Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 09/04/2026The Free Will Show (hosted by Taylor Cyr and Matt Flummer) has a new interview with me up on my work on free will, time-travel, and the simulation hypothesis. Check it out! audio.buzzsprout.com/8yg6pa2pkd2x...audio.buzzsprout.com 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 18/01/2026Excited to see this great review of “Why It’s OK to be a Moderate” forthcoming in Journal of Moral Philosophy: philarchive.org/rec/VANWIO Kyle van Oosterum also has a nice substack post up expanding on it here: open.substack.com/pub/kylevo/p... I am grateful for the thoughtful commentary! 030
Reposted by Marcus ArvanJason Chen @chenphilosophy.com · 22/12/2025My interview with Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social about how many of history’s worst evils have resulted from far-right and far-left radicalism, and how many widely hailed social and political achievements have been achieved by moderates. #philsky #politics youtu.be/yvk5e0VRpMUyoutu.beWhy It's Okay to be a Moderate | Marcus Arvan | Ep. 81YouTube video by Jason Chen 032
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 16/12/2025A Substack outlining my book's argument that it's OK to be a political moderate, along with links to two podcast interviews: one with the leftist podcast "Academic Edgelords" and the other with conservative Spencer Case at "Micro-Digressions." newworkinphilosophy.substack.com/p/why-its-ok...newworkinphilosophy.substack.com"Why It's OK to be a Moderate", Marcus Arvan (University of Tampa)Routledge, 2025 021
Reposted by Marcus ArvanAlex Fisher @alex-fisher.bsky.social · 27/10/2025I wrote a short summary of the below recently published paper for the New Work in Philosophy blog. open.substack.com/pub/newworki... Thanks @marcusarvan.bsky.social for hosting this!open.substack.com“Imaginative contagion and moral corruption” - Alex Fisher (University of Leeds)Philosophy and Phenomenological Research (Early View) 022
Reposted by Marcus ArvanWhat Is It Like to Be a Philosopher? @whatisitliketobeaphilosopher.com · 24/10/2025Read “Ignorance Is the Foundation of Justice” in Too Weird to Believe, Too Plausible to Deny! @amazon: a.co/d/chdPsv4 #philosophy #justice #ethics 022
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/10/2025www.amazon.com/Why-Its-OK-B...amazon.comWhy It's OK to Be a ModerateAmazon.com: Why It's OK to Be a Moderate: 9781032613864: Arvan, Marcus: Books 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/10/2025"Why It’s OK to Be a Moderate ... is a great book released at the perfect time, and I will be recommending it to students, family, and friends." 100
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/10/2025Happy to see this first review of "Why It's OK to be a Moderate" today. interpretationjournal.com/shop/mcgowan... "Arvan makes a well-reasoned, well-researched, and well-written case for viewing political moderates as the unsung heroes of democratic societies for well over a century...interpretationjournal.comMichael McGowan: Marcus Arvan, Why It’s OK to Be a Moderate – Interpretation Journal 100
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 22/08/2025ourworldindata.org/grapher/egal...ourworldindata.orgEgalitarian democracy indexData by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent of voting rights, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, and the protection of rights, access to power, and distri... 030
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 22/08/2025Also, the happiest, most stable, and least corrupt societies in the world (in Northern Europe) are those that most closely conform to Rawls’ theory. 130
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 22/08/2025Imagine saying that an economic theory is wrong because politicians aren’t following it. That’s no reason to throw the theory under the bus. If it’s a good theory, it’s just a reason to get people to actually follow it. 120
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 22/08/2025Much of what the OP describes in their post has little to do with the theory at all, but rather inaccurate straw man interpretations of it. 120
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 22/08/2025But that’s not the case here. A good theory of justice should do two things: describe an ideal society/world we should shoot for (ideal theory), and then show how to get there in a just way from where we are (nonideal theory). As I argue in my work, Rawls’s theory does both. 220
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/08/2025Also, you say liberals need to show why liberalism is good for people. Okay, but this isn’t that hard to show: see philpapers.org/rec/ARVFRSphilpapers.orgMarcus Arvan, From rational self-interest to liberalism: a hole in Cofnas’s debunking explanation of moral progress - PhilPapersMichael Huemer argues that cross-cultural convergence toward liberal moral values is evidence of objective moral progress, and by extension, evidence for moral realism. Nathan Cofnas claims to debunk ... 020
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/08/2025That it does so is an unfortunate yet fairly common misconception. Rawls provided an “ideal theory” of a fully just society—but when the framework is extended to unjust conditions, its implications are far more non-neutral on race, gender, and many other things as well. 130
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/08/2025Rawlsian liberalism (“Justice as fairness”) does not, for example, support neutrality on anti-black racism (something you imply it does in your piece). 250
