Issues
Issue 69: September/October 2008
EDITORIAL
What Simone Said
by Anja Steinbauer
NEWS
News: September/October 2008
Italian Festival of Philosophy • Nagel Nabs Morality Prize • Atheists Urged to Be More Cuddly — News reports by Sue Roberts
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR
A Question of Vengeance
Pauline O’Flynn explores de Beauvoir’s argument that punishment is necessary to demonstrate that the degradation of humanity can never be ignored.
Becoming A Woman: Simone de Beauvoir on Female Embodiment
Felicity Joseph finds that sometimes it’s hard to become a woman.
The Accents of Her Ruby Lips
Annina Lehmann argues that wearing lipstick is a choice which shows that though we’re influenced by society, we can still make decisions about who we want to be.
The Ethics of Ambiguity
Charlotte Moore freely subjects de Beauvoir’s ethics to a discerning scrutiny.
The Second Sex
Sally Scholz traces the major currents of Simone de Beauvoir’s main work.
ARTICLES
Daniel Dennett: Autobiography (Part 2)
Daniel C. Dennett reflects on his philosophical life, in this episode from the time he received his first academic post, at the University of California, up to 2003.
Philosophy and the Art of Living
Mark Vernon says don’t do philosophy, become a philosopher!
The Merits of the Milesians
Chad Trainer seeks out the causes of the birth of Western philosophy.
What Makes Human Beings Unique?
Hans Lenk on symbols, interpretation and the nature of thought.
CROSSWORD
Crossword
Our twenty-third thoroughly thrilling textual teaser thoughtfully thrown together by Deiradiotes.
INTERVIEWS
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Nassim Nicholas Taleb has had a run-away success with The Black Swan, a book about surprise run-away successes. Constantine Sandis talks with him about knowledge and scepticism.
LETTERS
Letters
Gordon’s Destructive Creativity • Just Words • Steiner Decliner • The Heart of Art • Free Existential Joke • Extraordinary Ethical Extractions • Not A Single Dual • Freedom Fudge • What Is Free Will, Anyway?
COLUMNS
Dear Socrates
Having traveled from the turn of the Fourth Century B.C. to the turn of the Twenty-First Century A.D., Socrates has eagerly signed on as a Philosophy Now columnist so that he may continue to carry out his divinely-inspired dialogic mission.
First Person, Second Person, Third Person
by Joel Marks
George Moore’s Hands: Scepticism About Philosophy
Raymond Tallis is sceptical about Moore’s scepticism about scepticism.
REVIEWS
Language, Consciousness, Culture: Essays on Mental Structure by Ray Jackendoff
Petter Naessan talks Ray Jackendoff’s cultured thinking.
The Bible – The Biography by Karen Armstrong
Marcus Wheeler reads a Bible story by Karen Armstrong.
The Philosophy of Film Noir
Les Reid sees through a lens darkly with Mark Conard.
Robots
Grant Bartley looks behind the images of the film Robots to find three perspectives on artistic greatness.
FICTION
Only Human
Peter Worley’s heroine discovers that love goes deeper than the senses can penetrate.
Cogito Ergo Sum
Juke James thinks himself into a poem.