Description from the Philadelphia Institute for Advanced Study:
“As an active part of the Richard Rorty Department of Philosophy, here at the Philadelphia Institute for Advanced Study, Brandon Joyce is spearheading the open, yet highly programmatic, Philosophical Research Group.
The programme of the PRG is the analysis and exuberant exploration of events, objects, and phenomena from everyday life; rather than the discussion of “philosophical” objects or topics. In these discussions, participants are not expected to stay within philosophical— or even intellectual— history. Anything of relevance may be brought to bear; whether historical, philosophical, anecdotal, hypothetical, scientific— whatever is most suggestive and stimulating.
After initial discussions, we will also run a possibility analysis, in which we discuss how we might reconfigure these elements into a Sublime, where possible. Results will be then passed onto other departments for further development.
Chosen topics will be given some lead time, in order that participants can bring private research or unique perspectives to the discussion. In addition, the PRG will record many meetings for future research.”
The now-dormant forum: http://forum.prg.pifas.net
Results from a few select sessions:
On Clothes, Fashion, and Meaning
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
On Housepets and Animal Hospitals
On Pessimism and Optimism
On Age, Aging, and the Passage of Time.
On Teamsports and the Dynamics of Desire
On Bodily Noises
On Musical Spectacles