Department News
New Crop Prize 2015
UC Berkeley undergraduate philosophy majors and minors are invited to submit essays for consideration for the 2015 New Crop Philosophy Prize:
- First prize: $3,000
- Second prize: $2,000
- Third prize: $1,000
Essays can be on any philosophical topic, and should not be more than ten pages in length. They should be submitted by electronic attachment to Janet Groome (jmgroome@berkeley.edu) by February 1, 2015.
Like all philosophical essays, submissions should aim to be clear, cogent, and critically aware of existing debates. However, a premium will be placed on submissions that strive for originality: that perceptively challenge existing assumptions and positions. One aim of the New Crop Prize is to identify “outliers”: innovative voices and outlooks. All undergraduate majors and minors are encouraged to apply. You need not be a straight-A student to have something new to say!
The top five submissions, as determined by a committee of three graduate students, will be sent our Distinguished New Crop Visitor, who will select the first-, second-, and third-prize, winner. Our 2015 Distinguished New Crop Visitor, who was selected by members of Phil Forum, our undergraduate philosophy club, is Professor Daniel Dennett of Tufts University. On April 20, Professor Dennett will give a seminar on his work in philosophy, exclusively for undergraduates. Students will have a chance to ask questions and contribute, as well as bring up other related philosophical questions to be discussed. On April 21, Professor Dennett will present the awards and comment on the essays, with time left for student responses and broader discussion.
December 17, 2014