Mar
24
Fri
An Epistemic Generalization of Rationalizability – Rohit Parikh @ Faculty House, Columbia U
Mar 24 @ 4:10 pm

Rationalizability, originally proposed by Bernheim and Pearce, generalizes the notion of Nash equilibrium. Nash equilibrium requires common knowledge of strategies. Rationalizability only requires common knowledge of rationality. However, their original notion assumes that the payoffs are common knowledge. I.e. agents do know what world they are in, but may be ignorant of what other agents are playing.

We generalize the original notion of rationalizability to consider situations where agents do not know what world they are in, or where some know but others do not know. Agents who know something about the world can take advantage of their superior knowledge. It may also happen that both Ann and Bob know about the world but Ann does not know that Bob knows. How might they act?

We will show how a notion of rationalizability in the context of partial knowledge, represented by a Kripke structure, can be developed.

Mar
30
Thu
Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series @ Grace Dodge Hall 179
Mar 30 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

The Colloquium in Philosophy and Education (A&HF 5600) is intended for all masters and doctoral students in the program in Philosophy and Education. Others who are interested in attending a session should contact the coordinator, Professor Megan Laverty.

January 26 Chu Hsi’s Ethics of Reading: for the Recovery of Humanistic Pedagogies of Learning
Duck-Joo Kwak, Professor, Department of Education, Seoul National
University, South Korea & Wsiting Scholar, Philosophy Department, CU

February 9 A Quest for Freedom In Colonial limes: Sor Juana lnes de la Cruz on Liberty
Virginia Aspe, Researcher, Philosophy Faculty, Panamericana University, Mexico

February 16 The Dignity of Difference: Toward a Metaphysical Justification of Care for the Other
Eli Vinokur, Teaching Fellow, University of Haifa, Israel and Wsiting
Scholar in the Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
location: Horace Mann 332

February 23 Passion and imagination: Where Poetry, Philosophy and Life Intersect
Edward Mooney, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy, Syracuse University
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 9 Pedagogy, Knowledge and Possibility in the Experience of the Self
Rosa Hong Chen, Sessional Instructor, Simon Fraser University, Canada
and Visiting Scholar, Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU

March 23 Stanley Cavell and Philosophy as Translation
Naoko Saito, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education,
Univeristy of Kyoto, Japan
Paul Standish, Professor and Chair of Philosphy Education,
University College London, Institiute of Education, United Kingdom
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 30 Backroads Pragmatists: John Dewey and the Scientific Ethic in Mexico and the
United States
Ruben Flores, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies,
The University of Kansas
Note: This event is cohosted with the History and Education Program,
Teachers College, Columbia University

April 13 Masters Students Thesis Presentations
Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
Location: Horace Mann 332

April 20 Some Notes on the Label “Educationally Disadvantaged”
Roland Reichenbach, Professor of Education, University of ZUrich,
Switzerland

May 4 The Miseducation of the Indebted Student

Jason Wozniak PhD. Candidate, Philosophy and Education Program,
Teachers College, CU

For more information about the Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series, please contact
the Colloquium Coordinator, Megan Laverty, at Laverty@tc.edu
Teachers College, Columbia University | Philosophy and Education program | http://tc.columbia.edu/philosophy

Apr
13
Thu
Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series @ Grace Dodge Hall 179
Apr 13 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

The Colloquium in Philosophy and Education (A&HF 5600) is intended for all masters and doctoral students in the program in Philosophy and Education. Others who are interested in attending a session should contact the coordinator, Professor Megan Laverty.

January 26 Chu Hsi’s Ethics of Reading: for the Recovery of Humanistic Pedagogies of Learning
Duck-Joo Kwak, Professor, Department of Education, Seoul National
University, South Korea & Wsiting Scholar, Philosophy Department, CU

February 9 A Quest for Freedom In Colonial limes: Sor Juana lnes de la Cruz on Liberty
Virginia Aspe, Researcher, Philosophy Faculty, Panamericana University, Mexico

February 16 The Dignity of Difference: Toward a Metaphysical Justification of Care for the Other
Eli Vinokur, Teaching Fellow, University of Haifa, Israel and Wsiting
Scholar in the Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
location: Horace Mann 332

