Carolyn Dicey Jennings
LightNews LightNews
banner
cdj.bsky.social
Carolyn Dicey Jennings
@cdj.bsky.social
2.6K followers 780 following 550 posts
I study how we direct our own minds through attention and its impact on things like perception, action, & consciousness, now extending to collective attention and digital technologies. PI at philosophydata.org, Editor-in-Chief at philosophymindscience.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
benpatrickwill.bsky.social
Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵

Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
December 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Why we are defunding liberal arts? Read this: everyone is "incentivized to reinforce acceleration of early performance years...starting in a discipline early, focusing exclusively on that discipline...[leading to] early, but not long-term, exceptional performance" 🔥

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Recent discoveries on the acquisition of the highest levels of human performance
Scientists have long debated the origins of exceptional human achievements. This literature review summarizes recent evidence from multiple domains on the acquisition of world-class performance. We re...
www.science.org
December 19, 2025 at 9:56 PM
cdj.bsky.social
📣 Preprint alert! "Human and Machine: Analyzing Language Trends in Descriptions of Academic Philosophy" is forthcoming in Experimental Philosophy and Corpus Methods. This paper was written a couple of years back but the volume is now coming together. Check it out here: philpapers.org/rec/CONHAM-3 🧵
Sherri Lynn Conklin, Alex Dayer, Michael Nekrasov & Carolyn Dicey Jennings, Human and Machine: Analyzing Language Trends in Descriptions of Academic Philosophy - PhilPapers
Advances in machine learning hold promise for corpus analysis: they have the potential to allow for more efficient and less biased analyses of text. This would be a boon for qualitative ...
philpapers.org
December 19, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
parkermolloy.com
David Brooks, who wrote in the NYT last month, "The Epstein Story? Count Me Out" is... in the latest Epstein photo dump published by @oversightdemocrats.house.gov.

He should absolutely be fired by NYT for this. Major conflict of interest that he didn't disclose.
David Brooks: The Epstein Story? Count Me Out. David Brooks in the epstein photos
December 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Bluesky wrapped is a fun exercise. I posted much less in the past few months, but in good news I have been spending more time with the “neighborhood mayor.” Mornings a bit busy now with intense ear scratching sessions. Hard to post given demands of my new position

www.madebyolof.com/bluesky-wrap...
A photo of a cat on my lap looking curiously out into the distance. Unfortunately I am not currently scratching his ears in this photo which means I am close to getting a small bite of disapproval.
December 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
cdj.bsky.social
We should reject the idea that the best way to prepare students for careers is to create programs tailored for specific job outcomes. It doesn’t work to “teach for the test,” so why would this work? Real life, real careers are messy, require problem solving. A disturbing trend for a dying economy.
miriamposner.com Miriam Posner @miriamposner.com · 17d
Yes we all agree that this is the reason colleges are in trouble
She knows that many people disagree, that they see the value of liberal arts as less about job preparation and more about teaching students how to think. It's a nice sentiment on some level, she says, but it's also hopelessly naive. More to the point, she argues, it's exactly the reason many colleges are in trouble: Faculty grew too powerful and too romantic about their role in society. Students are her customers, she says, and at colleges like Albright they no longer major in Latin American studies or even economics. If they want an Al major, her responsibility is to give them one.
December 9, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
neurograce.bsky.social
Spread the word: I'm looking to hire a postdoc to explore the concept of attention (as studied in psych/neuro, not the transformer mechanism) in large Vision-Language Models. More details here: lindsay-lab.github.io/2025/12/08/p...
#MLSky #neurojobs #compneuro
Lindsay Lab - Postdoc Position
Artificial neural networks applied to psychology, neuroscience, and climate change
lindsay-lab.github.io
December 8, 2025 at 11:53 PM
cdj.bsky.social
The Philosophy Department at #UCMerced hosted its first public talk in the new downtown space with Dr. Kaity Creasy’s “How to Be Lonely.” Dr. Creasy dissected different forms of loneliness and argued for its value in our lives, despite its challenges. Fascinating talk, great space.
A photo of Dr. Kaity Creasy giving a talk A photo of Dr. Kaity Creasy giving a talk A photo of Dr. Kaity Creasy giving a talk
December 5, 2025 at 6:04 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Tonight!
cdj.bsky.social Carolyn Dicey Jennings @cdj.bsky.social · 28d
If you are in the Central Valley you may want to check out these talks next week on loneliness by Dr. Kaity Creasy. One will be in downtown Merced and open to the public (Thursday 12/4 @ 6 pm), the other on campus at #UCMerced (Friday 12/5 @ 3:30 pm). Please share with those who may be interested!
