Dr. Susan Castro (susan.castro@wichita.edu), Department of Philosophy, Wichita State University.
Just finished the post-conference survey for the APA Central – my first fully online conference week. It was really striking to me how the venue changed the event. Yes, I missed the nuance of in-person communication and the opportunity to have an extended conversation over a meal. On the other hand, the sessions were recorded and we had a chat function. From my scientific observations (sample size n = 1), behavior was the most collegial I’ve seen. Of course we forgot the session was being recorded, which is essential for thinking well together, but the Panopticon raised the bar for respect. Even when it was suggested that a contradiction could be ignored (them’s fightin’ words!), people kept their cool. The chat allowed people who weren’t formally recognized to speak despite the limited time available, and the price tag was ever so much lower than travel to lovely cities like New Orleans and Vancouver. We still need to work on internet stability, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how good an online philosophy conference could be. Maybe you’ll join me online at the APA Pacific in April and see what you think for yourself. – Prof Castro
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