Carleton College Philosophy

02/09/2023

Socratrees Barkeley's 45th birthday was a great success.
Socratrees joined the department in 1978 and has never left, working hard day and night to maintain our philosophical atmosphere. Perry Mason was the one who introduced Socratrees to the department!

11/03/2022

A brilliant song by our junior major Luisa Cichowski about the argument between Socrates and Callicles, in Plato's "Gorgias," over the place of pleasure in the good life.
Enjoy!

“In Your Life You Have These Jars” by Luisa Cichowski (a song about the argument, in Plato’s Gorgias, between Callicles and Socrates over the place of pleasure in the good life)   Lyrics Pleasure is a feeling, strong and nice Should we control it, or let pleasure rule our lives? “My name is...

09/08/2022

Happy New Academic Year!
For your viewing enjoyment, some pics from the site of Aristotle's Lyceum in Athens.
As the info panel on the site explains, Aristotle held more complex philosophical discussions during his morning stroll with advanced students; he dedicated his afternoon stroll to conversations with less advanced learners. If we were to follow this tradition, the department should hold all seminars in the mornings and lower level classes in the afternoons.

02/13/2022

If you go to Family Fare around Valentine's Day this year you will be gruesomely faced with a deeply philosophical question: what is the meaning of a discounted meat heart? We wish you a very happy philosophical Valentine's Day!

01/18/2022

To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, here is a good op-ed by Kimberlé Crenshaw on his legacy:

When states ban antiracism history from schools, they're disavowing what King stood for

10/30/2021

Nothing says "Happy Halloween" better than Immanuel Kant's face carved in pumpkin! This chef-d'œuvre is the winner of the Philosophy department's pumpkin carving contest. Thank you to Kristen Askeland and our SDAs for organizing it!

08/20/2021

We hope your summer break has been going well!
This is something for Carleton to consider, given we have a lot of wind and very hot summers:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210810-the-ancient-persian-way-to-keep-cool?xtor=ES-213-[BBC%20Features%20Newsletter]-2021August20-[Future%7c+Button]

From ancient Egypt to the Persian Empire, an ingenious method of catching the breeze kept people cool for millennia. Now, it could come to our aid once again.

05/18/2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYySOUdAG5k

One of our favorite SCTV sketches featuring one of the greats-- The Second City's dear friend, Harold Ramis.We'll miss you.(c) 2014 The Second City Inc.

03/26/2021

Philosophers and Co. on break
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HzFJcjEGNHbTTjZN6

03/08/2021

Let's not forget that today is a virtual interfaith Day of Prayer for Justice for George Floyd and Black Liberation:

03/08/2021

Happy International Women's Day!

International Women's Day 2021 theme is 'Choose to Challenge' - |

03/03/2021

Communicating across difference: