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Convenient Friction

This blog chronicles my philosophical journey as a metaphysician and (in some sense?) pragmatist. Expect weekly short notes on social philosophy, metaphysics, and metaphilosophy. I also use the blog to highlight my latest talks, papers, and other professional events of interest. The RSS feed is here.

The title of this blog is inspired by Huw Price’s idea of truth as convenient friction.

Craving the Incomprehensible

Metaphilosophy

Does the public want philosophy to be a little obscure?

Social Aesthetic Goods

Aesthetics

Some aesthetics.

The Future of Philosophy? Part Deux

Short

The Future of Philosophy?

Personal News

APA

The Profession

I’m on it, the committee anyway.

Childlike Philosophy

Book

Metaphysics

Metaphilosophy

What philosophers can learn from the kiddos.

Liberalism as a Way of Life by Alexandre Lefebvre

Book

Political Philosophy

Liberal culture, vindicated.

Creative Voice vs Critical Voice

Writing

Advice

Writing advice.

Brave New World Indeed

Pop Culture

Lessons from Captain America.

Whispers From Another World

Bertrand Russell

Biography

Bertrand Russell’s American.

Conceptual Engineering and Normative Functions

Conceptual Engineering

Language

How we ought to engineer concepts.

Fiction vs Philosophy

Fiction

Metaphilosophy

Fiction lovers love reading fiction. Professional philosophers hate reading philosophy. Why the asymmetry?

Derivative Indeterminacy

Metaphysics

My Research

The world is indeterminate but only derivatively so.

The Legitimation Crisis That Was Not to Be

Book

Metaphilosophy

Pragmatism

Richard Rorty

On the non-foundationalist tenor of analytic philosophy.

Impossible Worlds

Book

Metaphysics

A few new books.

Standpoint Epistemology

Social Epistemology

Epistemology

On the epistemic/practical distinction.

Social Goodness

Book Review

Social Ontology

Charlotte Witt’s Social Goodness is a must-read.

The Awesomeness Defense

Public Philosophy

Metaphilosophy

Why philosophy is valuable.

On Gaslighting by Kate Abramson

Epistemology

Non-Ideal Epistemology

Big Picture Metaphysics

Metaphysics

Metaphilosophy

A throwback to the old school metaphysicians.

Idealism is Back, Baby!

Metaphysics

Idealism in philosophy is making a return.

Carnap’s Aesthetics

Aesthetics

Metaphilosophy

Early Analytic

Does mood affect philosophical writing? Part two.

Philosophizing From a Haunted House

Aesthetics

Metaphilosophy

Does mood affect philosophical writing? Part one.

Eastern APA 2025, Public Philosophy, and Rational Persuasion

Conference

Metaphilosophy

Why the better argument might prevail, after all.

Two Social Philosophy Conferences

Conferences

News

I’m organizing two conferences this year. If you do social philosophy or ontology, consider submitting something to one of them!

Blogging and Speed Dating

Blog News

Why I started this blog.