Question How much does competition, fashion, etc. influence academic philosophy?

Accepted:
October 5, 2006

Comments

How is it that philosophers make their views know to others? By lecturing at a University, for one. But here we have competition for students: Universities with each other, and between departments over students. The student-customer has to make a choice where and what to study. So, in order to be able to lecture, the philosopher must enter into and have some success in competition. Still more so with publishing: since publishers are in competition, the authors must likewise. However, does this competition necessarily influence what philosophers say and think, or just how they market themselves? That is not so clear.

Fashion is more difficult still. It certainly often looks like there are philosophical bandwagons that roll rapidly for a few years or decades. No doubt the element of competition is important here: a young PhD student will want to write on a topic that is likely to get him or her a job. But the latest idea in philosophy may be attractive not merely because it is new, or because distinguished Professor so-and-so was seen wearing it. Rather, it may appeal because it seems to solve (or make irrelevant) a long-standing problem, or offer a fertile new territory of questions, and so forth. That is, it may be that there are philosophical fashions for good philosophical reasons.

Question How much does competition, fashion, etc. influence academic philosophy? Accepted:October 5, 2006

Question How much does competition, fashion, etc. influence academic philosophy?

Accepted:
October 5, 2006