Kaitlyn Creasy (CSU San Bernardino) How to be Lonely UC Merced on Main: 1635 M Street Thursday, December 4, 6-7pm Everyone experiences loneliness at some time or other. Even so, some of the situations in which we find ourselves lonely can surprise us. While we might expect to feel lonely in a room full of strangers, for example, we typically don't expect to feel lonely in the presence of loved ones. To make better sense of the wide variety of circumstances in which loneliness may arise, I begin by exploring several distinct causes of loneliness with the help of concrete (including real-life) examples. Then, after reflecting on the features of human existence to which loneliness calls our attention, I will suggest that loneliness, although painful, may have positive potential. As an experience that can reveal what and who matters to us, loneliness may offer opportunities for self-knowledge and meaningful personal transformation, depending on how we relate to it. Kaitlyn Creasy (CSU San Bernardino) Loneliness and Emotional Resonance COB 129 Friday, December 5, 3:30-5pm Loneliness is a painful feeling that arises when our desires for recognition or connection are not fulfilled (or are perceived to be unfulfilled). But there are many forms of meaningful recognition and countless forms of connection that we may need or desire, not all of which can be offered even by those who love and appreciate us. Building on my work on the importance of particular recognition and affirmation for assuaging loneliness, in this talk I explore what I call deep forms of recognition, affirmation, and personal connection, forms that necessarily involve emotional engagement or experiences of emotional resonance. I then contend that these deep forms of recognition, affirmation, and connection, when present, play a distinctive role in the amelioration of loneliness: they allow the individual to feel more at home in her world, in part by allowing her to make (shared) sense of it. Finally, I show that attending to certain of the conditions that make these forms of recognition, affirmation, and connection possible-e.g., shared forms of life and complementary sensibilities between individuals helps us make sense of cases of loneliness tied to the presence or absence of particular empirical others.
December 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
jordanaxt.bsky.social
Implicit racial attitudes accounted for ~2.5% of variance in behavior beyond explicit racial attitudes, an effect size that was *just* over our agreed upon threshold for what would constitute a practically significant effect. Explicit racial attitudes still explained much more variance (~45%).
December 2, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
cdj.bsky.social
If you are in the Central Valley you may want to check out these talks next week on loneliness by Dr. Kaity Creasy. One will be in downtown Merced and open to the public (Thursday 12/4 @ 6 pm), the other on campus at #UCMerced (Friday 12/5 @ 3:30 pm). Please share with those who may be interested!
Kaitlyn Creasy (CSU San Bernardino) How to be Lonely UC Merced on Main: 1635 M Street Thursday, December 4, 6-7pm Everyone experiences loneliness at some time or other. Even so, some of the situations in which we find ourselves lonely can surprise us. While we might expect to feel lonely in a room full of strangers, for example, we typically don't expect to feel lonely in the presence of loved ones. To make better sense of the wide variety of circumstances in which loneliness may arise, I begin by exploring several distinct causes of loneliness with the help of concrete (including real-life) examples. Then, after reflecting on the features of human existence to which loneliness calls our attention, I will suggest that loneliness, although painful, may have positive potential. As an experience that can reveal what and who matters to us, loneliness may offer opportunities for self-knowledge and meaningful personal transformation, depending on how we relate to it. Kaitlyn Creasy (CSU San Bernardino) Loneliness and Emotional Resonance COB 129 Friday, December 5, 3:30-5pm Loneliness is a painful feeling that arises when our desires for recognition or connection are not fulfilled (or are perceived to be unfulfilled). But there are many forms of meaningful recognition and countless forms of connection that we may need or desire, not all of which can be offered even by those who love and appreciate us. Building on my work on the importance of particular recognition and affirmation for assuaging loneliness, in this talk I explore what I call deep forms of recognition, affirmation, and personal connection, forms that necessarily involve emotional engagement or experiences of emotional resonance. I then contend that these deep forms of recognition, affirmation, and connection, when present, play a distinctive role in the amelioration of loneliness: they allow the individual to feel more at home in her world, in part by allowing her to make (shared) sense of it. Finally, I show that attending to certain of the conditions that make these forms of recognition, affirmation, and connection possible-e.g., shared forms of life and complementary sensibilities between individuals helps us make sense of cases of loneliness tied to the presence or absence of particular empirical others.
November 28, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
dailynous.com
Academic Philosophy and Data Analysis is collecting information about philosophy departments. If you're a current philosophy PhD student or received your PhD within the past 10 years, and you haven't heard from them, see this.
Current & Recent Philosophy Grad Students: APDA Is Reaching Out - Daily Nous
If you're a current philosophy PhD student or received your PhD within the past decade, Academic Philosophy Data and Analysis (APDA) wants to make sure you're counted in its 2025 survey, which is runn...
dailynous.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
astrokatie.com
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
November 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
cdj.bsky.social
If you are in the Central Valley you may want to check out these talks next week on loneliness by Dr. Kaity Creasy. One will be in downtown Merced and open to the public (Thursday 12/4 @ 6 pm), the other on campus at #UCMerced (Friday 12/5 @ 3:30 pm). Please share with those who may be interested!
