Hello,
My name is Steven, and I have been making (slow but steady) progress on a writing project over recent years.
It would have been a joy to begin writing up my work in progress this month. Sadly though, the time needed to turn these notes into publishable prose is simply beyond what my personal circumstances allow.
With a kind donation towards my project—a philosophy paper—I could finally make a positive contribution to my chosen field. In return, and with heartfelt thanks, I can offer some instructive material for you to browse, resources that may enrich your daily interactions and perhaps inspire.
Thanks for finding your way here and for reading on.
1. Why support philosophy over some other creative project?
In recent times, philosophy has become ever more impactful on our lives and encounters with others. Whether it be misinformation online, the implications of AI (in the workplace and beyond), issues of personal identity, and so on, the Twenty-first century continues to challenge our understanding of such familiar notions as truth, meaning, identity and ethics.
Western philosophy can appear rather remote from our daily concerns, but it has always provided the most informed scrutiny over what it is to be human, and how our thoughts and actions confer meaning on the world.
Throughout the ages, philosophy has been a source of inspiration and rigour for our most treasured writers, artists and scientists. Progress in the philosophy of mind, language and science alone has had a profound (if often unacknowledged) effect on contemporary life.
Supporting rigorous philosophical writing, then, is simply to advocate for a more reasonable and accountable description of who we are and what there is.
2. The Facebook Group to accompany the fundraiser
When preparing this fundraiser, I always had in mind to introduce some interesting philosophical ideas to the reader. This was not to aid understanding of my own paper as such, but to shine a light on the types of reasoning we all use in our everyday affairs.
Whether it be clarifying and revising our pre-existing beliefs, or holding other people's opinions to account, effective reasoning is something that really matters.
I set up the following Facebook group to provide access to this supplementary material:
Philosophy Resources: historical survey and contemporary debate
Please click here to view
Posts to this group will primarily be short passages from the authoritative online reference work (as used by the philosophical community itself, and beyond). I have simply edited the entries for length, with no further revisions. Links to the full entries are also provided for your convenience.
I will update the group with further posts and provide reading lists as and when I proceed through the write-up.
It's hoped that the material posted there will capture the revelatory nature of philosophy, without being too demanding of your time.
3. Plans for the paper
The aim has always been to publish Content and Constraint as a stand-alone journal paper, or else to present the completed text as a means to secure funding for a PhD/book. (The paper would then amount to the crucial first chapter of the manuscript).
The ideas proposed in Content and Constraint are, in fact, a departure from my previously published paper—the latter being written before I reached settled views on a whole range of philosophical questions.
Once my paper is completed, the method it describes can then be used to make novel claims about such intriguing notions as existence, consciousness and truth.
4. So what's genuinely original about Content and Constraint?
To make a positive claim about something often involves denying credible alternatives. But what resources are we entitled to use when making general claims about who we are and what the world consists in?
Choosing a certain pattern of reasoning—an inference—is itself a kind of methodological commitment from the outset. Whether we like it or not, there's no intuitive 'starting line' for the pursuit of philosophy.
Content and Constraint investigates how we can so much as begin to make claims about those phenomena we experience and those we do not.
From these initial considerations, I reach a particular result which, in turn, amounts to a new form of reasoning. In short, Content and Constraint describes the conditions for an alternative approach to philosophy.
Since that's a rather bold claim to make, it is probably a good thing to say a little more here.
5. Some further detail about Content and Constraint (...that some may want to skip!)
Over the centuries of philosophical inquiry, there have been four common ways to advance claims about the way things are. The most familiar of these is perhaps the notion of 'explanation', where (roughly) a conclusion is reached about how some fact was able to occur.
'Inference to the Best Explanation' is unique among these arguments as it can corral seemingly unconnected content to serve as reasons for its conclusion.
(For more on 'inference', please see the Argument and Argumentation post in the Facebook group.)
In Content and Constraint, I arrive at a similar kind of procedure in that unrelated content leads to a principled inferential outcome. On the other hand, that outcome could not be considered an 'explanatory conclusion', but something else.
The pattern of inference I propose, then, differs in its logical structure from the four common types of argument. Nonetheless, it will be apt for making rational philosophical claims.
6. How a kind donation would make a big difference
With the cost of living recently being so high, and mindful about the impact this has had on all of us, I plan to use any generous funds I might receive only on those days I'm actually sitting down to write.
It doesn't feel quite right for a thoughtful doner to fund anything other than the project itself. My approach, then, will involve taking time out each week to make steady progress on the paper—rather than writing full-time—whilst paying for everything else.
Subsequently, each section of the paper will take around four weeks to complete; and as the campaign target indicates, a sum of £85 per week would suffice to cover all the hours devoted to completing the paper.
There would also need to be two weeks of intensive research, unfortunately, before I can write up the crucial fifth section. I tried hard to complete this research before posting the fundraiser online, but due to personal commitments, this has just not been possible. (For those interested, the research involves Bayesian theories of explanation among some other recent developments in this field.)
7. A summary of contents
Here's a brief overview of the paper, the full title of which is, “Content and Constraint: toward a work on method”.
Some of the familiar terms below will acquire more precise use within the paper itself.
Section One:
Where might a philosophical method begin?
What role does intuition play at this preliminary stage?
Is the idea of a methodological 'origin' itself problematic?
Section Two:
What can our perceptual experience tell us about conceptual thought?
What can conceptual thought tell us about our perceptual experience?
What is the legitimate content of a philosophical inference?
Section Three/Four:
Does the logical structure of language map the intelligible structure of the world?
If 'regularities' are found in nature, what do they teach?
What is the legitimate function of a philosophical inference?
Section Five/Six:
Positing the legitimate content of a philosophical inference
Positing the legitimate function of a philosophical inference
How to make general philosophical claims
Thank you for taking the time to read these words.
Whether you're someone who enjoys seeing creative ideas flourish, has an interest in how the paper itself hangs together, or are just curious about the material posted to the Facebook group, a kind donation to my project would help me tremendously.
Perhaps you work or study within the field of philosophy and appreciate an attempt to broaden its appeal somewhat—your support would be gratefully received.
It's been a pleasure to write something so public about my (belated) paper after all this time!
If you were kindly able to share this fundraiser with friends, family and colleagues that would really make a difference.
Cheers, Steven
Read more
Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?
Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns
At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:
1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns
Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.
Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.
2. Supporting Campaign Growth
Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.
3. Expanding Donor Networks
Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.
Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.
How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow
1. Featured Campaigns Section
Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.
Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.
2. Social Media Promotion
Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.
Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.
3. Email Newsletters
Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.
Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.
LFEBridge Foundation's Independence
It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.
Conclusion
By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.
For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.
English (US) ·