Departmental news

The Philosophy Department are launching a new option for students who are interested in undertaking a year long work placement as part of their studies. Students who are keen to take up this option can now apply, at the end of years 1 or 2, to transfer on to intercalated versions of their current philosophy programme, on which the intercalated year is spent on work placement. (Students will have to arrange the placement themselves). During their intercalated year, students will take a special module, requiring a report on their placement year; this will be marked pass/fail, and those who fail revert to the initial 3-year variant of their programme. This means that students can work for a year in the midst of their studies without taking temporary withdrawal, and their doing so will be reported on their transcripts.

Please contact Guy Longworth (G.H.Longworth@warwick.ac.uk) for further information and if you have any questions.

Marc Sanders Foundation have announced competition details for their Public Philosophy Award 2018, which this year features two prizes: one for an upublished essay, and one for an essay published within a year of the deadline. The deadline for both is 15 September 2018. The award of $4,500 is offered for each essay. Additionally, the top three unpublished essays will be reviewed by the Editorial Director and a Senior Editor at Aeon magazine, with a view to possible publication. Those essays which are not accepted for publication will be given a written report from the Senior Editor with regard to strengths and weaknesses and with suggestions for alternative avenues for publication.

All enquiries should be sent to Barry Maguire at barrymaguire@gmail.com.

The second annual BNW Graduate Conference 2018 taking place on Thursday 14 June 2018 will provide an opportunity for students from each University to present their current work, and to receive informed feedback from a dedicated respondent who works in another Department but in a similar discipline. This conference will allow participants - those giving presentations - respondents and audience members - the opportunity to engage and benefit from research-focused discussions, and will help develop the foundations for innovative excellence in research and collaboration. The proceedings will include a keynote speech, delivered by a member of staff from Nottingham's Philosophy Department, which will highlight current research interests at the University.

Organisers from Warwick University are Simon Wimmer, Giulia Luvisotto, Chenwei Nie and Leonello Gambi. https://bnwgraduateconference.weebly.com/

This new title by Professor Miguel de Beistegui, published by the University of Chicago Press (May 2018) is a thought-provoking and original commentary exploring the concept of freedom and unfreedom, and what makes the human animal both governed and ungovernable. Professor de Beistegui draws on his extensive research in the fields of philosophy, political theory and psychoanalysis to argue persuasively for a sovereign and anarchic form of desire.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), Nobel Laureate, famously observed: "What is that terrible loneliness" where "one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold, unfathomable, lifeless abyss". In a short and beautifully crafted film, produced in association with the BBC Ideas 'How it feels to be Human' strand, Professor Brownlee explores ways in which our society can aim to combat loneliness.

See link below:

https://www.bbc.com/ideas/videos/should-we-have-a-right-not-to-be-lonely/p066l54w?autoplay=true

Professor Quassim Cassam has been awarded funding from The Warwick Ventures Ideas Fund (which supports research in Arts and Social Sciences) for his research project 'Professional Virtues in Modern Medicine'. This is one of only seven projects to receive total funding amounting to over £58k from the first tranche of awards given by the Ideas Fund. Each project was assessed on its potential social, cultural and political impact, in addtion to an alignment with the support that Warwick Ventures can offer.

This funding award will also support a one day Philosophy Department workshop on 'Professional Virtues in Modern Medicine' scheduled for November 2018. Further details and speakers for the day will be announced shortly.

Patrick Tomlin has joined the Department as Reader in Philosophy and Director of the BA in Politics, Philosophy and Law (PPL). Patrick comes from The University of Reading, where he taught for six years as a Lecturer and then Associate Professor in Political Theory. Prior to that, he was an AHRC-funded postdoctoral researcher in the Faculty of Law at Oxford, having also completed his DPhil in Political Theory there. Having spent his academic life between Politics, Law and Philosophy Departments, Patrick is especially excited to have been asked to lead Warwick's new PPL Degree.

It has been announced that the winner of the Philosophy Department Undergraduate Essay Competition 2018 is Ronja Griep, who wins First Prize and vouchers worth £100.00 for her essay 'Advice Columns, Sartre and Masochism'.

Congratulations also go to the two Runners Up: Hasan Suida and Leyla Hunn, who both win vouchers worth £50.00

Members of the jury were impressed by the high quality of entries received, and wish to thank all students who submitted their work. However, it was felt that Ronja's winning essay reflected an imaginative approach to the brief and eloquently demonstrated the value of philosophy in today's world.

Ronja will receive her First Prize at a special ceremony on Wednesday 2 May 2018. Many congratulations to Ronja!

The Department has introduced a new Personal Development Form to support Personal Tutor meetings. Personal Tutors should encourage these forms to be completed by their students in advance of their meetings to help them reflect on progress, development and to help identify areas where support is needed.

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/philosophy/undergraduate/student_support/personal-tutor/personaldevelopmentforms

A Special Philosophy Department Colloquium will take place on Wednesday 2 May 2018 on the Philosophy of Stupidity. The title of the event is 'Let's Not Be Stupid' and will take place in L5, Science Concourse, at 4.30pm. The Speakers will be Professor Quassim Cassam, Professor Miguel de Beistegui and Professor Diarmuid Costello. The Colloquium will be followed by Dinner; please contact Professor Cassam as soon as possible if you would like to attend the Dinner.