AAP Newsletter August 2022

Message from the AAP Chair – Catriona Mackenzie

Events

  • AGM 

  • AAP Conferences

  • Alan Saunders Lecture

  • Australasian Philosothon – Call for judges

  • Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference – Call for papers

Prize Announcements

  • Annette Baier Prize

  • Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum Prize

  • Media Prize

  • Postgraduate Presentation Prize

Journals

  • Australasian Journal of Philosophy – Issue 100.2

  • Australasian Philosophical Review – Issue 5.2 & Call for Open Peer Commentaries for Lead Article by Yong Huang 

  • Undergraduate Philosophy Journal of Australasia – Interviews with Philip Pettit and Kim Sterelny

Jobs – calls for applications

  • Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow/Associate Professor in Philosophy, Dianoia Institute of Philosophy, Australian Catholic University

  • Lecturer in the Philosophy of AI, Macquarie University

  • Lecturer in Philosophy, Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

Vale – Geoffrey Brennan, Janna Thompson and Brian Scarlett

________________________________________

Message from the AAP Chair – Catriona Mackenzie

After a total of 9 years first on the AAP Council and then as a member of the AAP Board, I will be standing down as Chair of the Board at the conclusion of the 2022 AGM. The current Deputy Chair of the Board, Jeanette Kennett, will assume the role of Chair. 

Since I joined Council in 2013, the structure, strategy and efficient operation of AAP governance has been transformed, under the direction of the previous CEO Graham Oppy and the current CEO Stuart Brock. My predecessor as Chair, Susan Dodds, was also instrumental in helping to achieve this transformation. The former Treasurer, Antony Eagle made an outstanding contribution to ensuring that AAP funds are invested soundly and ethically, and the current Treasurer, Katie Steele, has continued Antony’s good work. All positions on the Board, as well as on the Executive and Operating Committees are staffed on a voluntary basis. As an Association, we are extremely fortunate that so many dedicated, talented and hardworking philosophers are willing to volunteer their time to achieving our goals. I also want to acknowledge the pivotal role of the General Manager, Eliza Goddard, in coordinating and ensuring the smooth operation of all the different functions of the AAP. 

Since I took up the position of Chair in 2020, the AAP, like the rest of the world, has faced significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Association has adapted in the face of these challenges, including by running the last two AAP conferences as fully online events. The AAP turns 100 in 2023, and we are planning an in-person conference, as well as a range of other exciting events, to mark the Centenary year. Despite the challenges of the last few years, the Association has much to celebrate and look forward to in marking 100 years of the AAP. 

________________________________________

AGM

The 2022 AAP AGM will be held on Friday 5 August 3.00-4.30pm NZST; 1.00 – 2.30pm AEST; 11.00-12.30pm SGT. The AGM will be held in hybrid mode, online and in-person, Hunter Building, Rm 206, Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington.

The agenda and papers can be accessed via the members site here:

aap.org.au/members/AGM/2022

A notice of the meeting and call for nominations was sent to members on 29 June, with a reminder on 29 July. 

If you would like to attend the meeting, you can register here: https://www.aap.org.au/event-4879099. Upon registration, you will receive information on how to join by videoconference. We ask that you register whether attending in person or online. This will enable a legal register of attendees.

Any questions can be directed to the General Manager: ElizaGoddard@aap.org.au

________________________________________


AAP Conferences

  2022 CONFERENCE  

The 2022 Conference took place over two weeks from 28-30 June & 5-7 July, on Tuesday-Thursday of each week. Whilst initially planned as an in-person conference, in response to the ongoing COVID pandemic, it was subsequently held online, once again capably organised by Nick Munn (University of Waikato) and Joe Ulatowski (University of Waikato), convenors of the AAP Conference Committee. 

The conference featured keynotes from: John Sutton, Monima Chadha, Jessica Whyte (winner of the 2021 Annette Baier prize), Gillian Russell and Bryan Mukandi. It was well attended with over 140 papers scheduled across the two weeks and more than 230 participants. A workshop was held by Samuel Baron on ‘Writing for the Media’. The workshop covered the process from pitching to engaging with editors, to produce a final published article. It also considered the upsides and downsides of writing for the media. 

  2023 CONFERENCE  

The 2023 Conference will take place from Sunday 2 - Thursday 6 July 2023, hosted by the Dianoia Institute of Philosophy and the School of Philosophy, at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia. 

