Letter from Chair Messina
As I sit pondering the walls and windows of my new office in Helen C. White, I sometimes catch myself humming the Talking Heads song “Once in a Lifetime.” Since taking over as chair of the Department of Philosophy in January, the lyrics have a special resonance for me. That’s because I often find myself asking questions like, “Well, how did I get here?” and “How do I work this?” Our previous chair, Emily Fletcher, did an excellent job in the role; things ran smoothly – like "water flowing underground" – under her wise leadership. I will do my best to fill Emily's big shoes; hopefully my colleagues, who have placed their trust in me, won’t collectively cry out, “My God, what have I done?” Certainly, there are no grounds for that level of despair yet.
In many respects, the Department is thriving. We are growing: last year, we hired four new professors; we are on track this year to hire another assistant professor as part of the Rise-AI initiative. These new faces bring with them exciting new research programs, teaching approaches, and possibilities of collaboration. Our curricular offerings are also growing. We recently introduced an introductory class on the ethics of data and AI; we also have an advanced class in the works. In addition, philosophy is spearheading a new interdisciplinary certificate focused on the ethics of data and AI; its mission is to provide students with the conceptual resources and interdisciplinary skills necessary for addressing the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI. We expect hundreds of students to pursue this certificate.
Our internationally renowned faculty are doing cutting-edge research on philosophical questions both timeless and timely. They are frequently invited to give talks all around the world. They publish prolifically in prestigious venues, aiming to reach both specialists and the general public. They could boast (though of course they would not) of many impressive honors and achievements. For instance, our own Harry Brighouse was just elected President of the Central Division of the American Philosophical Association. Our faculty also organize important philosophical conferences at UW-Madison, which is another way they ensure its continued place on the philosophical map. For example, our very own Aja Watkins is hosting and co-organizing a conference called POBAM (Philosophy of Biology at Madison) this August. At the same time, our faculty strive to make their research accessible to the general public, for example, with our Philosophers at Work public lecture series, at which Mike Titelbaum gave a talk this past October called “Ways of Knowing.” (For a list of recent faculty accomplishments read more later in the newsletter; for more on POBAM, see here, for a public-facing article on Mike Titelbaum’s research, see here.)
Our undergraduate program remains strong. We are very proud of the number and quality of our philosophy majors; we also have a thriving undergraduate philosophy club, Madison Philosophical Society. MPS will be using the donations we received in last year’s Fill the Hill campaign to publish an undergraduate philosophy journal and organize an undergraduate philosophy conference in the spring. Our graduate program also remains strong, though it must be admitted that it is currently under strain due to budgetary pressures. We are very proud of the teaching and research of our graduate students, as well as their excellent record in securing jobs in the philosophical profession.
Along with other departments across the university, the Department of Philosophy is grappling with budget cuts. Now more than ever we are dependent on donor support for ensuring our continued excellence. We are extremely grateful for any and all contributions.
On Wisconsin!
