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Panel: Twenty Years of Harry Frankfurt’s 'On Bullshit'

Following the release of the 20th anniversary edition of the New York Times bestseller, panelists explore why bullshit is so dangerous – perhaps now more than ever. In-person and livestreamed.

This is a hybrid event, in-person and livestreamed on the Princeton University Press YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/PUPress

About the panel:

The world has changed dramatically over the past 20 years—from politics and policies to the media and technology. But one thing has remained constant through it all: bullshit. With the rise of social media and the deepening divides of political polarization, and now with the emergence of A.I., bullshit is perhaps more prevalent than ever in our lives.  

In his 2005 Princeton University Press book, philosopher Harry Frankfurt argued that “bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are.” Thirty-two translations, 37 printings, and one million copies sold globally later, Frankfurt’s prescient and powerful message still resounds today. 

Following the recent release of a 20th anniversary edition of the New York Times bestseller, Princeton University Press, Princeton Public Library, Labyrinth Books, and GradFUTURES invite you to join us for conversation about why bullshit is so dangerous – perhaps now more than ever. 

Harry G. Frankfurt (1929–2023) was one of the world’s most influential moral philosophers and a professor of philosophy emeritus at Princeton University. His books included "On Inequality," "The Reasons of Love," and "Demons, Dreamers, and Madmen" (all Princeton).

Featured Speakers:

Jaime Fernández Fisac is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Princeton University, where he leads the Safe Robotics Lab. After helping shape how autonomous vehicles share the road during his time at Waymo, he now studies how to make robots and AI trustworthy around people, and how efforts to make generative AI more helpful can instead give rise to “machine bullshit.” 

Elizabeth Harman is Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy and Human Values at Princeton University. She has published on the ethics of abortion, what we owe to animals, moral ignorance, moral uncertainty and actions above and beyond what morality requires. Her book in progress is titled "When To Be a Hero." 

Gideon Rosen is Stuart Professor of Philosophy and Acting Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Princeton. He is the author of "A Subject With No Object" (with John P. Burgess) and general editor of the Norton Introduction to Philosophy. 

Joe Schmid is a third year Philosophy PhD student at Princeton University and works in metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of mind. He also creates philosophy videos on his YouTube channel, "Majesty of Reason."

Presented in partnership with Princeton University Press, Labyrinth Books, and GradFUTURES and with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this programming do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.