News

Recent Publications

Alexander Englert,"We’ll Meet Again: The intrepid logician Kurt Gödel believed in the afterlife," in Aeon

Alexander Englert,"The Conceptual Origin of Worldview in Kant and Fichte," in Journal of Transcendental Philosophy

Andrew Chignell, "Hope Pessimism: The Kantian Mind at the End of All Things," in Faith, Hope and Love: The Theological Virtues and their Opposites (Springer 2022)

Alexander Englert, "How a Kantian Ideal Can Be Practical," in Inquiry

Andrew Chignell, "The Focus Theory of Hope," in The Philosophical Quarterly

Elizabeth Li, "Epistemological Aspects of Dialogue: Some Kierkegaardian Perspectives," in Religions

Andrew Chignell, "Kant, Wood and Moral Arguments," Kantian Review

Andrew Chignell, "Kant on Empirical Miracles: Rationalism, Freedom, and the Laws," Leibniz and Kant (OUP, 2021)

Andrew Chignell, "Knowledge, Anxiety, Hope: How Kant's First and Third Questions Relate (Keynote)," The Court of Reason: Proceedings of the 13th Annual International Kant Congress (De Gruyter: 2021)

Andrew Chignell, "Kantian Fallibilism: Knowledge, Certainty, Doubt," in Midwest Studies in Philosophy

Brendan Kolb and Andrew Chignell, "Philosophy of Religion in Modern European Thought 1600-1800," in The Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Religion (Wiley Blackwell, 2021)

Andrew Chignell, "Kinds and Origins of Evil," in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Jonathan Gold, "Wholesome Mind Ethics: A Buddhist Perspective," in The Journal of Value Inquiry.

Mark Johnston, "Is Hope for Another Life Rational?" in Contemporary Controversies in Philosophy of Religion, Paul Draper (ed).

Elizabeth Li, "Existence in the Thought and Theology of Hans Lassen Martensen," in Studia Theologica

Lara Buchak, "A Faithful Response to Disagreement," in The Philosophical Review.

Andrew Chignell, "Liturgical Philosophy of Religion: An Untimely Manifesto on Sincerity, Acceptance, and Hope," in The Future of the Philosophy of Religion (Springer, 2021)

Alexander Englert, "Philosophical Think Tanks," in Teaching Philosophy.

Elizabeth Li, "Of Clairvoyants and Mousvoyants: Kierkegaard’s Polemic against Speculative Philosophy in the “Telegraph Messages”," in Kierkegaard Studies Yearbook

Ryan Darr, "The Virtue of Justice and the Justice of Institutions," in The Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics

Katie Javanaud, "The World on Fire: A Buddhist Response to the Environmental Crisis," in Religions

Toni Alimi, "Covenants and Commands," in the Journal of Religious Ethics

Ryan Darr, "For the Sake of the Final End: Eudaimonism, Self-Orientation, and the Nature of Human Agency," in the Journal of Religious Ethics

Daniel Rubio, "In Defence of No Best World," in Australasian Journal of Philosophy

Personnel

Farewell to Sara Aronowitz and Reza Hadisi. Thank you for all you contributed to 3PR and good luck in your new positions at Arizona!

3PR is pleased to welcome Alexander Englert and Elizabeth Li as our newest Postdoctoral Research Associates in Fall 2020

3PR is pleased to welcome Lara Buchak as Associate Director in Fall 2020. Prof. Buchak is appointed in the Department of Philosophy.

Upcoming Virtual Kant Congress co-organized by Andrew Chignell and Z Quanbeck

The Virtual Kant Congress with a Cosmopolitan Purpose (VKC) is a decentralized series of virtual sessions curated by Kant societies and groups from around the globe to commemorate Kant’s 300th birthday. The series seeks to honor Kant's ideal of cosmopolitan dialogue by connecting Kant researchers worldwide.

For more information on VKC, which is being co-organized by 3PR's Andrew Chignell and Z Quanbeck, please see its website.

