Proper philosophy is not practiced solely in isolation. While independent study and reflection is paramount to self-exploration and self-understanding, without an ethical community of peers with which to confer the isolated philosopher is cut off from communion with the humanity they seek to understand within themselves, as well as from the tradition of philosophy that informs and clarifies our interpretation of thought both as it originally emerges within the psychical landscape of the individual and as it is communally constituted. Academic philosophy traditionally champions work done in communion with others through conferences, peer review, and general dialogue.
However, for various reasons throughout history the traditional philosophical academy has isolated itself from the everyday activities of social life in the concrete communities out of which the history of thought emerges. Sometimes this isolation appears necessary for philosophy’s protection, especially when philosophers are persecuted by coercive forces or, less dramatically, when philosophical reflection calls for practitioners to step away from the way they understand themselves in their typical social settings so that they may see things from a different perspective. This isolation has relegated philosophical practice to the fringes of society and, more recently, the academy is symbolized in popular culture by an exclusive ivory tower composed of out of touch, “armchair philosophers” whose logically derived conclusions are cut off from common sense and whose specialized publications lend little contribution to the world which feeds and funds them.
Lawn Chair Philosophy as a phenomenological school of thought seeks to maintain the sanctity of academic philosophy as a rigorous practice that distinguishes itself from typical, everyday affairs, while actively participating in and contributing to the many goods of the everyday affairs that define the bounds of our local and global communities of real, flesh and blood human beings, and the pressing concerns of our day. On this community page, you will find the partners with which we have linked arms to bring academic philosophy out of the tower and into the light of day. We have also featured voices in academic philosophy who are practiced both in writing scholarly research papers and sharing their research through alternative modes of expression and communication. And you will find our Philosophy in Motion series, wherein we interview folks from all sorts of backgrounds so they may share how it is they engage their self-reflective, philosophical work in their everyday lives. Enjoy!
If you have any question about how you might join our thriving philosophical community, please reach out to us here:
The Lawn Chair Philosophy Foundation 