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/08/2025Your discussion here may be based on common interpretations of Rawlsian liberalism—but as I show in this published paper, those interpretations are largely wrong about how committed it is to neutrality under unjust conditions. philpapers.org/rec/ARVAAOphilpapers.orgMarcus Arvan, Allies Against Oppression: Intersectional Feminism, Critical Race Theory, and Rawlsian Liberalism - PhilPapersLiberalism is often claimed to be at odds with feminism and critical race theory (CRT). This article argues, to the contrary, that Rawlsian liberalism supports the central commitments of both. Section... 160
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 08/07/2025I recently went on Academic Edgelords, a leftist podcast, to discuss my new book, Why It's OK to be a Moderate. Much to my delight, all three hosts indicated that they enjoyed the book, and we had a fantastic discussion! If you're curious, check it out: www.academicedgelords.com/2025/07/08/e...academicedgelords.comEP28: Is it Okay to be a Moderate? (On Marcus Arvan’s “Why it’s OK to Be a Moderate”) - Academic EdgelordsIs moderation just fence-sitting, or is it a forgotten virtue? In this episode, we sit down with philosopher Marcus Arvan to discuss his new book… 012
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/06/2025Yes, when you click Donate on the GoFundMe page, it gives that as an option. 110
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/06/2025I am devastated to learn of my dear friend and fellow philosopher Helen De Cruz’s passing. With Helen's blessing, her husband Johan and I agreed to circulate a GoFundMe on their children’s behalf. Please feel free to share and circulate widely. www.gofundme.com/f/support-he...gofundme.comDonate to Support Helen's Children After Her Passing, organized by Marcus ArvanHelp provide Helen De Cruz's children with a better start in life after her un… Marcus Arvan needs your support for Support Helen's Children After Her Passing 310865
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 29/05/2025marcusarvan.substack.com/p/the-ai-saf...marcusarvan.substack.comThe A.I. Safety Embarrassment CycleExplaining the repeated failures of AI safety research and development 000
Reposted by Marcus ArvanStefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 12/05/2025"How to do philosophy with (science) fiction" Here are some reflections on writing weird novels as scholarly outputs (with thanks to @marcusarvan.bsky.social). >> newworkinphilosophy.substack.com/p/giacomo-pe... <<newworkinphilosophy.substack.comGiacomo Pezzano (Università di Torino) & Stefano Gualeni (University of Malta), “How to Do Philosophy with Sci-Fiction: A Case of Hybrid Textuality”Filosofia, 2024. 2368
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 06/05/2025Whether the value is truth, morality, or whatever, there is no empirically tractable way to train these things to reliably give the right outputs. www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-i...scientificamerican.comAI Is Too Unpredictable to Behave According to Human GoalsAI “alignment” is a buzzword, not a feasible safety goal 020
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 06/05/2025“As they try to tackle a problem step by step, they run the risk of hallucinating at each step. The errors can compound as they spend more time thinking.” Your daily reminder that “aligning” LLMs with what we want them to do is a fool’s errand. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/t...nytimes.comA.I. Hallucinations Are Getting Worse, Even as New Systems Become More PowerfulA new wave of “reasoning” systems from companies like OpenAI is producing incorrect information more often. Even the companies don’t know why. 120
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/04...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comWe Should Disaggregate Philosophy’s Graduate Admissions, Placement, Tenure and Promotion, and Publishing Data by Mother/Parent Status (Guest post by Maja Sidzińska)By Maja Sidzińska How well do mothers fare in graduate admissions in academic philosophy relative to fathers and those who aren’t parents? How well do they fare on the academic job market in philosoph... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 27/03/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/03...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comReading suggestions for an undergraduate interested in epistemology and existentialism?I have a bright undergraduate student who has taken a couple of philosophy courses who asked if I have any recommendations for readings in epistemology and existentialism. I'd really like to provide t... 000
Reposted by Marcus ArvanJoe @josephfgough.bsky.social · 26/03/2025I made a video for New Work in Philosophy on mind and self, from Descartes to the anti-Cartesians. Thanks @marcusarvan.bsky.social for the invite! youtu.be/tPXbnketu8Iyoutu.beJoseph Gough (Oxford), "The embodied, relational self: extending or rejecting the mind?"YouTube video by New Work in Philosophy 031
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 26/03/2025A fun, short interview at "Why Philosophy?" on my path into philosophy, what philosophy means to me, etc. Many thanks to Céline Leboeuf for the invitation. It's a great series, and I highly recommend subscribing to her substack! celineleboeuf.substack.com/p/why-philos...celineleboeuf.substack.comWhy Philosophy? Marcus ArvanGood philosophies make our lives and the world better. 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 26/03/2025New podcast interview with Reid Blackman on whether AI control and alignment are possible. Thanks so much to Reid for having me on--it was a fun discussion! open.spotify.com/episode/5rdh...open.spotify.comAI is UncontrollableEthical Machines · Episode 030
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/03/2025Hope some of you decide to check it out and enjoy it, and if so, please do share the word! 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/03/2025More information on the book's contents, including a chapter-by-chapter summary and some advance endorsements, are available here: www.marcusarvan.net/my-booksmarcusarvan.netMy Books | marcusarvanphilo 100
