Paul Schofield
@pschofie79.bsky.social
I teach philosophy at Bates College. Currently writing about philosophy and homelessness. Work has appeared in the WaPo, Slate, Inside Higher Ed, and the Conversation.
Pinned
Paul Schofield
@pschofie79.bsky.social
· Nov 25
The Necessity of Guaranteed Housing
Louise, a woman of 42, lost her house in the divorce several years back. Having limited financial resources, she’s been sleeping often in her car, sometimes at a shelter, and occasionally on the stree...
blog.apaonline.org
I'm going to pin a thread to my profile with my writing about homelessnes and housing. At the American Philosophical Association site, I argue that having housing shouldn't be contingent on having a job or getting sober, but should be guaranteed.
blog.apaonline.org/2022/04/18/t...
blog.apaonline.org/2022/04/18/t...
Coming soon(ish)
November 19, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Coming soon(ish)
I’ve had a bit with my colleague Mike Dacey where I send him a YouTube video and ask him if the turtle is enjoying his bath as much as he looks like he is (or whatever). Glad to he’s gone public with the bit. (Link in next post)
July 25, 2025 at 1:39 PM
I’ve had a bit with my colleague Mike Dacey where I send him a YouTube video and ask him if the turtle is enjoying his bath as much as he looks like he is (or whatever). Glad to he’s gone public with the bit. (Link in next post)
I have a new essay in Jacobin, arguing that homelessness is at odds with the ideal of a democratic society. I'll take this opportunity to mention that I'm writing a book for Oxford UP elaborating on the ideas in this piece. It will be a trade book, meant for a popular audience.
Homelessness is often thought of either as an issue of individual moral failings or merely of bad policy. It should instead be seen as a moral crisis for our democracy, one that demands transformative economic reforms.
The Homelessness Crisis Is a Crisis of Democracy
Homelessness is often thought of either as an issue of individual moral failings or merely of bad policy. It should instead be seen as a moral crisis for our democracy, one that demands transformative economic reforms.
jacobin.com
July 24, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I have a new essay in Jacobin, arguing that homelessness is at odds with the ideal of a democratic society. I'll take this opportunity to mention that I'm writing a book for Oxford UP elaborating on the ideas in this piece. It will be a trade book, meant for a popular audience.
14-year-old daughter couldn’t find any friends who wanted to go to the Vampire Weekend show tomorrow, so she asked me.
May 28, 2025 at 2:07 PM
14-year-old daughter couldn’t find any friends who wanted to go to the Vampire Weekend show tomorrow, so she asked me.
My colleague Mike Dacey has an excellent and exciting new book out today. It's aimed at an academic audience, but not a narrow specialist one--great for students and also philosophers and animal researchers interested in the topic (1)
May 27, 2025 at 3:38 PM
My colleague Mike Dacey has an excellent and exciting new book out today. It's aimed at an academic audience, but not a narrow specialist one--great for students and also philosophers and animal researchers interested in the topic (1)
My mom got me this bookend when I was in college.
May 20, 2025 at 5:12 PM
My mom got me this bookend when I was in college.
Can’t believe this is the pope
May 9, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Can’t believe this is the pope
My Robert Francis Prevost NFTs are probably worth more today.
May 9, 2025 at 12:34 AM
My Robert Francis Prevost NFTs are probably worth more today.
The new pope will sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley next week.
May 8, 2025 at 5:34 PM
The new pope will sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley next week.
What if ChatGPT added to the terms of use that you’re not allowed to use it to cheat?
May 8, 2025 at 5:12 PM
What if ChatGPT added to the terms of use that you’re not allowed to use it to cheat?
I think the main thing that matters is whether the new pope vaguely agrees with my politics.
May 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I think the main thing that matters is whether the new pope vaguely agrees with my politics.
Really would like to see this level of enthusiasm from students these days.
May 8, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Really would like to see this level of enthusiasm from students these days.
Facebook is aggressively targeting me with these ads. I think it says a lot about society that we're now assuming that *this* is the answer to our problems, rather than antidepressants.
May 6, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Facebook is aggressively targeting me with these ads. I think it says a lot about society that we're now assuming that *this* is the answer to our problems, rather than antidepressants.
Important context. I hope he shared with HR.
May 6, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Important context. I hope he shared with HR.
13-year-old son wanted to invite friends over to have pizza and watch Charlie Chaplin for his birthday. Had to contact parents ahead of time and be like “content warning: it’s a Hitler comedy, but don’t worry, because it’s a *disapproving* one.”
May 6, 2025 at 1:24 PM
13-year-old son wanted to invite friends over to have pizza and watch Charlie Chaplin for his birthday. Had to contact parents ahead of time and be like “content warning: it’s a Hitler comedy, but don’t worry, because it’s a *disapproving* one.”
Made wontons, mapo tofu, and dry fried green beans. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
May 6, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Made wontons, mapo tofu, and dry fried green beans. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Does this mean she goes on to compete against other races now, or is the whole competition segregated by race?
May 4, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Does this mean she goes on to compete against other races now, or is the whole competition segregated by race?
They’ve done away with it for bureaucratic reasons, but Harvard used to have a “shopping period” where students would show up to various classes at the beginning of the semester and only then decide which courses they wanted to take . . .
Since the 17th century, our understanding of choice has undergone profound transformations.
In the neoliberal era, an especially individualistic, market-oriented idea of freedom has come to dominate more and more of our existence.
In the neoliberal era, an especially individualistic, market-oriented idea of freedom has come to dominate more and more of our existence.
How Neoliberalism Has Distorted Human Choice
Since the 17th century, our understanding of choice has undergone profound transformations. In the neoliberal era, an especially individualistic, market-oriented idea of freedom has come to dominate m...
jacobin.com
May 3, 2025 at 1:54 PM
They’ve done away with it for bureaucratic reasons, but Harvard used to have a “shopping period” where students would show up to various classes at the beginning of the semester and only then decide which courses they wanted to take . . .
I think at some point I had the thought that, resisting the trend of a lot of older powerful men, maybe Bill Belichick would just kind of retire in a dignified way.
April 30, 2025 at 5:39 PM
I think at some point I had the thought that, resisting the trend of a lot of older powerful men, maybe Bill Belichick would just kind of retire in a dignified way.
I have a new piece in Jacobin about Sophia Rosenfeld's book on the history of choice. My essay is about the significance of this history as we think about the role of choice in human life under neoliberalism. I talk some about shopping, dating, and voting.
Since the 17th century, our understanding of choice has undergone profound transformations.
In the neoliberal era, an especially individualistic, market-oriented idea of freedom has come to dominate more and more of our existence.
In the neoliberal era, an especially individualistic, market-oriented idea of freedom has come to dominate more and more of our existence.
How Neoliberalism Has Distorted Human Choice
Since the 17th century, our understanding of choice has undergone profound transformations. In the neoliberal era, an especially individualistic, market-oriented idea of freedom has come to dominate m...
jacobin.com
April 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I have a new piece in Jacobin about Sophia Rosenfeld's book on the history of choice. My essay is about the significance of this history as we think about the role of choice in human life under neoliberalism. I talk some about shopping, dating, and voting.
Voters won’t care about the failure to reduce spending—most really don’t know much about how the government works and how much gets spent on what. But I do wonder if at some point the incompetence begins to make the administration look weak & if people will care about *that*
April 27, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Voters won’t care about the failure to reduce spending—most really don’t know much about how the government works and how much gets spent on what. But I do wonder if at some point the incompetence begins to make the administration look weak & if people will care about *that*
Ok, so this is a bit, right? The Browns are officially doing a bit.
April 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Ok, so this is a bit, right? The Browns are officially doing a bit.
Just got to where Wittgenstein calls some bit of philosophy nonsense for the first time.
April 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Just got to where Wittgenstein calls some bit of philosophy nonsense for the first time.
