Four new appointments at Leeds

I'm delighted to have four new permanent colleagues joining us at Leeds in the near future.

Firstly, there are the appointments of Jason Turner and Pekka Vayrynen to the philosophy section at Leeds.

Jason works on metaphysics, philosophy of action and free will, and the philosophy of logic and language. He is currently finishing his PhD at Rutgers and already has an impressive list of publications in these areas, including publications in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Philosophical Studies, and Mind and Language. (Have a peek at them here!)

Pekka is joining us from UC Davis. His main interests are in meta-ethics and value theory, and the overlap between these areas and metaphysics and the philosophy of language. He's published a boatload of really interesting stuff, and will make a fantastic addition to Leeds' new Centre for Ethics and Metaethics.

The division of history and philosophy of science within the department has also recently made two appointments: Juha Saatsi and Sophie Weeks.

Juha works on the philosophy of science. He has published on various aspects of scientific realism, and has recently been working on metaphysical issues arising from the philosohpy of science. Juha has been at Leeds this year on a temporary contract and has been a wonderful colleague, so we're delighted that he'll be staying around.

Sophie is a historian of early modern science, and specialises in Francis Bacon. She's currently working on a monograph on Bacon which, in her words, "focuses upon the close relation between Bacon's matter theory, his inductive method of inquiry, and his moral and political philosophy, whilst drawing attention to his synthesis of Stoic, Epicurean and various Renaissance borrowings."

All will be starting Aug/Sep '08, except Sophie who will be starting in '09, so she can finish her current research fellowship at Cambridge.

UEA wants fuzzy philosophers

The University of East Anglia is advertising for an 'indefinite' lecturer in philosophy. I don't know whether this means lecturers with fuzzy boundaries or vague parts, or whetherit just means lecturers who haven't made their minds up on what they believe yet.

Seriously, what does this mean? Is it obvious to everyone else? Is it for a position such that they don't know how long it's going to last? Is it permanent, and they're saying 'indefinite' because you're not allowed to say 'permanent'? (But then, why not use the standard 'continuing'?) What does it mean?? Oh well, never trust a Wittgensteinian, that's what I say.

Sorry MV has been so quiet of late; normal service will resume shortly.