Weekly Update

This week I did something special. I took care of my nieces, Gwendolyn and Alice, while their mum was at a conference. They’re seven and four respectively, and not really my nieces. I have a really small family, so I’m forced to adopt. We’re family in all the ways that matter, I think. I haven’t spent that much time with kids since I did counselor training at a summer camp about 15 years ago, and I found it to be not just enjoyable, but educational.  (more…)

Last week I talked about my experiences at TEDxWaterloo last year, and how they left me feeling pretty different. This week’s event was different, but no less significant. I felt like I’d come full circle, completed some kind of transformation. I don’t have space to recount everything, but I want to touch on what hit me hardest. (more…)

This weekend has been jam-packed with exciting academic events, because we held the 19th annual University of Waterloo Philosophy Graduate Conference here at my school, so the days have been full of lectures, and the nights full of chats in pubs about logic, philosophy of science, and metaethics. Our keynote speaker was Helen Longino, chair of philosophy at Stanford and an absolutely amazing thinker. Reflecting this, we had papers on her work in philosophy of science and social epistemology, as well as on norms of assertion, Carnap’s logic structure, and semantic externalism. Many things were learned, much food was eaten, and much fun was had. But as always, there’s more.  (more…)

It’s reading week, which means I’ve spent some much needed time relaxing. I also finished my final draft of my commentary for the University of Waterloo Philosophy Graduate Conference next week, on a paper with an interesting look at social epistemology and contemporary argumentation theory. Next week I’ll be attending talks by Helen Longino, a prominent philosopher of science, delivering the commentary, and attending as many other talks as I can. I also made a trip down to Windsor this weekend, which is the reason for the late night post. That was the real event of my week.  (more…)