tiger c. roholt

merleau-ponty course

I'll be teaching a course on Maurice Merleau-Ponty in Spring 2013, focusing on The Phenomenology of Perception.

on twitter

twitter.com/TigerRoholt

my spring 2012 course @ montclair state university

Groove: A Phenomenology of Rhythmic Nuance

I'll be working on two books in the next couple of years. The second (also published by Continuum) will have the above title (although the second part of the subtitle will probably change). This will be a three-aspect account of the feel of rhythm (i.e., groove) in rock, hip-hop, jazz, etc.

Key Terms in Philosophy of Art

I am happy to report that I am in the earliest stages of writing a book for Continuum called Key Terms in Philosophy of Art. It's a part of their Key Terms in Philosophy series. It's scheduled to be available in late 2013.

value of education (trends)

Practical Benefit of Philosophy Major

[This is an older post that I occasionally update and move to the front]

There are countless benefits to studying philosophy that cannot be measured in practical terms.  And an undergraduate degree in philosophy is obviously a useful degree for graduate study in a number of fields. Setting these issues aside, some students—and their parents—wonder about the practical benefits of an undergraduate philosophy degree itself. Below are a handful of recent and semi-recent articles and interviews that might help in considering the potential benefits. 

1. "Philosophy is Back in Business" (by Dov Seidman, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of LRN; appeared in Business Week, January, 2010).  Seidman claims that insights from philosophy are valuable in the business world, and argues in favor of hiring philosophy majors:  "Forget economics. Philosophy offers a deeper, broader way of thinking to help guide companies through times made tougher by overspecialized experts."

2. This is salary survey data from PayScale Inc. (2008), which suggests that people with undergraduate degrees in philosophy fare quite well financially—especially in mid-career. The Wall Street Journal refers to this study:

Your parents might have worried when you chose Philosophy or International Relations as a major. But a year-long survey of 1.2 million people with only a bachelor's degree by PayScale Inc. shows that graduates in these subjects earned 103.5% and 97.8% more, respectively, about 10 years post-commencement. Majors that didn't show as much salary growth include Nursing and Information Technology. 

There are some surprising numbers in this study; for example, the mid-career median salary for those with philosophy undergraduate degrees is $81,200; while it is $72,100 for those with undergraduate degrees in Business Management.

3. In The New York Times (April 2008), "In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined."

4. In The Guardian (November 2007), "The Rise in Stock of Philosophy Graduates: I Think, Therefore I Earn."

5. A 15 minute audio interview from 2009 with the UK's Senior Fellow in the Public Understanding of Philosophy, Dr. Angie Hobbs, Warwick University. Dr. Hobbs discusses the benefits of studying philosophy.

Web link     iTunes link

 

Aesthetics Anarchy III

This year's AA workshop/conference was subtitled "Methodology Of/And/In Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art."  Thanks to organizers Sandy Shapshay, Jonathan Weinberg, and Michael Rings for an enjoyable and fruitful event.  Here are all the conference paper abstracts. 

Video Interview with "All Things Shining" Authors

Sean Kelly and Hubert Dreyfus

 

'George Segal Sculptures Walk to New Location at Montclair State'

Photo: Mike Peters

"George Segal’s iconic Street Crossing installation of seven life-sized sculpted figures, which formerly graced the area south of Montclair State University’s Alexander Kasser Theater, has been moved a short distance away to a new home in front of College Hall. In the new location, the figures are visible through a series of newly-erected Mission-style archways which are part of the University’s College Avenue Promenade beautification project."

http://www.montclair.edu/news/article.php?ArticleID=6751

This does look quite nice now.

What Is Aesthetic Experience?

I'm giving a lecture of that title at The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, as a part of their Thursday Evening Salon Series, 3 March 2011, 7:30-9PM. More info.

Analytic vs. Continental Philosophy of Music — Feb 24

I'll be giving a talk on Thursday, Feb. 24, 8:00pm, at Montclair State U (University Hall Rm 1030). I'll begin by surveying a handful of philosophers' views on central issues in philosophy of music, some views put forward by analytic philosophers, some by continental philosophers. I'll then propose a useful way of distinguishing between continental and analytic philosophy of music in general. This talk grows out of the principle of distinguishing between the traditions that shapes the long-ish piece I just finished called "Philosophy of Music," for the second edition of The Grove Dictionary of American Music. 

Montclair State University is a 35-40 minute New Jersey Transit train ride from Penn Station, NY (the Montclair-Boonton line). It's best to take the train to the Montclair Heights station, and then grab the ever-present shuttle bus at the station (or, it's about a three block walk to University Hall from the station).