________________________________________

Alan Saunders Lecture

The 2022 Alan Saunders Lecture was presented by Bryan Mukandi on the topic “Striving for a new normal without social justice”.

aap.org.au/AlanSaundersLecture

The lecture was presented as part of the AAP Conference and was broadcast by the ABC on Monday 25 July on RN’s ‘Big Ideas’. The podcast is available here:

abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/striving-for-a-new-normal-without-social-injustice/13985156

________________________________________

Australasian Philosothon – call for judges

The 2022 Australasian Philosothon (AAPP) hosted by the AAP’s Philosophy in Community committee will be held online on Friday 19 - Saturday 20 August 2022. 

Start: Perth 8 am / Adelaide 9:30 am / AEST 10:00 am / NZST 12.00 pm

Finish: 12:00 pm Perth/ Adelaide 1:00 pm / AEST 2:0 pm / NZST 4:00 pm

Invitations to be a judge at one or both days of the 2022 Australasian Philosothon are now open. Interested people should email Karen Bland, Philosothon organiser, by August 5, at philosothon@aap.org.au. Judges will be sent the stimulus material and judges kit.

philosothon.org

________________________________________

2022 Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference (APPC) – Call for Papers 

The Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference (APPC) is an annual conference that provides a great opportunity for postgraduate philosophy students to present their work, debate their ideas, receive feedback from peers, and find collaborators across institutions. This year, the conference will run on the 26-27 of November. The 2022 APPC will be conducted online via Zoom. 

Submissions are welcomed from both Australasian and international postgraduate philosophy students and early career academics who have received their doctorate within the last two years. Abstracts are being accepted now until 26 August. To submit an abstract, please do so via the Google form at forms.gle/Um4TJrqggyzp55QK7.

Any interested persons are welcome to attend. All attendees, including those who have submitted an abstract to the conference, should register using this form: forms.gle/5J6tieXA6Lv7oPEH7.

If you have any questions, please contact the Postgraduate Committee at postgraduates@aap.org.au.

________________________________________

Prizes

Annette Baier Prize

The winner of the Annette Baier Prize in 2022 is Melissa Merritt for the paper ‘Kant and Stoic Affections'. Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 51(5), 329–350 (2021). The shortlist included papers by Rachael Brown, ‘Is cultural evolution always fast? Challenging the idea that cognitive gadgets would be capable of rapid and adaptive evolution’. Synthese 199, 8965–8989 (2021) and Heather Dyke, ‘Weak neo-Whorfianism and the philosophy of time’. Mind & Language, 1–14 (2021).

More information about the prize, including full details of the shortlisted papers, can be found here: aap.org.au/Annette-Baier-Prize

Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum Prize

The winner of the Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum Prize in 2022 is Sam Shpall - University of Sydney for the course Philosophy & Literature (PHIL2646).

aap.org.au/Innovation-in-Inclusive-Curricula-Prize

Media Prize

The winner of the AAP Media Prize for 2022 is Matthew Sharpe (Deakin University) for “When life gives you lemons... 4 Stoic tips for getting through lockdown from Epictetus” published in the Conversation, 23 August 2021. 

theconversation.com/when-life-gives-you-lemons-4-stoic-tips-for-getting-through-lockdown-from-epictetus-166487

aap.org.au/AAP-Media-Prize

Postgraduate Presentation Prize

The winner of the 2022 Postgraduate Presentation prize is Nick Willis - Australian National University for the paper 'Innovating over gappy resources – blame and hermeneutical injustice'. The shortlist included papers by Meg McCamley - 'Enactive Behaviour Analysis', Raphael Morris - 'Sealioning: A Discursive Autoimmune Disease' and Brandon Yip -  'What is Moral Disgust?'.

aap.org.au/Postgraduate-Presentation-Prize

________________________________________

Journals





Australasian Journal of Philosophy – Issue 100.2

Subscribe to content alerts

tandfonline.com/toc/rajp20/100/2?nav=tocList

Follow on twitter: @AustralJPhilos






Australasian Philosophical Review

APR – Issue 5.2 & Call for Proposals for Open Peer Commentaries

The APR is seeking proposals for open peer commentaries on 

Yong Huang - "Zhu Xi's Virtue Ethics Approach to Meta-Ethics". 

Curator: Winnie Sung; Panel: K. Gustin Law and Yat-hung Leung

Invited commentaries from: Matthew D. Walker, JeeLoo Liu, Bradfort Cokelet, David Copp 

Proposal abstracts should be brief (200-500 words), stating clearly the aspects of the lead article that will be discussed, together with an indication of the approach that will be taken. More details are available on the APR website, aap.org.au/APR
Abstract submissions are due on 02 September 2022. Invitations to write commentaries of 2000-3000 words will be issued on 12 September 2022. Full-length commentaries will be due on 18 November 2022.

