I often post questions on Twitter, asking for recommendations, advice, and ideas on philosophy-related themes. The replies have been fascinating, and to preserve them I have re-posted links to most popular questions here (grouped by month, starting with the most recent). Click on the blue bird icon in the top right of a tweet to open the thread on Twitter.
May 2020
The Oracle knows everything and always answers truthfully. If you could ask it just one question, what would it be?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 6, 2020
What are the best books on the experience of being black in America?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 31, 2020
April 2020
What are your favourite works (novels, essays, poems, paintings, etc) on theme of sickness and recovery?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 9, 2020
I think it's time for a new philosophy TV programme (ideally, hosted by @philosophybites) in the spirit of Bryan Magee's The Great Philosophers. But what format should it take? Not posh men on a sofa again, nor shallow "I'm going on journey to find…" stuff. So what? Ideas pls!
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 24, 2020
What have you learned while in lockdown?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 29, 2020
OK, here's a question. My talents, such as they are, lie in the area of thinking and writing. From a humanitarian point of view, what are the most useful topics I could devote them to?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 30, 2020
March 2020
Who are the best amateur philosophers, past and present — people who do important philosophical work outside an academic setting? (Of course, the distinction only makes sense for relatively recent times.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 1, 2020
If you knew that your next tweet would be your last one ever, what would you say in it?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 7, 2020
Let's compile a list of essential reading for these strange and scary times. What books and articles should we stock up on to give us hope and wisdom and purpose?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 9, 2020
What philosophical reading do you recommend for a time of self-isolation?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 15, 2020
What would be good comfort viewing in these anxious times? Any suggestions, please (with links, if available)?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 17, 2020
Which philosophers are doing the best work on evolutionary psychology right now — aware of the importance of an evolutionary approach to the mind yet critical of specific programmes under the EP banner?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 25, 2020
What are your favourite artistic representations of compassion? (In any form — painting, poetry, music, etc.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 30, 2020
February 2020
Why do we not find the smell of our own bodily odours and waste disgusting? And is it a perceptual effect (we can recognize the odour) or a cognitive one (we know it's ours) or a mixture? (Shades of Dennett's coffee tasters.) @smellosopher @smithbarryc
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 1, 2020
Were there any idealists before the rise of modern science?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 3, 2020
Isaiah Berlin said that Plato was a hedgehog and Aristotle a fox. What animals might other philosophers be?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 3, 2020
What lesser-known philosophy articles do you think should be better known?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 5, 2020
Have any panpsychists speculated about supercomposition — ie about composite subjects like us coalescing into supercomposites? Does anyone believe this actually happens? (The idea could lead us down some dark roads.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 14, 2020
What are your favourite philosophy-related songs?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 22, 2020
Can anyone recommend fiction that explores how alien the psychology of advanced AI might be?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 24, 2020
Vision dominates philosophical discussion of consciousness. Is there any data on whether people who are blind have different intuitions on the topic?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 26, 2020
January 2020
How do you understand the distinction between science and metaphysics?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 9, 2020
Question for academics: Do you think that academic activity is more central to your identity and self-esteem than other people's work is to theirs?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 15, 2020
December 2019
What are the most convincing magic tricks/illusions you've ever seen — ones that still give you a strong sense of weirdness even though you know they're tricks?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 5, 2019
How have your philosophical views changed over the past decade?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 10, 2019
Give me some good advice, please.
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 18, 2019
What are the best examples of genuine progress in philosophy?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 21, 2019
Which theological works (if any) should atheists read and why?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 28, 2019
Are any of you making any philosophical New Year's resolutions?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 31, 2019
November 2019
Do you regard your philosophical views as important to you identity? (I don't. I once did, but I decided it wasn't healthy. I now regard them as hypotheses I'm exploring in my role as a labourer in the academic community. If they are refuted, that's progress for the community.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 22, 2019
Who would say is the most important living philosopher of mind? (I'm asking this with a specific purpose. I want to see how long it is before a certain name is mentioned.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 22, 2019
Can anyone point me to artworks that in some way represent consciousness, please?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 24, 2019
What would Disney's Philosophy World contain? E.g., The Mary Experience. You sit in a grim monochrome room for 30 mins while a monotone voice reads from a neuroscience textbook, then you're suddenly shot out into an gaudy technicolour arena full of prancing harlequins.
