The old medieval battle-cry should serve to inspire today's inquiring Internauts. But it is to Internet mailing lists I'm referring.
E-mail discussion lists (also known as Listservs, after the name of a program which manages e-mail lists) were among the earliest Internet resources, but they remain one of the most useful to anyone wishing to learn more about almost any subject. By subscribing to discussion lists, you can learn a wealth of information from people knowledgeable about a subject and (usually) eager to share what they know. You can learn about ideas, current controversies, useful books and articles on the subject, Internet resources. Moreover, for students of philosophy, discussion lists can do much more than merely supply information. They can also provide a forum for vital person-to-person learning, discussion and debate which can turn philosophy into a living undertaking.
Hundreds of philosophy-related discussion lists are available, on everything from branches of philosophy, to philosophical fields, to schools of philosophy, to individual philosophers. Probably the most thorough listing can be found at Dey Alexander's Philosophy in Cyberspace site in Australia (a U.S. mirror site is also available). The site provides clickable links to most lists.
Subscribing to a discussion list is easy. Usually, it involves sending to the listserv via e- mail a subscription request in the following format:
subscribe name-of-list your-first-name your-last-name
Note: The required format for some lists may vary, so always note the correct subscription address and follow the specific instructions for subscribing to each.
So, heed the medieval battle-cry. "To the lists!" But best to leave your sword and buckler at home. However, don't forget to bring your mail . . .
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