COMMENSAL ISSUE 98

1. New Members
2. Contributions & Contributors
3. The Philosophers’ Magazine
4. Philosophy Web-Site
5. PDGList
6. Mensa-France Philosophy Group
7. Forthcoming Meetings & Conferences
8. Date of Next Issue (Commensal 99)
9. Mensa at Braziers Conference September 1999
10. Royal Institute of Philosophy Annual Lecture Series, 1999-2000

New Members

As usual, we welcome our new members to the SIG. We have 10 new members again this time. Not quite as many as last time’s bumper crop of 14, but very welcome they are, nevertheless !

Contributions & Contributors

Thanks to Alan Edmonds & new Member Frank Luger for submitting the write-ups of their talks delivered at the PDG / ISPE Conference in May.

I have had a good hard think in the garden this afternoon about Frank’s piece, and I have to say that it has all the hallmarks of Continental philosophy that Analytic philosophers love to hate - the alleged sound and fury signifying nothing. I hope I’m mistaken here and that some of you (and also Frank) will explain how it’s supposed to work, and how it can be criticised / ameliorated and that the space will prove to have been well used.

It was good also to receive the first articles from other new members - Debbie Miller & Tony Embleton. That makes for 50 different people contributing to Commensal since I took over at the end of 1996.

I’m afraid there’s no running commentary from me on the Commensal articles this time round. Please blame my focus on PDGList (see later in this issue ...) and other distractions for this blessing.

Leslie Haddow suggests that - for both Commensal and PhiSIGma - it would be nice if contributors were to give a brief note about themselves - age range, main profession / interest, and whether they have an academic qualification in Philosophy / Physics, or are complete amateurs. Something like a three-line entry in Commensal about the author of a main article, either under the title, as a foot-note, or within the Contents. I'd probably not repeat it every time for a frequent contributor. What do you think ? Those in favour let me have your paragraphs with your next contribution.

The Philosophers’ Magazine

I’m grateful to our new member June Emerson for pointing out the existence of the above magazine, which is into it’s 7^th issue. I’m yet to receive my first hard copy issue, but from what I can tell from their web-site (www.philosophers.co.uk), and from the compendium CD of the first 6 issues, it’s on a level with, and at least as interesting as, the equally accessible Philosophy Now, which I’ve previously plugged.

The Philosophers’ Magazine web-site is well worth a visit, as it has links to a host of other philosophical resources. For those not on the Web, the magazine costs £11.80 for 4 quarterly issues. You can obtain the 6 back issues on CD for £9.95.

For the hard-copy magazine write to The Philosophers’ Magazine Subscriptions, 43 Millharbour, London E14 9TR and for the CD write to TPM Cd-Rom (Web), 58 Upper Tollington Park, London N4 4BX. You can also send off to the latter address for a single issue of the magazine as a trial - price £3.40).

Philosophy Web-Site

Thanks to John Neary (well done, by the way, for passing your 2^nd Year London University Philosophy exams !) for letting me know about the above site, URL http://philosophy.about.com. It looks a very valuable resource, having links to all sorts of philosophical groups, lists & information, not that I’ve had time to scout it all out yet. Talking of Philosophy Lists ...

PDGList

I’ve umm’ed and ahh’ed about setting up a Web-site and / or an email discussion group for PDG for some time now. When I first floated the idea it received minimal support and some opposition ("what about those without Web access & consequent divisiveness" ...). Well, I’ve decided to just go ahead and set the thing up. We’re on the verge of the 21^st century, and those in Mensa who aren’t on the Web will just have to be left behind in this respect. It’s a shame for the extremely old or poor, but there aren’t many of you, I believe. The others have made their choice.

Well, for those who are interested, and who haven’t yet been invited because I don’t know your email address, I’ve set up a list. It’s called PDGList and is hosted by www.onelist.com. It’s open to any member of PDG and those members of ISPE, or other intelligent people, whom I choose to invite or on whose behalf people lobby me. As such, it’s an unofficial list, and it’s not properly democratic as I don’t have to accept those who apply and can boot people off the list if they start causing a nuisance. Much as you’re used to in Commensal. I don’t expect to be killed in the rush of people signing up - as I write there are 18. Due to the ISPE element, it’s an international group. So far, most of the postings have been from the USA or Canada, so wake up you Britishers !

I included a note in the initial invitation, which is repeated below, and the last paragraph of which could be construed along Fawlty Towers Gourmet Night "no riff-raff" lines. The note was as follows :-

To make it clear how things work, to sign up you need to log on to http://www.onelist.com and sign up to Onelist and then apply to join PDGList by initially doing a search on "pdglist" and they following instructions. Alternatively, and quicker (though you will thereby miss out on all the wonders of Onelist !), you can go directly to http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/pdglist - again, you will need to join Onelist first (it will prompt you). Either way, I then need to accept your application. Once accepted, whenever anyone posts anything to the list, you will automatically receive an emailed copy of the posting. To post something yourself, just email to pdglist@onelist.com and everyone on the list will receive a copy. Why not give it a go ?

One thing I intend to do is post to the list any stand-alone articles submitted to Commensal, and summarise the feedback (space allowing) in Commensal. This will allow quicker turn-around on debate and relieve me of the sole responsibility for providing immediate feedback. Comments always raise further issues, so no-one should lose out. If anyone does NOT want their articles posted (I will not, of course, include any contact address other than the usual Commensal identification) please let me know when you make the submission to Commensal. Otherwise, I will assume you have no objection.

I haven’t got round to the web-site yet and it remains low priority for me. Any volunteers ?

Mensa-France Philosophy Group

I have recently, via the ISPE Newsletter Telicom, come across Dr. Claude Courouve’s embryonic Philosophy Group in Mensa France. In response to my enquiry, Claude responded :-

Claude’s email address is : clcourouve@minitel.net.

Forthcoming Meetings & Conferences

Following this Editorial are a couple of advertisements.

Firstly, a repeat of the notice for the conference PDG member Jane Benn has organised for September. It is not the next PDG conference, which will, we hope, take place next May, but is the latest in the long tradition of Mensa at Braziers conferences. We have arranged things so that the two conferences will each be annual and will alternate at the same venue, with the PDG conference seeking to carry on the best of the traditions of the Mensa at Braziers one. While this conference is not explicitly PDG, a number of PDG members will doubtless be present. Those of you who are interested are urged to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. I’m not sure whether I’ll be there as a new business project I’m involved in my require my intense concentration around then.

The second notice relates to the series of weekly lectures given by the Royal Institute of Philosophy. You will see that the list of speakers, especially those for 1999, is quite extraordinary. It’s unusual to have such a list of world-renowned philosophers present at what are fairly small, informal gatherings attended by 100-odd people; so, they are well worth turning up for if you can - but do so early or you won’t get in !

Next Issue of Commensal

15th October 1999 is the closing date for contributions to November’s Commensal (C99).

Theo

THE 98^th MENSA INFORMAL RESIDENTIAL DISCUSSION CONFERENCE

The cost & administrative details of the Globalisation conference are the same as those of the recent PDG Conference, ie. the full fee, including accommodation and catering, is £92. Early booking is advisable. Apply for further details to the College at the above address (Tel: 01491 680221). A deposit of £20 is payable. Please book directly with the College. Partners, whether Mensans or not, are welcome.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Annual Lecture Series, 1999-2000

Philosophy at the New Millennium