“Philosophy in Afghanistan” plus 3 more

Philosophy in Afghanistan
Philosophy under fire
Dog Philosophy 101, and Friday's featured pup
Oakland's community policing program to become a departmentwide philosophy

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:26 PM PDT

18 September 2010

Listen Now - 2010-09-18 |Download Audio - 18092010

This week, with the Afghan parliamentary elections about to take place, The Philosopher's Zone explores philosophy in Afghanistan, both within the universities and informally in the broader culture. Is there a philosophical tradition that managed to remain constant during all of Afghanistan's recent upheavals? Is there an Afghan philosophy at all and what do Afghan intellectuals think about the condition of their country?

Transcript available Monday 20 Sept

Guests

Ehsan Azari
Adjunct Fellow
Writing & Society Research Group
University of Western Sydney

Further Information

Tales of the Taliban in Their Own Words
Book review by Ehsan Azari in The Huffington Post

Publications

Title: Lacan and the Destiny of Literature Desire - Jouissance and the Sinthome in Shakespeare, Donne, Joyce and Ashbery
Author: Ehsan Azari
Publisher: Continuum literary studies (2008)

Presenter

Alan Saunders

Producer

Kyla Slaven

Sound Engineer

Charlie McCune

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Philosophy under fire

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 06:14 AM PDT

By Tom Colls
Today programme

"I think therefore I am" might be a good way to define a philosopher's job description, but in the internet age, should they be doing more to get the rest of us thinking too?

You might imagine that a podcast in which philosophers talk to a philosopher about philosophy would be a minority interest.

But Philosophy Bites, a podcast based on exactly that premise, is proving surprisingly popular - it has now been downloaded nearly eight million times and has made it into the top 20 podcasts in the United States.

Thinkers at the top of their profession explain, in 15-minute chunks, what they have figured out about the meaning of life, the nature of consciousness or the rights and wrongs of subjects ranging from war to cannibalism.

Bertrand Russell was never far from the public debate during his lifetime

For philosopher Nigel Warburton, who produces the podcast with BBC documentary maker David Edmonds, Philosophy Bites' success shows two things: that there is a genuine public interest in philosophy, and that philosophers aren't doing enough to tap into it.

"Some philosophers feel that they've done everything they need to do when they've published a paper in an obscure journal that about three people will read," he explains.

"If you really want to change the world you're not going to change it by speaking to a few other philosophers."

It is "perverse", he says, that some publicly-funded philosophers spend their time thinking deeply about matters of the upmost public importance, such as pertinent moral dilemmas, only to discuss their conclusions within the rarefied confines of a small group of peers.

After all, Warburton adds, most philosophy is far less complex than subjects like theoretical physics or maths.

"But people have a vested interest in making it difficult because they'll be made to seem cleverer if they're the ones that understand it." And there lies the rub.

Ivory tower

As might be expected, this argument doesn't go down well on every university campus.

In the long history of philosophy, there have been some individuals who bridged the gap between their thoughts and the public.

Socrates refused to write anything down, preferring to debate with Greek citizens, Descartes wrote in a way comprehensible to millions, and Bertrand Russell was both a groundbreaking logician and fervent populariser of the subject.

But there are also many thinkers who couldn't care less whether anyone understood their arguments.

In 1929, in a now legendary moment in philosophy, Ludwig Wittgenstein submitted his master work, the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, as his PhD thesis to examiners Bertrand Russell and GE Moore.

After some discussion, Wittgenstein slapped the internationally-renowned thinkers on the back. "Don't worry," he said. "I know you'll never understand it".

If centres of learning are to foster new ideas and groundbreaking research, perhaps they also need to accept that some academics aren't going to be easy to comprehend.

"Academia is in a large part about people who are more interested in certain things than other people think is normal. It is supposed to be that way," says Professor John Ladyman of Bristol University.

"It's one thing to say the subject as a whole ought to be able to make the case that it's able to speak to people other than philosophers, but the idea that every philosopher should is a palpable absurdity."

The titles of recent philosophical papers might be enough to persuade those who want university philosophers to engage more that they're singing from a different song book.

