4

I'd like to convene a reading and discussion group via this site, and I'm checking here to see if there are any readers interested in participating. The idea (so far, anyway) works along the following lines: Each week, I post a link to an academic article. Group members read the article, and then we meet to engage a conversation about that article. Suggestions for variations on the theme are welcome. Possible variations I'm considering include a different presenter each week, in charge of giving a synopsis and leading the discussion.

Update: As per the preliminary chat between @JosephWeissman and myself, the discussion group is tentatively scheduled on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays, at 9pm EST. Additional input from interested parties is greatly appreciated! I will lead discussion of the topics at hand, and the topics will proceed along the following lines:

Analytic Reading List:

Quine - "Two Dogmas of Empiricism"

Putnam - "Meaning and Reference"

Davidson - "Actions, Reasons, and Causes"

Chomsky - (TBD)

Fodor - "LOT 2"

Stainton - "Meaning and Reference: Some Chomskyan Themes"

Rey - "In Defense of Folieism"

Jackendoff - "Finding Meaning in the Mind (Where It Belongs)"

Rey - "The Intentional Inexistence of Language (But Not Cars)"

Clark and Chalmers - "The Extended Mind"

Carruthers - (TBD, Probably something to do with Embodied Cognition)

Marcus - "Why There Are No Token States"

Continental Reading List:

Deleuze - Chap. 3 and Chap. 5 from "The Logic of Sense"

Guittari - Selections from "The Machinic Unconscious"

Dolar - Selections from "A Voice and Nothing More"

Update 2 - How would the interested parties feel about using a video chat discussion instead of a chatroom typing discussion?

4
  • Definitely! I might suggest we meet in chat and try to collaboratively develop the reading lists
    – Joseph Weissman Mod
    Oct 28, 2011 at 2:50
  • I'll head over now, if you're around
    – Jaime Ravenet
    Oct 28, 2011 at 3:05
  • 1
    I'm able to video chat / voice chat with Skype or Ventrilo. Best times for me will generally be anything not on a Friday or Saturday night.
    – stoicfury
    Nov 5, 2011 at 22:10
  • Maybe interested in reviving this now that traffic has picked up a bit?
    – Joseph Weissman Mod
    Jan 1, 2013 at 0:47

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3

Just wanted to document here that I do think this is a really great idea, and that Jaime and I discussed this a bit in chat a few evenings ago. At that time it was decided to try to hold reading groups regularly with the aim of discussing certain readings (probably a few articles or chapters at a time.)

I think we came to a consensus regarding trying to dig evenly into "continental" and "analytic" sources to try not to privilege either. I feel like we also agreed to focus on broad themes at first, and maybe dive into specific guiding questions as we get more comfortable with the format.

I also want to call for suggestions on good times for discussion (on the weekend or during the week, or in the afternoons or evenings); as well as for suggestions on themes and writers or articles that might be good items for the reading list.

2
  • I have a ton of phil of mind readings, but how are we going to share these readings? I doubt every one of them will be available online. I have access to the Harvard academic journal database but I don't believe it's technically legal for me to release articles publicly...
    – stoicfury
    Nov 5, 2011 at 22:05
  • @stoicfury I believe we would be acting within the law if we were to share documents via googledocs in a closed (private?) group. Anyone have thoughts on that?
    – Jaime Ravenet
    Nov 11, 2011 at 4:08

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .