The John Templeton Foundation, the most important single funder of philosophical tasks in the US, has eradicated its “Philosophy and Theology” division.
A brand new funding space, referred to as “Faith, Science, and Society” will “mix work beforehand supported by three separate departments: Human Sciences; Philosophy and Theology; and Tradition and World Views,” based on an announcement from the muse.
Templeton-funded tasks typically have a non secular, theological, or “non secular” element, so this variation could also be regarded as merely organizational, and never indicative of a shift in funding priorities. (John Templeton himself said that the aim of the muse is “to steer people who no human has but grasped 1% of what might be recognized about non secular realities. So we’re encouraging folks to begin utilizing the identical strategies of science which have been so productive in different areas, with a view to uncover non secular realities.”)
Nevertheless, the descriptions of the previous and new funding areas are somewhat completely different. Right here’s how the “Philosophy and Theology” division is described:
The Philosophy and Theology Division helps analysis and catalyzes conversations that promise to construct on knowledge contained throughout the world’s philosophical and theological traditions, with a view to improve our understanding of the world and the way to dwell properly inside it
And right here’s how the brand new “Faith, Science, and Society” division is described:
Faith, Science, and Society will help analysis on tradition, non secular traditions, and spirituality. This funding space will search to advance our collective understanding of the methods during which non secular and non secular beliefs and practices have an effect on human flourishing and to use these insights to society in significant and sensible methods. We can be particularly taken with analysis that engages substantively and critically with the sciences, together with sturdy interdisciplinary collaborations during which philosophical or theological understanding informs the findings and strategies of the sciences.
Moreover, based on a supply who requested to not be named, the director of the Philosophy and Theology division has been let go, as has the division’s administrative workers, leaving nobody on the basis with expertise dealing with philosophy grants.
Templeton’s funding of philosophy has not been uncontroversial—see this dispute between Daniel Dennett and Al Mele, for instance.
But it surely has been substantial. Right here’s a tough estimate I put collectively a number of years in the past (for an American Philosophical Association session on “New Funding Organizations and the Course of Philosophy”) that provides a way of the importance of Templeton’s funding: within the 5 yr interval main as much as 2016, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) offered roughly $7 million to philosophers for philosophy-related tasks, whereas the John Templeton Basis offered roughly $57 million to philosophers for philosophy-related tasks.
Many multi-million greenback Templeton-funded philosophy tasks have been introduced right here on Every day Nous (see here for examples).
I hope to listen to extra about this variation from folks on the Templeton Basis and can replace this publish as I get hold of new data associated to it.
(Disclosure: Numerous Templeton-funded tasks have marketed on Every day Nous.)
