X-Phi in the New York Times

The New York Times has a recent piece in their Room for Debate Series about experimental philosophy with short pieces by Knobe, Appiah, Sosa, Maudlin, Leiter, and Williamson. It is an interesting read. It is also worth noting the difference in tone in the two critical pieces. Sosa, who has clearly taken the time to read the work by experimental philosophy, has helpfully critical and charitable things to say. Williamson, on the other hand, presents the same caricature of experimental philosophy he has relied on in the past. When I read his remarks, I cannot help but get the feeling that he hasn't really read much of anything we have written. I, for one, find his mis (or non) reading of experimental philosophy both "comical" and ironic since he appears to reject what we do from the armchair. As such, he comes off as an "imitation" critic of x-phi and an arson of experimental straw men. But we have seen this from him before, so no surprises here I suppose.