Methods
- "Wittgenstein's Accomplishment Is Most Importantly One of Method" (Issue Introduction, Vol. 1, No. 2, of Essays in Philosophy, a web-based philosophy journal found at www.humboldt.edu/~essays; General Editor, Michael F. Goodman): available from their archives at http://www.humboldt.edu/~essays/introv1n2.html
- On the Nonexistence of Perceptions argues that the philosophical concept of perceptions is a myth--that no things fitting that account exist and that what perceptions do exist cannot be fixed up to fit the philosophical account required by the argument from illusion, the dreaming argument, or problems about skepticism and knowledge.
- Questioning philosophical method using Derek Parfit's notion of empty questions (this is an old paper in need of crutches).
- Skepticism and representational theories of mind require the soundness of the Argument From Illusion. Here's an abbreviated attack in the form of an example, checking on what we would say as opposed to what our philosophical temptations lead us to expect.
- "Progress in Philosophy" Draft of the preface for a book mss., Language as Signs.
- "Being a Philosopher: The First Step," commentary on paper by
Claudine Verheggen, "Wittgenstein's Philosophical Stance on Meaning," Pacific Division Meeting, American Philosophical Association,
3 April 99, Berkeley, CA;
at issue was how to understand the claim that Wittgenstein rejects philosophical problems. This piece is included here mostly for the suggestion that problems be approached as in a twelve-step program: first step--admit you have a problem.
Critical Thinking, Applied Ethics
-
"What's Education For?" in Thought and Action, November 98: available from their archives at http://www2.nea.org/he/heta98/images/f98-109.pdf
- An attack against moral relativism and against moral absolutism.
Language
-
"The Very Idea of Language"
A draft of this was presented to the No Name Philosophy Group (that's its name), a group of faculty and alumni from the University of Oregon's graduate program in philosophy, in Eugene OR, 18 June 2004. It is an informal group of friends, and (though they meet once a month and are a formidable critical audience) I have not included this presentation in my cv. "The Ins and Outs of Language"
A paper attacking the idea that we can, in a context-free way, know what is inside and what is outside language--unless we beg questions and assume the picture of language as signs.- What's Wrong with Definitions? against the current overuse of definitions in academic work and against the idea that understanding can rest on definitions.
- Abstract of an academic paper on Alcibiades, who gives the last speech in Plato's Symposium. Here's where I started thinking there may be deliberate irony in Plato's Platonism.
Miscellaneous
- "How to Take What Indians Say," a response to relativism among some Native American Studies scholars. Currently under consideration at Native Americas, after their positive response to a query.
- "American Pragmatism's Roots in Native American Philosophy," solicited review of Scott L. Pratt's Native Pragmatism (Indiana Univ. Press, Bloomington: 2002), in American Indian Culture and Research Journal (edited at UCLA), Spring 2003.
