XPhi Exam Question

To help make your Monday morning more productive, I thought I would mention that when I taught a graduate course on experimental philosophy a year ago, the final question on the take-home exam for the course was the following:

 
The best answer in the class was from Mark Phillips: "I choose the second picture. It is important in both pictures that the armchair was set aflame. Experimental philosophy has many good perspectives to add to many philosophical arguments. However, the first picture leaves the armchair to be consumed. I believe this is too strong a conclusion. Armchair philosophy will not cease to exist because of the influence of experimental philosophy. The armchair has been singed, and the marks of experimental philosophy will (hopefully) continue to show for a very long time. But non-partisan, level headed philosophers will pee out the proverbial fire and continue to work from the (now wet and stinky) armchair."