Fancy dipping into Expressivism Concerning Epistemic Modals on your bus journey home, or perhaps an investigation into Routley-Meyer Type Semantics for Relevant Logics Including Br Plus the Disjunctive Syllogism?

It is impossible now, argues Professor Ladyman, to calculate in advance the public benefits of this kind of in-depth research. Who could have predicted, he says, that the work on logic in the 1920s would eventually set the ground work for modern computing?

French philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir

European philosophers are often seen as powerful cultural voices

Academics are already under enormous pressure to demonstrate that their research and teaching is of public benefit, says Ladyman, a leading critic of government measures that link research funding to the public impact of academics' work.

As they struggle to secure funding in difficult economic times as well as provide the best teaching possible, isn't it too much to ask for philosophers to engage with the public as well?

Originality

But what, then, of the kind of philosophy that seems to prick the public imagination, that deals with issues of morality and the meaning of life?

"The kind of philosophy that matters most to the person in the street, isn't necessarily the kind of stuff which academia is giving a lot of time to," says Julian Baggini, editor-in-chief of The Philosophers' Magazine.

There is a gap, he says, between academics unable to "zoom out" from the microscopic level of nuanced debate and popular bookstore philosophy, which is nervous of being too heavy.

"There is a serious, less technical and more broad-brushed way of doing philosophy. That ground isn't occupied by anyone," he says.

While it is certainly easier to be a rigorous thinker with university resources at your disposal, there is an opening going for anyone with well thought through ideas of genuine depth.

After all, he says, "there's nothing to stop anyone being a philosopher."

Are you a closet philosopher with thoughts you want to share? Do you want more philosophy in your life, but don't know where to find it? Get in touch using the form below or join the debate on Twitter or Facebook .

The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.

Dog Philosophy 101, and Friday's featured pup

Posted: 18 Sep 2010 03:28 PM PDT

Cute just doesn't do justice as a way to describe Casey. This pup is definitely one of the lucky ones. Her owner is a good friend of mine who just adores her and took her to her first puppy training class Friday.

I thought it would be interesting to give readers an opportunity to send me their puppy pictures to kpemberton@vancouversun.com and tell me what having a dog means to you. On Fridays I'll begin posting cute puppy pictures from readers. This first puppy posting of Casey was taken by Sandra Konowalchuk.

In the meantime, read on to pick up some great advice from Dogwork.com suggesting us humans have a lot to learn from dogs.

Dog Philosophy:

1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
2. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
3. When loved ones come home, always run and greet them.
4. When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience.
5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
6.Take naps and always stretch before rising.
7. Run, romp and play daily.
8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
9. Be loyal.
10. Never pretend to be something you're not.
11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
13. Delight in the simple joys of a long walk.
14. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
15. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
16. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
17. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
18. No matter how often you are criticized, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

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Oakland's community policing program to become a departmentwide philosophy

Posted: 18 Sep 2010 03:52 PM PDT

It's been two months since the Oakland Police Department laid off 80 officers and reassigned to patrol 63 others who devoted hours to helping residents solve nagging crime problems to make their communities safer.

Chief Anthony Batts has promised that the reassignment of the so-called "problem-solving officers" does not spell the end of community policing in Oakland. In fact, he vows that every member of the department will be expected to embrace as second nature a community policing philosophy that will guide their daily work and problem-solving methods.

But until that happens, the loss of personnel who until July attended monthly meetings of the Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council in 57 beats around the city -- to listen, dispense advice, and find ways to solve problems -- is a major blow, many say.

To some residents, the absence of problem-solving officers pretty much spells the end of the community policing model they had come to trust. Their direct link to the Oakland Police Department is gone, and they fear that without that connection, the community groups who have put so much effort into working with police might fade away.

Don Link, chairman of the Shattuck prevention council, likened the setup to a team approach to reducing crime. But the team will suffer when key members are missing, he said.

"Without the police, you have one party strategizing and whistling in the wind," Link said. "Without the OPD, the meetings

will just dwindle and fail."

