Topics Profession

Question Is it appropriate to email a philosopher in Academia about a journal article they may have published, whether it be with a possible criticism or query? This is assuming that the emailer is just a casual reader of said journal, not an academic, with no involvement in a university. Also assuming the email is polite, to the point, not of an exorbitant length, and the emailer is quite sure of his query or criticism.

Accepted:
October 4, 2012

Comments

Absolutely! Readers of such articles usually number in the dozens or, sometimes, hundreds, and very few readers write to the author. So it's really not a burden and, often, a really enlightening experience. You'll find that, in nearly all cases, you'll get a friendly and grateful reply.

Ditto. It's nice to know that something one has written has actually been read by someone who cared enough to respond, even if critically ... !