Philosophers' Carnival #66

Welcome to the 66th edition of the Philosopher's Carnival. I've decided to do something a little different for this edition: handing out awards for posts in a variety of specific categories. First I'll do the non-award posts by category, then I'll do the award posts. For those of you who find your post in the non-awards category, please be aware that they were assigned based on criteria made up on the spot. Also, I typed this thing way to late at night. Indeed, that last point might be just as worth remembering for those who actually got awards...

Metaphysics:

Joongol Kim of Platonic Heaven sketches out a view on free will called semicompatiblism. Comes under pretty heavy criticism but interesting all the same.

Roman Altshuler also writes about free will, specifically on the phenomenology of responsibility.

Kenny Pearce asks whether Berkley was a phenomenalist or Platonist.

Philosophy of Science:

At Philosophy of Brains we get to read complaints about careless talk of psychological laws.

Rebecca Roache of Practical Ethics asks some sharp questions about claims of internet addiction.

Tanasije Gjorgoski discusses the interplay of Kant, Einstein, rationalism, and quantum mechanics.

Ethics and whatever:

Avery Archer discusses John McDowell and our ability to do what we know is wrong.

Michael of Phluaria has up a draft of a lexicon on types of reasons. It will be interesting to see how this project grows in the future.

Why Logic Isn't Overrated: Inconsistent Thoughts argues against the idea of logic as a mere tool for reasoning.

Awards:

The Hooray for Science Fiction Award: Richard Chappell discuses the possibility of benevolent aliens policing the Earth. Because no bunch of philosophical essays would be complete without at least one science-fictiony post.

Things Philosophers Don't Talk About Enough Award: Almost Philosophy talks about the philosophy of sex, specifically infidelity, specifically having dreams about sleeping with other people when married. I'm serious when I say philosophers don't talk about sex enough: most people are about a billion times more likely to have a chance to dream about having sex with someone not their spouse than to have a chance to push a fat man on roller skates in front of a trolley.

The Long Heated Comment Thread Award: In Jesus Lives; is Christianity a corpse? Enigman looks at some questions relating to theistic creation and morality. Commenters immediately question how he could say what he did, and the resulting thread is 41 comments long.

The Heated Comment Thread that Almost Was: Thom Brooks suggests promising tax cuts is tantamount to bribery. A commenter objects. Brooks asks if the commenter is suggesting all taxation is theft. No further comments after that point.

The Wizards Are Always Good award: Old-Wizard.com has a list of the all time ten greatest philosophers. Each is described in solid detail, though the details are likely to cause controversy.

That's it for this carnival. The next one is to be held at Kenny Pearce's blog. See you all again then.

EDIT: Apology for the typos in the original version.