At a Public Safety Committee meeting last week, department brass laid out a plan to cope with the absence of the Measure Y-funded problem-solving officers. Capt. Ed Tracey said that beat officers will be tapped to fill the void. They will attend community meetings every couple of months and work with area commanders to continue to prioritize issues raised by the prevention councils. The commanders will find the resources to handle the issues and keep track of the progress. The beat assignments should happen within about 30 days, he said.

"It's the most we can do -- and we would rather do more," Tracey said. "The Police Department is worried about the (demise of the) NCPCs. We are making sure that doesn't happen with these stopgap measures. "... If you don't have a team of citizens working with police, how can we be successful?"

The problem-solving officer positions will likely be restored if Measure BB passes in November. The measure would revise Measure Y, passed by voters in 2004, which collects about $20 million a year for police, fire and violence-prevention programs. The funds were used to help pay for the 63 problem-solving officers, but the money can't be collected because the number of sworn officers employed by the department has fallen below 739.

Taking root

The outcome of the election will not stop the eventual move to a departmentwide community policing model, Tracey said. A department training manual is being developed and put out for review. Still, it will be some time before every last employee is trained and the concept takes root.

"While the chief wants to get this into a department philosophy, he recognizes that the community members have adapted and really liked the (problem-solving officer) model," Tracey said. "Our demand for service is so high, and at the end of the day, we need time to teach them. So while we will go with the (new philosophy) no matter what, we also want this ballot measure to pass because there will be no time for proactive work."

Tracey said citizens have made it clear they want the problem-solving officers.

"It's about what the citizens want, and if they say that program is making waves, we're not here to ruin it," he said.

That is good news to Link. The community policing program was nearly dismantled once before under Chief Richard Word, when he reorganized the department in response to budget cuts in 2002 and sent the community policing officers back out on patrol. But area lieutenants kept the program alive, Link said. One of them was Lt. Lawrence Green, who launched the first online forum to communicate and share information directly with residents.

"People were on the ropes and became really creative," Link said. "We all have the same goals, but it requires will of the commanders of OPD to keep community policing alive."

Right track

Link said Batts is on the right track with his all-inclusive philosophy. The challenge is to find creative approaches to keep residents engaged until that philosophy becomes a working reality.

That will be a daunting task given the staffing cuts to the department, which is dealing with more than the 80 layoffs of July 13. It also lost 22 hires who were in the police academy, and eliminated 27 vacant positions.

Since July, 14 officers have either retired or gone out on disability leave, and Batts believes there could be many more voluntary departures between now and Jan. 1, when another 122 officers are slated to lose their jobs if a parcel tax measure fails at the polls Nov. 2. The department currently employs 684 sworn officers, 122 fewer than it had at this time last year, and the lowest since 1994, Batts said Tuesday.

With those numbers, many wonder, how will any officer find time to do any kind of creative problem-solving?

Sheila D'Amico, a membership coordinator for the Melrose-High Hopes prevention council, said their problem-solving officer and neighborhood services coordinator helped an apartment building owner figure out how to rid his property of drug dealers. In another case, their police contacts helped shutter an illegal after-hours cabaret being operated in the building's garage.

"I'm not sure it will help the NCPC to have a non-dedicated (officer) involved," D'Amico said. "When you have a dedicated person, (everyone) knows the priorities are for the beat, and they know the status of the things you reported previously. I'm not saying it can't work, but "... "

Why change?

As for previous suggestions that the prevention councils merge into larger groups, or perhaps meet every two months instead of monthly, neither Link nor D'Amico agrees.

"For the life of me, I understand the staffing (problem), but I can't understand why they would change the NCPC, which is actually working," D'Amico said.

Councilmember Patricia Kernighan couldn't hide her dismay at Tuesday's meeting. She said her constituents are asking why they should bother to come to the meetings when the police are not there.

"It's so discouraging to see us falling back from the progress we had made," she said. "We could all see it, the cops could see it. The citizens were able to communicate with police and when they identified a problem there were resources to do something about it."

"It's all collapsed. The lack of PSOs at NCPC meetings is awful," Kernighan said. "We all debate (what is) community policing, but if you don't have at least 800 officers it's not going to happen. It really requires someone showing up at (the meetings)."

Philosophy

Sunday, September 19, 2010