February 23 Passion and imagination: Where Poetry, Philosophy and Life Intersect
Edward Mooney, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy, Syracuse University
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 9 Pedagogy, Knowledge and Possibility in the Experience of the Self
Rosa Hong Chen, Sessional Instructor, Simon Fraser University, Canada
and Visiting Scholar, Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU

March 23 Stanley Cavell and Philosophy as Translation
Naoko Saito, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education,
Univeristy of Kyoto, Japan
Paul Standish, Professor and Chair of Philosphy Education,
University College London, Institiute of Education, United Kingdom
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 30 Backroads Pragmatists: John Dewey and the Scientific Ethic in Mexico and the
United States
Ruben Flores, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies,
The University of Kansas
Note: This event is cohosted with the History and Education Program,
Teachers College, Columbia University

April 13 Masters Students Thesis Presentations
Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
Location: Horace Mann 332

April 20 Some Notes on the Label “Educationally Disadvantaged”
Roland Reichenbach, Professor of Education, University of ZUrich,
Switzerland

May 4 The Miseducation of the Indebted Student

Jason Wozniak PhD. Candidate, Philosophy and Education Program,
Teachers College, CU

For more information about the Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series, please contact
the Colloquium Coordinator, Megan Laverty, at Laverty@tc.edu
Teachers College, Columbia University | Philosophy and Education program | http://tc.columbia.edu/philosophy

Apr
20
Thu
Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series @ Grace Dodge Hall 179
Apr 20 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

The Colloquium in Philosophy and Education (A&HF 5600) is intended for all masters and doctoral students in the program in Philosophy and Education. Others who are interested in attending a session should contact the coordinator, Professor Megan Laverty.

January 26 Chu Hsi’s Ethics of Reading: for the Recovery of Humanistic Pedagogies of Learning
Duck-Joo Kwak, Professor, Department of Education, Seoul National
University, South Korea & Wsiting Scholar, Philosophy Department, CU

February 9 A Quest for Freedom In Colonial limes: Sor Juana lnes de la Cruz on Liberty
Virginia Aspe, Researcher, Philosophy Faculty, Panamericana University, Mexico

February 16 The Dignity of Difference: Toward a Metaphysical Justification of Care for the Other
Eli Vinokur, Teaching Fellow, University of Haifa, Israel and Wsiting
Scholar in the Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
location: Horace Mann 332

February 23 Passion and imagination: Where Poetry, Philosophy and Life Intersect
Edward Mooney, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy, Syracuse University
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 9 Pedagogy, Knowledge and Possibility in the Experience of the Self
Rosa Hong Chen, Sessional Instructor, Simon Fraser University, Canada
and Visiting Scholar, Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU

March 23 Stanley Cavell and Philosophy as Translation
Naoko Saito, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education,
Univeristy of Kyoto, Japan
Paul Standish, Professor and Chair of Philosphy Education,
University College London, Institiute of Education, United Kingdom
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 30 Backroads Pragmatists: John Dewey and the Scientific Ethic in Mexico and the
United States
Ruben Flores, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies,
The University of Kansas
Note: This event is cohosted with the History and Education Program,
Teachers College, Columbia University

April 13 Masters Students Thesis Presentations
Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
Location: Horace Mann 332

April 20 Some Notes on the Label “Educationally Disadvantaged”
Roland Reichenbach, Professor of Education, University of ZUrich,
Switzerland

May 4 The Miseducation of the Indebted Student

Jason Wozniak PhD. Candidate, Philosophy and Education Program,
Teachers College, CU

For more information about the Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series, please contact
the Colloquium Coordinator, Megan Laverty, at Laverty@tc.edu
Teachers College, Columbia University | Philosophy and Education program | http://tc.columbia.edu/philosophy

May
4
Thu
Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series @ Grace Dodge Hall 179
May 4 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

The Colloquium in Philosophy and Education (A&HF 5600) is intended for all masters and doctoral students in the program in Philosophy and Education. Others who are interested in attending a session should contact the coordinator, Professor Megan Laverty.

