Editor's Digest: the rise of philosophy, the demise of performance art

“Why Performance Art Is so Silly”: In the first half of the 20th century, and even into the 1970s, performance art presented a dangerous challenge to social and artistic ideals and values. Today, a woman pushing paint-filled eggs out of her vagina and calling it art invites the mockery of the Muppets rather than a serious attempt to understand the art's cultural value.
(Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, April 22, 2014.)

“How Philosophy Makes Progress”: Philosophy used to answer questions now fleshed out with much greater certitude by other disciplines such as physics, linguistics, and neuroscience. But while philosophy might seem increasingly irrelevant, it still continues one primary function: to provide intellectual and moral coherence in an ever-changing world.
(Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 14, 2014.)