@billvanderburgh.bsky.social
Philosopher by profession (science, evidence, cosmology, religion, Hume). Sailing, photography, poker, & craft beer the rest of the time. #philsky #philsci #hps #separationofchurchandstate https://substack.com/@billvanderburgh williamvanderburgh.com
I've been waiting for eye surgery for six months at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, and because of a nursing strike they just cancelled it 20 hours before it was going to happen. The best they could offer was another date *three months* from now. I'm so bummed.
The California State University system spent $16.9 million last year giving ChatGPT to all students, faculty, and staff. We are asking the CSU chancellor not to renew the contract with OpenAI when it expires.
Anyone can sign the petition — link below!
‘An American Pastoral’ Documentary Explores Christian Nationalism and the Political Divide in a Pennsylvania School District | Cast members from Elizabethtown Area School District shared how their lives and community have changed since the film at a recent screening.
Christian nationalists just won’t stop trying to violate freedom of thought. They are (still!) trying to push false (not to mention unconstitutional) nonsense about science into schools. This is a good opportunity for philosophers of science to demonstrate the public relevance of our work.
I love this kind of pop sci article, that both clearly explains the science and reveals a human story at the same time.
I ended up writing seven pieces on philosophy in the streaming show “Pluribus.” Lots remains unresolved, but it sure is interesting. Here’s the 7th installment, which includes links to the rest.
#Philosophy #philosophychat #scifi #pluribus #philsky
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
The newest philosophy podcast episodes!
Pascal's wager, sanctuary churches, the philosophy of cuteness, letter from Birmingham jail, Buddhism and nationalism, and more.
#philsky
philosophypodcasthub.substack.com/p/new-episod...
A lovely moment from my flight on Christmas Day.
#sky #sunset #clouds #ocean
If you're going to holiday gatherings & have problematic people to deal with, this piece might help you think through your moral obligations to them. I don't pretend it's a complete account, but in extreme cases, shunning people is morally justified.
billvanderburgh.substack.com/p/the-duty-t...
Call-for-papers: Hypatia Special Issue on Feminist Philosophy of Mind
Guest Editors: Gloria Andrada and Carolina Flores
Deadline for submissions: 15th January 2026
Details and links to submit on the website:
Turing’s Test led us astray.
There has always been an important difference between “being an X” and “acting like/having features of an X.”
That’s why we think there’s a difference between a real Picasso and a fake, between a person and an impersonator.
New reviews of philosophy books, new and revised entries at online philosophy resources, new episodes of philosophy podcasts...
Yay, Kaity! (She is my chair.)
My fourth installment on philosophy in the Apple TV show “Pluribus.” My take seems to be quite different than the other commentary about the show I’ve seen.
#philsky #philosophychat #scifi
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
(Except N does speculate, wildly, in his religious & alchemical writings!)
You can go deep, get into D's instrumentalism in science, which comes from his belief that we can only have real knowledge about Body (metaphysics), not bodies (the realm of physics). Newton (& Hume, echoing N) thinks we should not speculate beyond what can be observed.
I like Newton's take-down of Descartes' vortex theory of motion. The Bucket Experiment shows that Descartes' distinction between motion in the vulgar vs. philosophical senses is nonsense and that there is a *physical* answer to what is really moving.
I’ve been trying to figure out if the Doctrine of the Double Effect is in play, but I don’t think so. Your way of describing it sounds Kantian: the perfect duty not to harm vs the imperfect duty to aid. But that doesn’t fit with their willingness to override autonomy. It is all very intriguing.
I mention that idea from Mill in a previous installment, so yes, I agree. But violating autonomy is a harm whether it’s to harvest stem cells or assimilate. The harvesting is merely a step towards an unalloyed good (if Joined are right). They’re willing to kill 10% of humanity, so why not hip pain?
Thanks for reading!
That’s the only way they can be thinking, I just don’t think it works.
My fourth installment on philosophy in the Apple TV show “Pluribus.” My take seems to be quite different than the other commentary about the show I’ve seen.
#philsky #philosophychat #scifi
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
Exactly. AI is for folks who have already mastered the skills of a liberal education. Or so I argue in this piece:
billvanderburgh.substack.com/p/the-traged...
Bad framing: ACIP voted to scrap the universal hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns.
Accurate framing: Anti-vax conspiracy theorists appointed to ACIP by Robert Kennedy Jr., who made a fortune as an anti-vax profiteer, voted to expose babies to a preventable, incurable, deadly illness.
*Nothing Bundt Cakes. I will have to revoke my typing prize.
Frank will be incensed if I do that.
Earlier I won the Bill Vanderburgh Piece of Cake Prize, awarded occasionally by me to me, most often when we visit Anything Bundt Cakes.
“It is not called a pie hole for nothing.”
For the #blueskyartshow on Dec. 6. #Sky
For the #blueskyartshow on Dec. 6. #Sky
I guess I don’t have a good excuse not to attend this one!