Kaitlyn Creasy (CSU San Bernardino) How to be Lonely UC Merced on Main: 1635 M Street Thursday, December 4, 6-7pm Everyone experiences loneliness at some time or other. Even so, some of the situations in which we find ourselves lonely can surprise us. While we might expect to feel lonely in a room full of strangers, for example, we typically don't expect to feel lonely in the presence of loved ones. To make better sense of the wide variety of circumstances in which loneliness may arise, I begin by exploring several distinct causes of loneliness with the help of concrete (including real-life) examples. Then, after reflecting on the features of human existence to which loneliness calls our attention, I will suggest that loneliness, although painful, may have positive potential. As an experience that can reveal what and who matters to us, loneliness may offer opportunities for self-knowledge and meaningful personal transformation, depending on how we relate to it. Kaitlyn Creasy (CSU San Bernardino) Loneliness and Emotional Resonance COB 129 Friday, December 5, 3:30-5pm Loneliness is a painful feeling that arises when our desires for recognition or connection are not fulfilled (or are perceived to be unfulfilled). But there are many forms of meaningful recognition and countless forms of connection that we may need or desire, not all of which can be offered even by those who love and appreciate us. Building on my work on the importance of particular recognition and affirmation for assuaging loneliness, in this talk I explore what I call deep forms of recognition, affirmation, and personal connection, forms that necessarily involve emotional engagement or experiences of emotional resonance. I then contend that these deep forms of recognition, affirmation, and connection, when present, play a distinctive role in the amelioration of loneliness: they allow the individual to feel more at home in her world, in part by allowing her to make (shared) sense of it. Finally, I show that attending to certain of the conditions that make these forms of recognition, affirmation, and connection possible-e.g., shared forms of life and complementary sensibilities between individuals helps us make sense of cases of loneliness tied to the presence or absence of particular empirical others.
November 28, 2025 at 5:45 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Do you ever wish you had a tool that would allow you to combine your mind with others? In this *just published* paper @mainomenous.bsky.social and I argue that AI is a tool that enables collective attention, rejecting the idea that it is a standalone agent + philosophymindscience.org/index.php/ph...
View of Attention and collective interests in artificial intelligence: In search of a regulatory framework | Philosophy and the Mind Sciences
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences (PhiMiSci) focuses on the interface between philosophy of mind, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. PhiMiSci is a peer-reviewed, not-for-profit open-access journal...
philosophymindscience.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:11 PM
cdj.bsky.social
I found this beautiful girl on the street 11 years ago. Much floofier and more relaxed now.
Large German shepherd husky mix looking at me, hungry and desperate German shepherd husky mix sitting on a bed
November 23, 2025 at 11:04 PM
cdj.bsky.social
If you are in the East LA area, I am giving a talk later today as part of Pitzer College’s “Cultivating Attention” series: "Attention, Technology, and Social Unity” www.pitzer.edu/offices/mcsi... Join us!
Cultivating Attention
Fall 2025
www.pitzer.edu
November 21, 2025 at 3:34 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Ah yes. Those in Boston in 2005 have had many discussions about Summers. All those who resisted the #justasking narrative now vindicated (eg “it would be very useful to know, with hard data, what the quality of marginal hires are when major diversity efforts are mounted” www.pbs.org/newshour/sci...)
pbump.com Philip Bump @pbump.com · Nov 12
"I observed that half the IQ In world was possessed by women without mentioning they are more than 51 percent of population" — Larry Summers to Jeff Epstein
November 12, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
francesegan.bsky.social
The online journal Philosophy and the Mind Sciences is doing a symposium on my book, Deflating Mental Representation, based on my Jean Nicod lectures. See the Call for Papers here:
philosophymindscience.org/index.php/ph...
and a précis of the book here:
philpapers.org/rec/EGAPOD
Call for Papers: Book Symposium on "Deflating Mental Representation" by Frances Egan | Philosophy and the Mind Sciences
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences (PhiMiSci) focuses on the interface between philosophy of mind, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. PhiMiSci is a peer-reviewed, not-for-profit open-access journal...
philosophymindscience.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:25 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Is this the right time to show you the cool wine glasses my friend bought for me?
A wine glass (with Red Shift by Abbots Passage) lit from below with a glass shark visible inside Another image of the shark glass, but in more standard lighting conditions
November 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
cdj.bsky.social
“Overall, our research identifies three key features of attention capital allocation on social media: low alignment with traditional resources, considerable manipulability and ease of acquisition but difficulty sustaining it over time” Fits my recent talk at uchv.princeton.edu/events/persp... …
October 27, 2025 at 6:38 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Princeton is pretty…who knew?
A photo of someone taking a photo of a tree with beautifully changing leaves in the light A grand looking building with trees in front of it, some of which are changing Another building, more trees Building, trees
October 26, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Dicey Jennings
annelijefferson.bsky.social
I don't generally consider myself a nasty philosopher, but every once in a while I revisit Nina Strohminger's review of McGinn's book on disgust for the pleasure of a great takedown
#philsky
www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctytho/McG...
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 22, 2025 at 12:44 PM
cdj.bsky.social
Biggest protest I have seen in Merced, and with more honking from cars #nokings
October 18, 2025 at 8:07 PM
cdj.bsky.social
I’ve heard it said that the people united will never be defeated #nokings
A poster that reads “the people” with a bar under it, all if which is over a nokings crown with a dollar sign inside (the people over kings). People is glittery. A poster that reads “ideas” with a bar under it, all if which is over a cartoon gun (ideas over guns). Ideas is in glitter.
October 17, 2025 at 10:27 PM