Announcing initiative "PRECIS"

+ new postdoc and visiting scholar positions

In collaboration with the Philosophy Department and the University Center for Human Values, the Princeton Project in Philosophy and Religion (3PR) is excited to announce a new initiative: “Philosophy, Religion, and Existential Commitments in Society” (PRECIS)! PRECIS aims to foster philosophical and theological reflection on how we should live, and in particular to consider what our deepest commitments are, where they come from, when and how we should revise or stabilize them, and how they influence important life choices – as individuals and as members of various communities. PRECIS will involve significant scholarly, undergraduate, and public-facing programming, including conferences, reading groups, public talks, and courses. Our new pilot course is “Philosophy, Religion, and Existential Commitments” (which Lara and Andrew will co-teach in Spring 2024). PRECIS is seeking applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (appointed in the Philosophy Department) starting in fall 2024 (ad here) and a Visiting Faculty Research Scholar for Fall 2024 (ad here).

New 3PR Course Dropping in Spring 2024!

Lara Buchak and Andrew Chignell will be teaching the inaugural edition of the following course for undergraduates, this coming Spring 2024.

Philosophy, Religion, and Existential Commitments

Course Description:

The choice of a kind of life involves both fundamental commitments and day-to-day decisions. This course is interested in zooming out and zooming in: how should we adopt commitments, and how do we realize them in ordinary life? What is the purpose of life, and how can you fulfill it? Should you live by an overall narrative, or is your life just the sum of what you actually do? Are commitments chosen or given to you? Are the decisions we think of as high stakes important at all? When should you relinquish what you thought were your deepest commitments? What should you do when commitments clash?

Complete information can be found on the registrar's page here.

Andrew Chignell at American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting

3PR's Director Andrew Chignell serves as a respondent to the Keynote Address by Ilaria Ramelli at the AAR in San Antonio. The session takes place on November 18th at 6:30-8:30pm, located in the Marriott River Center Grand Ballroom, Salon H.

Recording Available: "Religion in the Modern University" Panel

A recording of 3PR's panel on "Religion in the Modern University" with Eddie S. Glaude, Zena Hitz, Jeffrey L. Stout, Nicholas Wolterstorff is now available. To watch click here

Screenshot 2022-09-23 at 17.37_edited.jpg

Andrew Chignell on PBS' Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan

3PR's Director Andrew Chignell discusses hope versus optimism and Anna Deavere Smith with Kelly Corrigan. They discuss how Andrew’s research surrounding hope and optimism aligns with Anna’s experience of storytelling. In particular, they speak to the important process of moving from despair to hope in storytelling on stage and in real life. See the clip here

Lara Buchak wins APA's inaugural Alvin Plantinga Prize

3PR's Associate Director Lara Buchak has been awarded the inaugural Alvin Plantinga Prize for her paper "Faith and Traditions" by the American Philosophical Association. Read more here:

Event: Translating Sanskrit Buddhist Philosophy for the Philosophy Curriculum

Friday February 18th 2022, 9am-8.30pm ET

Please join us for Princeton's Center for Culture, Society, and Religion's symposium focusing on a new translation of Vasubandhu's Twenty Verses and Exposition. Speakers include 3PR co-founders Andrew Chignell and Mark Johnston as well as 3PR affiliates. For more information click here

3PR's Ryan Darr published in The Washington Post

Ryan Darr's opinion piece on environmental ethics and the naming of sports teams "'Red Wolves' remains the best choice for the new name for the Washington Football Team" was recently published in The Washington Post. The article can be read here.

"Probing Ethics and the Environment through Religion" Princeton Alumni Weekly features 3PR's Ryan Darr

3PR's Ryan Darr and his course "Environmental Ethics and Modern Religious Thought" featured in the Princeton Alumni Weekly. Read the full article here

The Veritas Forum at Princeton University: On Good & Evil: Discussing the Nature of Morality and God

Thursday 18th November 7.30pm

3PR's Alexander Englert will be moderating a debate between C. Stephen Evans (Baylor University) and Gideon Rosen (Princeton University) on Good & Evil for The Veritas Forum at Princeton University. All PUID holders welcome to attend.

3PR Debate: Good God, Bad World?

April 29, 2021

A recording of 3PR's recent debate between Daniel Rubio (Princeton) and James Sterba (Notre Dame) is now available.

Thank you to all who attended!

