The Epistemology of Desire and the Problem of Nihilism
Most people have wondered whether anything really matters, some have temporarily thought that nothing really matters, and some philosophers have defended the view that nothing really matters. However, if someone thinks that nothing matters — if they are a “nihilist about value” — then it seems that it is irrational for them to care about anything. It seems that nihilism about value mandates total indifference. This is the “problem of nihilism” Allan Hazlett addresses in The Epistemology of Desire and the Problem of Nihilism.
Exile and the Jews
Literature, History, and Identity
This first comprehensive anthology examining Jewish responses to exile from the biblical period to our modern day gathers texts from all genres of Jewish literary creativity to explore how the realities and interpretations of exile have shaped Judaism, Jewish politics, and individual Jewish identity for millennia.
Age: an overlooked factor in higher education DEI initiatives
As universities around the world strive to cultivate diverse and equitable communities, a recent study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis highlights the necessity of recognizing age as a fundamental dimension of diversity.
Movement of crops, animals played key role in domestication
Over the last 15 years, archaeologists have challenged outdated ideas about humans controlling nature. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Xinyi Liu in Arts & Sciences argues for a new conceptual bridge connecting the science of biological domestication to early food globalization.
Learning to Disagree
Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect
Are you discouraged by our divided, angry culture, where even listening to a different perspective sometimes feels impossible? If so, you’re not alone, and it doesn’t have to be this way. “Learning to Disagree” reveals the surprising path to learning how to disagree in ways that build new bridges with our neighbors, coworkers and loved ones — and help us find better ways to live joyfully in a complex society.
Kazakhstan launches child account policy informed by Brown School research
Kazakhstan has launched a national Child Development Account policy informed by research from the Brown School’s Center for Social Development. The development opens the door on a policy structure for channeling natural-resource wealth to invest in children and build human capital.
Can’t we all just get along?
A new book from the School of Law’s John Inazu offers a path for disagreeing productively and living joyfully in our divided society.
Pandemic course improved COVID-19 knowledge, study finds
A survey of nearly 1,000 people found Arts & Sciences’ course “The Pandemic: Science & Society” led to more accurate risk perception and stronger protective behaviors.
WashU hosts regional classics conference
The Department of Classics in Arts & Sciences will host the 120th annual meeting of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South, the largest regional association for professional classicists.
Preventing another ‘Jan. 6’ starts by changing how elections are certified, experts say
In a new paper published in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Daniel M. Butler, in Arts & Sciences, argues that elections should be certified by nonpartisan commissions, rather than elected officials, to insulate the process from partisan influence.
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