How to be a philosopher at large (John Wilkins)

Guest post by John Wilkins, University of Melbourne

I wanted to be a philosopher from my youth, but I was not able to get my PhD until my late 40s. I used to joke that my full-time employment in publishing was supporting my philosophy habit. This meant my chances of an employed career were minimal, and despite getting two postdoctoral fellowships, I was not able to establish a regular tenure-track career. So it goes, as Vonnegurt often said.

However, I was able to get positions at two universities as what Australians call an “associate” or “honorary” fellow. This meant that I am able to continue doing research and publishing so long as I have food and a roof (with internet), or as I call them, the ancillary necessities of life to doing philosophy. As I am a self-funded retiree, until the money runs out, I will continue to publish.

So here is my summary of how to be an unemployed philosopher.

There are several basics required:

1. Access to academic literature;
2. Outlets for your work;
3. Inspiration and criticism from peers.

Access to literature

My work deals mostly with historical literature of science, so I was able to access a range of increasingly digitised books and journals via public libraries such as the Bibiliothéque National de France, the British Library, and various other sources back in the 2000s. Now, of course, such material is broadly available through sites like archive.org, and various specialty sites (the Biodiversity Heritage Library is my favourite).

However, you can find almost any philosophical text you like, so long as it is published prior to the current copyright date cutoff (in the US, 1928 due to Mickey Mouse laws). This means that you can cite the original edition of Locke’s Essay or Hume’s Treatise or Enquiry.

Many journals have open access archives also. Since philosophy, more so than science, cites a large historical range, access to Mind or Noūs even if they are older publications is essential.

But one also needs to keep up with current work, and be able to search on topics to see what the state of play is now. For this, Google Scholar is central. Most philosophers’ papers are accessible through online manuscripts, or services like ResearchGate, which also allows readers to contact many researchers for PDFs of their work.

In the end, though, nothing beats access through a university library. This is where honorary status comes in. The university gets to claim the credit for your work in exchange for giving you library access (and often some other benefits). Contact your alma mater for information.

Outlets for your work

In order to be a good philosopher, one must engage with one’s peers. You also have to craft your arguments through teaching and engaging with up and coming philosophers. For this, you are best placed if you have some teaching engagement and the credentials to present at conferences, workshops and seminars.

Travel costs are a hindrance, particularly for those of us at the edges of empire. If your institution provides associates and honoraries with some travel assistance, this can mean the difference between being seen or not in the professional domain. Associations will also provide some assistance, so don’t hesitate to ask them, especially if you are an early career researcher.

Teaching also offers some income, which is nice if you like to eat. But I would not rely upon adjunct or casual teaching if I were you. Try applying for research grants or joining a research grant as an investigator if you have the contacts. National funding often relies upon you having an “official” position at a recognised institution.

Other options for discussion and presentation include those arenas in which philosophy plays a major role. My own field includes that of scientists (in my case, taxonomists and systematists), historians, and educationalists and social issues debates. You will know the right places. For instance, an independent ethicist might address issues in public policy, medical ethics, etc. My experience is that such auxiliary domains are receptive to philosophy, if not altogether accepting of the claims I make.

Inspiration from peers

Despite not having a paid position, I find it essential to be involved in the activities and professional associations of those who work in my field. I do this in several ways, but one of them is utilising my technical knowledge of computers and social media (primarily website management) to support professional associations. This enables me to interact with leading figures in my fields locally.

It also allows me to both be mentored (even at 63!) and to mentor others. This is the whole point of professionalism in philosophy, to my mind (always recalling that the mission statement of philosophy since Socrates is to corrupt the minds of the youth; Apology 24b).

Moreover, once one has ceased classwork, the best way, and possibly the only way, to keep up with the state of the debate more widely than one’s own specialty, is to attend talks by local and visiting speakers. In these talks you usually get a brief summary of the leading issues as perceived by the speaker, and from the question and answers after, you get a better idea of the contentious aspects of those issues, if you are lucky.

And presenting at these events will sharpen your own arguments. In a friendly atmosphere you can see what flies and what flops. Once you have this experience, your broader presentations at those conferences you can afford to go to will be much more professional and solid.

And finally, you need a muse. Mine is a tabby cat. I recommend cats, but there are some who hold that dogs also work. I would avoid snakes.

Comments

[elisa freschi]

Dear Helen, dear John,

many thanks for this inspiring, intelligent and even ironic post. I completely agree with the author. Perhaps one might add how platforms like Academia.edu (or this blog) have made interactions with peers easier?

[grad student]

Thanks for this, it sounds like you are living the good life! I am curious what interaction is like with people at your home institutions and at conferences. Are people generally interested in engaging, or do you encounter snobbery?