Last Monday, HumanitiesX worked with DePaul\u2019s Department of Philosophy to host their latest Writing in this Moment event, inviting Dr. Agnes Callard from The University of Chicago. Dr. Margaret Storey from DePaul\u2019s Department of History led a conversation about Callard\u2019s experience writing about philosophy for public audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An instructor in philosophy, Callard also operates as a public philosopher through her freelance writing. Callard has written for The New York Times<\/em>, The Boston Review<\/em>, and The New Yorker<\/em> on different topics of philosophy, like \u201cShould We Cancel Aristotle?<\/a>\u201d, \u201cThe Philosophy of Anger<\/a>\u201d, and \u201cWhat do Humanities do in a Crisis?<\/a>\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The webinar kicked off with Callard relating her experiences as a public philosopher. She began by telling a humorous story from her time at a remote conference for the American Philosophical Association where, during a breakout room session, she joined the room discussing philosophy in the pandemic. To her surprise, she was the only one to show, which made her think of the sentiment that \u201cpsychologically healthy, academically successful philosophers don\u2019t go near Twitter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do think there\u2019s a sense in the discipline of holding oneself back,\u201d said Callard, \u201cthat there\u2019s a quagmire or moras or a corrupting force that we could be getting ourselves into. If you\u2019re interested in philosophy, why not just do philosophy? Just talk to other philosophers. That\u2019s why I became a philosopher – for the company. There\u2019s something valuable in not retreating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She went on to relate the importance of public assemblies to public discourse in Athens, saying that forums like these allow us to engage our intellectual thoughts. Media platforms like Twitter, offer these assemblies, a space for philosophers to test their ideas, especially during a pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople really are interested in philosophical ideas, and you can test out your ideas on them through things like Twitter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also offered advice for public writing, her most emphasized point being\u2026 get to the point. To her, it\u2019s imperative that you give public audiences the core of your idea, and that this strategy will help you by revealing your most important ideas. It\u2019s also useful to consider the specific reasons for a public audience with philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe go through our lives presupposing answers to a bunch of questions that we think important. We already have answers before the questions.\u201d She goes on to iterate that philosophy helps cast light on those answers and questions, helping us gain insight into how we think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many questions were posed to her during the conversation, such as Storey\u2019s question about how academic thinking has changed during the pandemic. Callard answered that there\u2019s an idea that the pandemic is a challenge to academics over their worth and function, an idea that she asserts is false. She goes on to say that the \u201cweight\u201d of a pandemic prevents academics from accessing those higher levels of thought that make them what they are. In essence, a crisis prevents us from being at our best. There is no Nietzshezian test to struggle through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Callard left off with the advice that philosophers need to offer arguments, not answers, because otherwise we cannot generate new ideas, new knowledge. Through engagement with public audiences through media, we can do this on the streets (albeit digital) as opposed to in the towers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the full experience, you can now watch the webinar for free on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n