@article{Bourget2010-BOUPPA, journal = {Social Epistemology}, title = {Paperless Philosophy as a Philosophical Method}, publisher = {Taylor & Francis}, year = {2010}, volume = {24}, author = {David Bourget}, number = {4}, pages = {363--375} }
I discuss the prospects for new forms of professional communication in philosophy. I argue that online discussions and online surveys ought to play a more important role in communications between philosophers than they play today. However, there are major obstacles to the widespread adoption of these media as channels of communication between academics. I offer an overview of these obstacles and sketch a strategy for surmounting them. The strategy I propose involves the development of a new kind of service which could expand the reach of the analytic method in philosophy.
@bourget2010 looks at how digital methods can advance philosophy.
Online Spaces
Sub paper length arguments & refutations are currently lost thanks to the current publication mediums [p364] but a lack of prestege in blogs is limiting their use [p365]
many verbally brief points which are potentially just as valuable as whole papers remain largely uncommunicated to the profession as a whole. [p364]
I would not be surprised if it turned out that we spend significantly more time and energy on communication difficulties than philosophical problems per se when preparing articles [p364]
@bourget2010 also looks at online surveys and philosophical registries that combine the two [p371]
It is noteworthy that a registry of the kind sketched here could be particularly well suited to the application of a certain analytic methodology to philosophical problems. In some circles, it is widely believed that philosophical disputes are fuelled in large part by linguistic confusion—either the participants have a poor grasp of the meanings of the words they use, or they have a poor grasp of others’ meanings. On this view, the primary task of the philosopher is to dissipate the fog of language around the ideas under dispute. For most philosophical disputes, the closer we come to accomplishing this, the closer we will come to consensus. [p375]