________________________________________


Undergraduate Philosophy Journal of Australasia 

Interviews with Philip Pettit and Kim Sterelny

UPJA has recently published interviews with Philip Pettit and Kim Sterelny. A full list of interviews can be found here: upja.online/interviews

Call for Papers & Call for Referees opening soon - Join the mailing list to hear more upja.online

________________________________________

Jobs – Call for applications

Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow/Associate Professor in Philosophy, Dianoia Institute of Philosophy, Australian Catholic University

Dianoia Institute of Philosophy is recruiting for two full-time, continuing research-only positions in fields that will diversify current strengths including but not limited to moral, social, and political philosophy. For details see: acu.edu.au/about-acu/careers-at-acu/how-to-apply/job-vacancies#

Applications Close: 24th August 2022, 11:59pm (AEST)

Lecturer in the Philosophy of AI, Macquarie University

The Department of Philosophy at Macquarie University is seeking to appoint a continuing, full time Lecturer in the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence. 

Details of the position and teaching and research duties can be found here: Lecturer Application Page: mq.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/CareersatMQ/job/Lecturer--Philosophy-of-Artificial-Intelligence_R000008364 

Job Reference: R000008364  Applications Close: 26th August 2022, 11:59pm (AEST)

Lecturer in Philosophy, Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington is advertising for a continuing position in Philosophy. Details of the position and how to apply can be found here: www.aplitrak.com/?adid=ZHNvbWVydmlsbGUuNzk3MTQuMTAxM0B2dXduei5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20&fbclid=IwAR3TBZwnR1pfLgO6Nbihg-B8qlMgWqFjB95pFKV90n61i9BeqI1wrJXE8yU

Job Reference: 4661   Applications close: Friday 23 September 2022 

________________________________________

Vale Geoffrey Brennan (1944-2022)

The AAP has learnt of the recent death of Geoffrey Brennan, member of the School of Philosophy at the Australian National University, who taught at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Duke University. Here is an excerpt of a notice circulated by Nic Southwood, Head, School of Philosophy, RSSS, CASS, ANU. The full notice was circulated on a-phil mailing list on 2 August and is also available on the AAP website here: aap.org.au/blog/12870157

'It is with profound shock and sadness that I share with you the news that our beloved friend and colleague, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Brennan passed away on Friday morning after a brief battle with leukaemia.

As many of you will know, Geoff was an outstanding scholar, who did ground-breaking work in economics and philosophy and at their intersection and played a major role in the development of “PPE” as a global interdisciplinary research program.

Originally trained as an economist, his early work was focused on issues of public finance. From 1976-1983 he was Professor in the Public Choice Center at Virginia Tech, where he worked extensively with Nobel Laureate James Buchanan, co-authoring two important books (The Power to Tax (CUP 1980) and The Reason of Rules (CUP 1985)), and a dozen or so articles. He returned to the ANU in 1984 where he began to engage and collaborate increasingly with philosophers. In his work on democratic theory with Loren Lomasky, Democracy and Decision (CUP 1993), voters were depicted as motivated by “expressive" concerns rather than rent-seeking ones; and in his book with Philip Pettit, The Economy of Esteem (OUP 2004), as seeking the good opinion of others rather than their purses. That strand of his work continued in Explaining Norms (OUP 2013), with Lina Eriksson, Bob Goodin and Nic Southwood, which formed the basis for the account of social norms in the World Bank's 2015 World Development Report. He continued to work right up until his death on two books dealing with important themes at the intersection of philosophy and economics. In addition to the books already mentioned, Geoff was also a prolific contributor to journals across the three PPE disciplines: the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal, Econometrica, Oxford Economic Papers, Public Finance and Public Choice in economics; the British Journal of Political Science and Politics, Philosophy and Economics in politics; and Ethics, The Monist the Journal of Political Philosophy, the Journal of Applied Philosophy and Social Philosophy and Policy in philosophy.'

Vale Professor Janna Thompson FASSA, FAHA (1942-2022)

The AAP regrets to announce the death of Janna Thompson on Friday 24 June 2022. She was one of La Trobe University’s longest-serving philosophy academics and an influential contributor to the culture and ethos of the discipline at La Trobe. She served the AAP as President in 1991–92. Throughout her career, she was a powerful advocate for women in philosophy and for greater gender parity within the discipline. She, along with Marian Tapper, authored one of the early reports to AAP Council on the employment of women in the profession (1983–89). 

A full notice is available on the AAP website here: aap.org.au/blog/12859625

Vale Brian Scarlett (1941-2022)

The AAP also regrets to announce the death of Brian Scarlett, a long-serving member of the Philosophy Program at the University of Melbourne. A Funeral Mass for Brian was celebrated at Sts Peter & Paul's Catholic Church - 377 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne on Tuesday 31st May, 2022.