Philosophy Tutor Jarrett To Accept Post at Cornell

The Philosophy Department's Head Tutor, Jon P. Jarrett, will leave Harvard next year to accept a tenure track position at Cornell University.

Jarrett, who specializes in the foundation of physics in philosophy, has held a three-year teaching position, known as a "folding chair," within the Philosophy Department. The appointment expires this year.

At Cornell, Jarrett will become an assistant professor in the newly-established graduate field of the History of the Philosophy in Science and Technology. Jarrett said he will be considered for tenure at Cornell in three or four years.

Jarrett said he has enjoyed his position at Harvard even though he was not eligible for tenure. Being Head Tutor put him in a highly visible position without the pressure of having to worry about evaluation for tenure, he said.

While at Harvard, he taught courses and tutorials in the Philosophy Department on the philosophy of physics, logic, and the philosophy of science.

Assistant Professor John P. Carriero, who currently teaches Philosophy 8, "History of Modern Philosophy," and Philosophy 120, "The Rationalist," will replace Jarrett as the department's head tutor.

Jarrett said he is looking forward to going to Cornell. He added that he is particularly interested in working with one physicist there whose interests overlap with his.

Cornell philosophers say they are also looking forward to his arrival. "We were looking for someone in philosophy with a physics background since the new field had been proposed and Jon, being deeply rooted in physics, had the qualifications we were looking for," said Cornell philosophy professor Richard Miller, who was a member of the search committee which selected Jarrett.

"We're thrilled to have him," said another committee member Richard Boyd, who is also a professor of philosophy at Cornell.