Mark Johnston interviewed by the Oxford Review of Books Part 2

Spring 2021

Metaphysical Dangers and the Danger of Metaphysics: An Interview with Mark Johnston

Princeton Project in Philosophy and Religion awarded grant from John Templeton Foundation

3PR has been awarded a $234,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation for the project:

"Building Collaborative Research Networks Across the Islamic Scholarly Tradition and Western Philosophy."

The goal of this two-year $234,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation, “Building Collaborative Research Networks Across the Islamic Scholarly Tradition and Western Philosophy” is to further develop connections between these two traditions, particularly in the areas of epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of religion.

Facilitated by 3PR's Director Professor Andrew Chignell (PI) and led by Kamal Ahmed (Research Associate in PPPR and Princeton’s Center for the Study of Religion), this two-year effort will sponsor original research and primary source translation as well as local reading groups and workshops.

The project will also sponsor two annual (hybrid virtual/in-person) meetings with the goal of establishing networks of early career scholars and senior faculty interested in collaborative research across the disciplines of Philosophy, Religion, and Near Eastern Studies/Islamic Studies.

The results will include a series of original scholarly contributions by Ahmed and others, as well as new networks of people in these fields who share the goal of learning from researchers in neighboring disciplines and traditions.

For the John Templeton Foundation's announcement click here.

Sixth Joint Colloquium

12 March 2021

Anne Jeffrey presented on her and Thomas M. Ward's article "One Goodness, Many Goodnesses, and the Divine Idea Imitation Theory" at the 3PR and RCPR's sixth joint colloquium. We had a lively discussion although the colloquium continues to meet virtually.

Screen Shot 2021-02-19 at 4.36.37 PM.png

Fifth Joint Colloquium

19 February 2021

At the 3PR and RCPR's fourth joint colloquium Terence Cuneo presented on “Blessing Things". We had a great discussion, even though we couldn't meet in person.

Screen%20Shot%202021-01-29%20at%204.36_e

Fourth Joint Colloquium

29 January 2021

At the 3PR and RCPR's fourth joint colloquium Mark C. Murphy presented on “Owing God Worship". We had a great discussion, even though we couldn't meet in person.

Upcoming Event: 3PR Panel

The 3PR is pleased to announce that the virtual panel "Religion in the Modern University" with panelists Nicholas Wolterstorff, Eddie S. Glaude, Zena Hitz and Jeffrey L. Stout and chaired by Andrew Chignell will be taking place on March 24th 4pm-6pm.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information about the panel and to register click here.

Screenshot of the third virtual joint PPPR and RCPR colloquium

Third Joint Colloquium

11 December 2020

At the 3PR and RCPR's third joint colloquium John Pittard presented on "Deceptive Worlds, Skepticism, and Axiarchism". We had a great discussion, although we couldn't meet in person.

Second Joint Colloquium

17 November 2020

3PR and RCPR met in our second joint colloquium to hear from Christina van Dyke on reason in medieval mysticism. We had a great discussion, even though we couldn't meet in person.

Global speakers join 3PR for Zoom Conference

The Princeton Project in Philosophy and Religion held the first part of its inaugural conference on October 30-31 via Zoom. The rest of the inaugural conference has been postponed to Fall 2021, when we hope to meet in person. We were pleased to host wonderful papers by the following speakers.

Speakers:

Caleb Cohoe, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Margaret Kamitsuka, Oberlin College

Sam Lebens, University of Haifa

Finlay Malcolm, University of Hertfordshire

Andrew Moon, Virginia Commonwealth University

Rory Phillips, University College London

Hope Sample, Grand Valley State University

Eric Steinhart, William Patterson University

First Joint Colloquium

25 September 2020

3PR and RCPR met in our first joint colloquium to hear from Tim Pawl on divine simplicity. We had a great discussion, even though we couldn't meet in person.

Photo of members of the PPPR and RCPR meeting in the Tower Room

Beating the Route 1 Blues

5 December 2019

3PR welcomed Dean Zimmerman and other members of RCPR to the Tower Room for a discussion of the chapter on Panentheism, Occasionalism, and Omnisubjectivity in Bob Adams' manuscript yesterday - an auspicious beginning!

Mark Johnston interviewed by the Oxford Review of Books

1 December 2019

From Lindrum's to Princeton, and Surfaces to the Hereafter: A Written Interview with Mark Johnston