January 26 Chu Hsi’s Ethics of Reading: for the Recovery of Humanistic Pedagogies of Learning
Duck-Joo Kwak, Professor, Department of Education, Seoul National
University, South Korea & Wsiting Scholar, Philosophy Department, CU

February 9 A Quest for Freedom In Colonial limes: Sor Juana lnes de la Cruz on Liberty
Virginia Aspe, Researcher, Philosophy Faculty, Panamericana University, Mexico

February 16 The Dignity of Difference: Toward a Metaphysical Justification of Care for the Other
Eli Vinokur, Teaching Fellow, University of Haifa, Israel and Wsiting
Scholar in the Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
location: Horace Mann 332

February 23 Passion and imagination: Where Poetry, Philosophy and Life Intersect
Edward Mooney, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy, Syracuse University
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 9 Pedagogy, Knowledge and Possibility in the Experience of the Self
Rosa Hong Chen, Sessional Instructor, Simon Fraser University, Canada
and Visiting Scholar, Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU

March 23 Stanley Cavell and Philosophy as Translation
Naoko Saito, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education,
Univeristy of Kyoto, Japan
Paul Standish, Professor and Chair of Philosphy Education,
University College London, Institiute of Education, United Kingdom
Location: Horace Mann 332

March 30 Backroads Pragmatists: John Dewey and the Scientific Ethic in Mexico and the
United States
Ruben Flores, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies,
The University of Kansas
Note: This event is cohosted with the History and Education Program,
Teachers College, Columbia University

April 13 Masters Students Thesis Presentations
Philosophy and Education Program, Teachers College, CU
Location: Horace Mann 332

April 20 Some Notes on the Label “Educationally Disadvantaged”
Roland Reichenbach, Professor of Education, University of ZUrich,
Switzerland

May 4 The Miseducation of the Indebted Student

Jason Wozniak PhD. Candidate, Philosophy and Education Program,
Teachers College, CU

For more information about the Philosophy and Education Colloquium Series, please contact
the Colloquium Coordinator, Megan Laverty, at Laverty@tc.edu
Teachers College, Columbia University | Philosophy and Education program | http://tc.columbia.edu/philosophy

Dec
8
Fri
The Price of Broadminded Probabilities and the Limitation of Science – Haim Gaifman (Columbia) @ Faculty House, Columbia U
Dec 8 @ 4:10 pm

A subjective probability function is broadminded to the extent that it assigns positive probabilities to conjectures that can be possibly true. Assigning to such a conjecture the value 0 amounts to a priori ruling out the possibility of confirming the conjecture to any extent by the growing evidence. A positive value leaves, in principle, the possibility of learning from the evidence. In general, broadmindedness is not an absolute notion, but a graded one, and there is a price for it: the more broadminded the probability, the more complicated it is, because it has to assign non-zero values to more complicated conjectures. The framework which is suggested in the old Gaifman-Snir paper is suitable for phrasing this claim in a precise way and proving it. The technique by which this claim is established is to assume a definable probability function, and to state within the same language a conjecture that can be possibly true, whose probability is 0.

The complexity of the conjecture depends on the complexity of the probability, i.e., the complexity of the formulas that are used in defining it. In the Gaifman-Snir paper we used the arithmetical hierarchy as a measure of complexity. It is possible however to establish similar results with respect to a more “down to earth” measures, defined in terms of the time that it takes to calculate the probabilities, with given precisions.

A claim of this form, for a rather simple setup, was first proven by Hilary Putnam in his paper ““Degree of Confirmation” and inductive logic”, which was published in the 1963 Schilpp volume dedicated to Carnap. The proof uses in a probabilistic context, a diagonalization technique, of the kind used in set theory and in computer science. In the talk I shall present Putnam’s argument and show how diagonalization can be applied in considerably richer setups.

The second part of the talk is rather speculative. I shall point out the possibility that there might be epistemic limitations to what human science can achieve, which are imposed by certain pragmatic factors ‒ such as the criterion of repeatable experiments. All of which would recommend a skeptic attitude.

The Structure of Episodic Memory: Ganeri’s “Mental Time Travel and Attention” – Nicholas Silins (Cornell) and Susanna Siegel (Harvard) @ Columbia Religion Dept. rm 101
Dec 8 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

We offer a framework for assessing what the structure of episodic memory might be, if one accepts a Buddhist denial of persisting or even momentary selves. Our paper is a response to Jonardon Ganeri’s “Mental time travel and attention”, and we focus on his exploration of Buddhaghosa’s ideas about memory. In particular, we distinguish between memory perspectives on the past and memory relations that may or may not be successfully borne to the past.  We also critically examine 3 ways of trying to cash out what is distinctive about episodic memory: (1) episodic memory as mental time travel, (2) episodic memory as reliving of the past, and (3) episodic memory as reflective attention to the past.

