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John Perry
Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy

Biography

John R. Perry has made significant contributions to many areas of philosophy, including philosophy of language, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind. He is known primarily for his work on situation semantics (together with Jon Barwise), reflexivity, indexicality, and self-knowledge. He is the Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy. He has served as Chair of the Philosophy Department and Director of the Center for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI), an independent research center founded in 1983.

He is also the author of over 100 articles and books, including A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality; Knowledge, Possibility, and Consciousness; and Reference and Reflexivity. In 2004, he became co-host, with Kenneth Taylor, of Philosophy Talk, the radio program that "questions everything... except your intelligence". He also produces non-technical work that reaches a wider audience, such as his humorous 1995 online essay "Structured Procrastination", arguably the Internet’s most popular essay on procrastination.  Perry is past Vice President and President of the American Philosophical Association (Pacific Division).  He is also member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a recipient of many honors and awards, including the Nicod and Humboldt Prizes. A popular lecturer, in 1990 he was awarded Stanford’s Dinkelspiel Award for undergraduate teaching.

Key Works

• Knowledge, Possibility and Consciousness: the 1999 Jean Nicod Lectures.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, 2001.
• Reference and Reflexivity.  CSLI Publications, 2001.
• Dialogue on Good, Evil, and the Existence of God.  Hackett Publishing Company, 1999.
• A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality. Hackett Publishing Company, 1978.
• Identity, Personal Identity and the Self. University of California Press, 1975.
• Light essays
• Co-host of Philosophy Talk, a weekly talk show

Prof. Perry in the News

• Philosophy of a Prize-Winning Procrastinator

  The Stanford Daily, October 26, 2011
• 15 Years After an Essay on Procrastination, a Philosopher Wins an Ig Nobel Prize

  The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 29, 2011
• Compatibilism: Can Free Will and Determinism Co-exist?
  Stanford Report, September 15, 2011
• 'Philosophy Talk' Radio Show reaches fourth graders 

  University of Washington Perspectives Newsletter, October 17, 2010
• Academics take their message to the masses, on the radio

  Chronicle of Higher Education, May 23, 2010
• Professors Enlighten Radio Audiences With Philosophy Talk
  Diverse Issues in Education, April 1, 2010
• Perry talks about his procrastination research in a story about the benefits of wasting time
  Wall Street Journal, March 19, 2010
• San Francisco Chronicle features 'Philosophy Talk' radio show, of which Perry is a co-host
• San Francisco Chronicle, February 10, 2010
• OSU to host live taping of NPR's 'Philosophy Talk'
  Gazette Times, October 15, 2009
• [Blog] Mr. Improbable points out. (Discussion on procrastination.)
  Boston Globe, May 14, 2009
• Audience grows for Sandusky native's philosophy radio show
  Sandusky Register, January 18, 2009
• How to Put Off Work – Constructively
  Wall Street Journal, September 30, 2008
• Yeah, these philosophy professors will give it some thought
  Los Angeles Times, July 5, 2008
• "How to Be a Productive Procrastinator" on NPR
  Talk of the Nation, June 12, 2008
• The dark ages: Procrastinators are not lazy people; wasting time keeps us very busy
  The Times (London), May 31, 2008
• No Offense, but You Don't Deserve Your Salary
  San Francisco Chronicle, March 17, 2008
• ‘Philosophy Talk’ tackles the big questions (not engine trouble)
  Stanford Report, August 6, 2003
• The rants are lofty on new radio show
  San Francisco Chronicle, March 27, 2003
• Seven Stanford scholars elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  Stanford Report, May 8, 2002