Back Issues
Issue 48
October/November 2004
EDITORIAL
Consciousness
by Rick Lewis
NEWS
Derrida Dead, ‘Innate Grammar’ Shock, World Philosophy Day, Life in the Balance
CONSCIOUSNESS
A Ridiculously Brief Overview of Consciousness
A five-minute guide to the debate by Rick Lewis.
Souls, Minds, Bodies and Planets (part 2)
In which Mary Midgley discusses the nature of consciousness and argues that the legacy of Descartes is disasterous for our view of ourselves and our planet.
Macmurray and Consciousness 
Jeanne Warren on a philosopher of personality.
Henri Bergson and the Perception of Time
Know the name, can’t quite recall what he thought? John-Francis Phipps explains the surprising ideas of the philosopher of vitalism.
OTHER ARTICLES
Humanism on the Front Line
Douglas Gearhart calls on philosophers to develop practical moral guidance for soldiers in war zones.
A Perfumed Philosophy
A dialogue between Marcel Proust and his valet, overheard by Mike Fuller.
Ships that should Pass in the Night
Jason Wasserman on balancing the claims of Postmodernism and Critical Realism.
Gay Rights: Choice vs. Nature?
Michael Voytinsky says that the choice versus nature debate is irrelevant to the question of gay and lesbian rights.
John Herschel
Toni Vogel Carey on a memorable but forgotten scientist and philosopher.
The Psychology & Psychopathology of Philosophers
What makes great thinkers tick? Ralph Blumenau examines some theories.
INTERVIEWS
Igor Aleksander
Igor Aleksander is a leading researcher on machine consciousness. Julian Moore asked him about brains and language, self-awareness and robot rights.
OBITUARIES
John Passmore (1914-2004)
by Lisa Sangoi
LETTERS
Opinions on Derrida’s Degree, Threats to Democracy, Keeping Art Alive, and more...
COLUMNS
Dear Socrates
Our celebrity columnist answers readers’ questions.
Moral Moments: The History of the World, Part 2
by Joel Marks
BOOKS
Consciousness: Creeping Up on the Hard Problem by Jeffrey Gray
Norman Bacrac becomes conscious of the merits of Jeffrey Gray’s new book.
Encyclopedia of Ethics
Kenneth Shouler praises Lawrence and Charlotte Becker for producing an encyclopedia of ethics which is truly encyclopedic.
FILMS
Before Sunset
Our philosophical film guru Thomas Wartenberg is charmed by Before Sunset but thinks it fumbles an opportunity to examine one of the genuine philosophical problems of growing older.
CROSSWORD
Crossword
Deiradiotes unveils the second of his fiendish concoctions. Behold his works, ye philosophical crossword fiends, and despair.
PROSE & POETRY
I Am Dan’s Brain
Memoires of a much-travelled mind, as revealed to Terry Dartnall.
Philosopher or Poettess?
by Sylvia Plate