, Dan Taylor, Lani Watson, Peter West Design William Eckersley Cover Nick Halliday (hallidaybooks.com) Art consultant Joanna Borkowska This issue of The Philosopher examines the question: Where is public philosophy going? It is intended as a companion to the spring issue on “Where is Philosophy Going?” The Philosopher has, as we like to say, been ‘saving philosophy from the academy’ since 1923. For that reason, particularly in the journal’s centenary year, we’re interested not in the future of philosophy as a discipline but in public philosophy – the ways that philosophy has, is, and will continue to be disseminated and engaged with outside academia. The issue opens with an essay by artist Alexandra Grant, whose images are included alongside the essays to follow. In her essay, Grant looks to publishing as a way to sustain a viable sense of the public at a time when it is threatened by powerful reactionary forces. We then move on to three related sections. The first examines the question: What is public philosophy? To begin, our essay analyses responses to a survey that we carried out in order to provide a ‘democratic’ account of the aims, challenges, and benefits of public philosophy. Jana Bacevic then explores the idea of ‘thinking together’, a notion that is central to many approaches to public philosophy. In her essay, Ellie Robson explores the esteemed public philosopher Mary Midgley’s analogy between philosophy and plumbing and argues that good philosophy is never isolated from the problems of real life. Robson’s essay is followed by an essay written by Mary Midgley herself. This essay was initially submitted to the BBC ’s Third Programme in the 1950s but rejected on the basis that it covered ‘trivial’ matters that lay beyond the scope of true philosophical inquiry. The second part tackles the future of public philosophy. Angie Hobbs draws on her experience as a public philosopher to provide recommendations for where, how, and why public philosophy should be discussed. Aaron Wendland examines the relation between philosophy inside and outside the academy, and calls for a greater emphasis on public philosophy within universities. Yarran Hominh then argues that, as we move ever closer to a (near) future likely to be full of despair, public philosophy – philosophy that is done collectively – might provide hope. The third part of this issue consists of conversations about public philosophy. The first is a transcript of a panel discussion between Peter Adamson, Evelyn Brister, and Lucia Ziglioli on the question, ‘What is public philosophy?’. This is followed by two interviews carried out by Jonathon Hawkins with David Edmonds and Jack Symes. While Edmonds explores the idea that public philosophy is of intrinsic, and not instrumental, value, Symes considers what and who public philosophy ought to cover, as well as how the lines between public and academic philosophy are drawn up. Other highlights include: Stephen Darwall reflects on the nature of reparations for American Chattel Slavery; Helen De Cruz meditates on the art of skilled action with effortless grace; and reviews of books by Bret W. Davis, Tommie Shelby, and Catherine Wilson. Peter West and Jonathon Hawkins, Guest Editors 1

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Issue Autumn 2023, Vol.111, No.2

Website thephilosopher1923.org

Email thephilosopher1923@gmail.com

Editor Anthony Morgan

Editorial Assistant Maryam Aghdami

Contributing Editor Jana Bacevic

Editorial Board Nathalie Etoke, Adam Ferner, Yarran Hominh, Solange Manche, Nathan Oseroff-Spicer, Alexis Papazoglou, Andrés Saenz De Sicilia, Dan Taylor, Lani Watson, Peter West

Design William Eckersley

Cover Nick Halliday (hallidaybooks.com)

Art consultant Joanna Borkowska

This issue of The Philosopher examines the question: Where is public philosophy going? It is intended as a companion to the spring issue on “Where is Philosophy Going?” The Philosopher has, as we like to say, been ‘saving philosophy from the academy’ since 1923. For that reason, particularly in the journal’s centenary year, we’re interested not in the future of philosophy as a discipline but in public philosophy – the ways that philosophy has, is, and will continue to be disseminated and engaged with outside academia.

The issue opens with an essay by artist Alexandra Grant, whose images are included alongside the essays to follow. In her essay, Grant looks to publishing as a way to sustain a viable sense of the public at a time when it is threatened by powerful reactionary forces. We then move on to three related sections. The first examines the question: What is public philosophy? To begin, our essay analyses responses to a survey that we carried out in order to provide a ‘democratic’ account of the aims, challenges, and benefits of public philosophy. Jana Bacevic then explores the idea of ‘thinking together’, a notion that is central to many approaches to public philosophy. In her essay, Ellie Robson explores the esteemed public philosopher Mary Midgley’s analogy between philosophy and plumbing and argues that good philosophy is never isolated from the problems of real life. Robson’s essay is followed by an essay written by Mary Midgley herself. This essay was initially submitted to the BBC ’s Third Programme in the 1950s but rejected on the basis that it covered ‘trivial’ matters that lay beyond the scope of true philosophical inquiry.

The second part tackles the future of public philosophy. Angie Hobbs draws on her experience as a public philosopher to provide recommendations for where, how, and why public philosophy should be discussed. Aaron Wendland examines the relation between philosophy inside and outside the academy, and calls for a greater emphasis on public philosophy within universities. Yarran Hominh then argues that, as we move ever closer to a (near) future likely to be full of despair, public philosophy – philosophy that is done collectively – might provide hope.

The third part of this issue consists of conversations about public philosophy. The first is a transcript of a panel discussion between Peter Adamson, Evelyn Brister, and Lucia Ziglioli on the question, ‘What is public philosophy?’. This is followed by two interviews carried out by Jonathon Hawkins with David Edmonds and Jack Symes. While Edmonds explores the idea that public philosophy is of intrinsic, and not instrumental, value, Symes considers what and who public philosophy ought to cover, as well as how the lines between public and academic philosophy are drawn up.

Other highlights include: Stephen Darwall reflects on the nature of reparations for American Chattel Slavery; Helen De Cruz meditates on the art of skilled action with effortless grace; and reviews of books by Bret W. Davis, Tommie Shelby, and Catherine Wilson.

Peter West and Jonathon Hawkins, Guest Editors

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