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 27, 2019
Who are the most interesting fictional philosophers?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 30, 2019
October 2019
Who is the greatest novelist that hardly anyone reads?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) October 22, 2019
Has any philosopher ever seriously argued that they are God? (Not a big leap from solipsism)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) October 29, 2019
September 2019
What books do you recommend to lift the spirits and make one feel positive about life, despite all its sadnesses?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) September 16, 2019
As a child, did you wonder about consciousness/subjective experience? Did you wonder whether other people's experiences might be totally different from yours, whether robots could be conscious, etc? Did you have your own theories on the topic? I'd love to hear your stories!
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) September 20, 2019
August 2019
What works (literary, scholarly, artistic, etc) have best helped you understand mental illness?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) August 6, 2019
What are your favourite books about Greece and Greek culture (in all its forms, from ancient to contemporary)? #philhel
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) August 10, 2019
What are the best philosophy lectures available free online?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) August 20, 2019
What are your favourite novels and poems about summer?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) August 26, 2019
July 2019
What are your favourite books about cricket?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) July 14, 2019
What would be your eight Desert Island Philosophy Books? (à la https://t.co/Dub9enHrgN)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) July 15, 2019
I'm watching the Tour de France. What are the best books on cycling — and perhaps the philosophy of cycling?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) July 20, 2019
What is the most enjoyable book you've read?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) July 21, 2019
Who's the unluckiest person in history?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) July 23, 2019
June 2019
What annoys you most about philosophy and philosophers?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 1, 2019
What do you love about philosophy and philosophers?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 4, 2019
To what extent does the analytic/continental divide in philosophy reflect the Protestant/Catholic divide in religion?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 4, 2019
Partridge philosophy question: Which cars would famous philosophers drive and why?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 9, 2019
If your life were a novel, who would its author be?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 14, 2019
If you could give Boris Johnson just one book, which he would be compelled to read, what would it be?
(H/t to @Christakou who has actually attempted this)— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 19, 2019
What work has been done on the notion of <(self)-identifying as s/thing> (eg identifying as disabled)? What does it involve, and what are the limits to its application? (Nb I'm not making any sort of covert political point here, just seeking references)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 26, 2019
What's the best question you've ever been asked?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 27, 2019
Suppose you could earn money by selling days of your life. (Your death date moves a day closer for each one you sell.) How much would you charge per day?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 28, 2019
Suppose that you can can save lives by giving up days of your life. Every day you give up saves the life of a stranger far away. How much days would you give up?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) June 29, 2019
May 2019
Who's your favourite philosophical or political enemy — a person with whom you disagree deeply but still respect and admire?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 1, 2019
What are your favourite philosophy-related images? (Thought-provoking, evocative, humorous, etc.) Please share them!
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 3, 2019
How do you imagine God? Please add whether you're a theist or atheist.
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 19, 2019
What's the best thing you've ever done? (As always with my questions, the interpretation is up to you.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 21, 2019
What are some handy universal Q&A questions? (I.e. ones that can be asked of any paper, regardless of content. E.g. 'What do you think is the main drawback of your position?')