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/03/2025He makes this case to you, showing that whatever your reasonable political ideology may be, things tend to go best politically when radicals and moderates effectively complement each other’s virtues while counterbalancing the other’s vices." 100
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/03/2025I am excited to report that my new book, "Why It's OK to be a Moderate", is now available for purchase ($24.99 paperback / $14.74 Kindle). www.amazon.com/Why-Its-OK-B... From the book's jacket synopsis: "Arvan shows that it’s OK to be a moderate precisely because not everyone should be one...amazon.comWhy It's OK to Be a ModerateAmazon.com: Why It's OK to Be a Moderate: 9781032613864: Arvan, Marcus: Books 150
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/03/2025Pirated 2 of my books and a bunch of my journal articles. 040
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 07/03/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/03...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comHow do you honestly feel about teaching?In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: I'm a grad student on the market, and I have a lot of teaching experience (as TA and as lecturer at my degree-granting institution as w... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 05/03/2025newworkinphilosophy.substack.com/p/amanda-eva...newworkinphilosophy.substack.comAmanda Evans (University of Pittsburgh), "Medical paternalism, anorexia nervosa, and the problem of pathological values"Synthese, 2025 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 05/03/2025newworkinphilosophy.substack.com/p/steffen-ko...newworkinphilosophy.substack.comSteffen Koch (University of Bielefeld), "Merely verbal agreement, speaker-meaning, and defective context"Synthese, 2025 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 27/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comTaking on a new AOS mid-career?In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: I would like to hear people's experience of changing AOS(s), especially from mid-career philosophers. I do not have a specific question. But... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 27/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comIs it advisable for early-career people (including grad students) to blog about philosophy?In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: Is it advisable for an early-career philosopher (or philosophy graduate student) to blog about philosophy? How does one tell which philosoph... 010
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 27/02/2025New paper in Journal of Moral Philosophy: philpapers.org/rec/ARVMLOphilpapers.orgMarcus Arvan, Metaethical Lessons of a Failed Ontological Proof of Robust Moral Realism - PhilPapersMichael Huemer claims to give an ontological proof of robust moral realism, the influential view that we have non-selfish, categorical, observer-independent reasons for action. This paper argues that ... 030
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/02/2025newworkinphilosophy.substack.com/p/neil-levy-...newworkinphilosophy.substack.comNeil Levy (Macquarie University), "Impostor syndrome and pretense"Inquiry - An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy, 2022 010
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comGreg Stoutenberg's (now-)free "Career Change in 30 Days - for Academics"Greg Stoutenberg wrote in to draw my attention to this free career change resource he put together: https://gregstoutenburg.gumroad.com/l/careerchange It seems like a really great resource, and I expe... 011
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 21/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comHow often to ask for updated recommendation letters?In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: Here's a question for other people who spend multiple years continuously on the job market. How often do you ask your references to update t... 010
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comGossip about disastrous interviews?In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: I'm an ABD person on the job market for the first time. I had a fair number of first round interviews this cycle--some went well, some were com... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comPhilosophical "superstars"In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: Sometimes I hear people describe some philosopher as a "superstar", but what exactly does that mean? Is it about publications? Or fame? What is... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comIs publishing in specialty journals enough?In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: When publishing for the job market, do I really need to try and publish at least one article in a top generalist journal? Or will publishing in... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comDo students interested in history of philosophy need (foreign) language competence?In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: We have a super talented junior philosophy major with an interest in going to graduate school. They have a special interest in a historical per... 000
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comInterview w/Jared Oliphint @Selling Plato podcast 001
Marcus Arvan @marcusarvan.bsky.social · 20/02/2025philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2025/02...philosopherscocoon.typepad.comHow are tenure cases handled with interdisciplinary candidates?In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: How are philosophy tenure cases handled when the candidate is interdisciplinary (e.g., publishes in both philosophy and science journals)? I'm ... 000