THE COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY

Please save the following dates for our upcoming talks:

Feb. 9: Cat Prueitt (George Mason University)

March 9: Kin Cheung (Moravian College)

April 13: Lara Braitstein (McGill University)

May 11: David Cummiskey (Bates College)

 

Feb
9
Fri
Beyond Time, Not Before Time: Affirming the Beginningless Reality of Conceptual Differentiation in Indian Philosophy- Catherine Prueitt (George Mason) @ Columbia Religion Dept. rm 101
Feb 9 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

The Pratyabhijñā Śaiva tradition, as first systematized by Utpaladeva (10th century) and elaborated by Abhinavagupta (10th-11th century), follows a number of other classical Indian philosophical traditions in 1) fully acknowledging that Buddhist Vijñānavādins claim to account for the diversity manifest in the conventional world through an appeal to beginningless karmic imprints; and 2) utterly rejecting that this solution avoids circularity. To sum up the Śaiva critique: a Vijñānavādin cannot avoid the question of what causes the diversity of experiences in the conventional world by appealing to beginningless causal processes because these processes themselves require the existence of some kind of real stuff that has the capacity to manifest in diverse forms. These Śaivas hone their argument in relation to a Dharmakīrtian view of ultimate consciousness as utterly beyond causal relations—a view that Dharmakīrti (7th century) uses to brush aside any questions about the real relationship between conventional and ultimate reality as incoherent. These Śaivas argue that the question of how the variegation of a specific moment of awareness arises if no part of this variegation­—including the variegation of the causes that produce it—is inherent to what is ultimately real is philosophically salient. Moreover, this question cannot be addressed simply by an appeal to beginningless ignorance. While an appeal to beginningless karmic imprints is perfectly sufficient to account for the differences between various karmic streams within the conventional world, it is not sufficient to account for the mere fact that there is differentiated stuff capable of entering into causal relations. The Pratyabhijñā Śaivas offer a complex and distinctive solution to this problem: while they affirm that ultimate reality is beginningless in the sense that it is beyond time, they also claim that time itself has a “beginning” in the expression of the nondual differentiation inherent to the ultimate itself. They further link the expression of time with the creation of the subject/object pairs that define conventional worlds—and use Dharmakīrti’s own apoha (exclusion) theory of concept formation to explain how this happens.

THE COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY

Welcomes:

Catherine Prueitt (George Mason University)

With a response from:

Andrew Nicholson (Stony Brook University, SUNY)

Please save the following dates for our upcoming talks:

March 30: Kin Cheung (Moravian College)

April 13: Lara Braitstein (McGill University)

May 11: David Cummiskey (Bates College)

Mar
3
Sat
Recent Work in Decision Theory and Epistemology Workshop @ Philosophy Hall rm 716
Mar 3 all-day

Speakers:

Jennifer Carr (University of California, San Diego)
Ryan Doody (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Harvey Lederman (Princeton University)
Chris Meacham (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)

Organizer:

Melissa Fusco (Columbia University)

9:30 – 10:00 Breakfast (716 Philosophy Hall)
SESSION I Chair: Melissa Fusco
10:00 – 11:30 Jennifer Carr: “Can Accuracy Motivate Modesty?”
11:30 – 11:45 Coffee Break I
SESSION II Chair: Jessica John Collins
11:45 – 1:15 Ryan Doody: “Hard Choices Made Harder”
1:15 – 2:30 Lunch
SESSION III Chair: Jennifer Carr
2:30 – 4:00 Harvey Lederman: “Verbalism”
4:00 – 4:30 Coffee Break II
SESSION IV Chair: Ryan Doody
4:30 – 6:00 Chris Meacham: “Decision in Cases of Infinitely Many Utility Contributions”
6:00 Drinks
Nov
29
Thu
Technê as Productive Knowledge for Aristotle, Simona Aimar (UCL) @ Columbia University Philosophy Dept. 716
Nov 29 @ 4:10 pm – 6:00 pm

Reception to follow