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 23, 2019
If a young person resembling yourself in temperament and ability asked you whether they should go into academia, what would you say?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 23, 2019
If there were a Hippocratic Oath for philosophers, what principles should it include?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 24, 2019
What are your favourite biographies of philosophers?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 26, 2019
Despite being a confirmed sceptic, I enjoy reports of paranormal experiences, UFO sightings, and general weirdness — especially low-key ones with an everyday setting. So what are your favourite reports of this kind? And does anyone have any personal weird experiences to report?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 27, 2019
What are the most exciting recent books on AI and A-life?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 28, 2019
If famous philosophers of the past were living today, which views would they advocate? (Not looking for the closest modern parallel to their actual view, but for the view they'd opt for if they'd had a modern education, etc)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) May 30, 2019
April 2019
What unpopular, unorthodox, or just strange philosophical views do you hold?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 1, 2019
Which writer (in any genre) do you turn to most often for inspiration?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 17, 2019
What should the philosophy profession's mission statement be? (h/t @MikeWarland)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 18, 2019
What do you read to cheer yourself up?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 20, 2019
What are your favourite philosophical writings on illness and disability?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 24, 2019
What have you changed your mind about in the past year? (I'm thinking mainly of political, philosophical, and scientific issues.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) April 26, 2019
March 2019
What is the most misused philosophical concept (either by philosophers themselves or the general public)?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 4, 2019
Most philosophers are middle class. Have there been any attempts to develop working-class perspectives on philosophical issues? (The question invites humour — which is fine — but I am serious.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 7, 2019
What are your favourite philosophy-related poems?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 9, 2019
if you could reinvent academia, how would you do it? (How would you change institutional structures, funding, teaching, research, career structure, access, public role, etc?)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 13, 2019
What works of Islamic philosophy deserve to be more widely known and read?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 16, 2019
Trans rights activists: What should I read to understand your position better? (No discussion in this thread, please, just reading suggestions.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 25, 2019
Gender-critical feminists: What should I read to understand your position better? (No discussion in this thread, please, just reading suggestions.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) March 25, 2019
February 2019
A claim I defend has been described as 'the silliest claim ever made'. What do you think is the silliest, or most outrageous, claim to have been seriously defended by a philosopher? (With a reference, pls, if available.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 14, 2019
Who is the wisest person you know (either personally or through their work)?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 18, 2019
I'm looking for good, impartial overviews of the replication crisis in social psychology. Any recommendations, please?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 22, 2019
Are there any claims you treat as true (assert, defend, assume) but don't really believe? Examples, please.
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 21, 2019
You can put one question to one philosopher, living or dead. What is your question and to whom?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 22, 2019
What's the best music to do philosophy to?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) February 23, 2019
January 2019
Who is doing the best (or just very good) philosophical work on emotion and emotional cognition?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 19, 2019
I think we need cheering up. Please share your best philosophy-related jokes, anecdotes, and tall stories.
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 21, 2019
Twitter can be mean. Let's do something to redress the balance by listing some our favourite tweeps — people who are thoughtful, wise, funny, or just plain nice. Your nominations, please!
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 24, 2019
I'm looking for good assessments of the cognitive benefits (if any) of bilingualism — preferably ones that avoid hype and offer a balanced survey of studies on the topic. Any recommendations, please?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 26, 2019
If you could suggest just one book or article to a layperson curious about philosophy, what would it be?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 28, 2019
it's said that it's easier to portray wickedness than goodness. What are the most convincing fictional representations of genuinely good people? (My nomination: Joe Gargery in Great Expectations.)
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) January 31, 2019
December 2018
What are your favourite readings on philosophy of education and educational theory?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 8, 2018
Suggestions, please, for festive philosophy books and articles to read overt the holiday period.
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 21, 2018
What was your favourite philosophy article or book published in 2018?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 30, 2018
November 2018
What works of modern continental philosophy should analytic philosophers read?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 21, 2018
What works of non-Western (non-Eurocentric, non-anglophone) philosophy deserve to be more widely read (and why)?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 24, 2018
What are your tips for writing good philosophy (at any level)?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) November 29, 2018
What philosophy-related books would you recommend for children to read?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) December 4, 2018
October 2018
Which philosophy book or article has had the biggest effect on you — produced the biggest change in your views, attitudes, outlook, and actions?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) October 13, 2018
If you were condemned to death and could have just one book to read while you waited for execution, what would it be and why?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) October 16, 2018
What is the worst book or article ever written by a professional philosopher?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) October 20, 2018
What are good books to read at a time when neo-fascism is on the rise?
— Keith Frankish (@keithfrankish) October 29, 2018