# Agnes Callard

> Agnes Callard is a philosopher at the University of Chicago whose work sits at the rare intersection of rigorous academic thought and genuine public provocation. Author of 'Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming' (2018) and 'Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life' (2025), she argues that Socratic open inquiry - the willingness to be persuaded by better reasons - is not just for intellectuals but for everyone. A Guggenheim Fellow and Lebowitz Prize winner, she writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Point Magazine, runs the Night Owls public debate series in Chicago, and co-hosts the 'Minds Almost Meeting' podcast with economist Robin Hanson. Known for contrarian takes ('The Case Against Travel'), deeply personal essays, and a living arrangement that keeps her ex-husband as a co-resident, Callard treats philosophy not as a career but as a way of life.

- **Role:** Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Chicago
- **Organizations:** University of Chicago Department of Philosophy, The Point Magazine, American Philosophical Association
- **From:** Budapest, Hungary
- **Nationality:** Hungarian-American
- **Education:** BA, Fundamentals, University of Chicago, MA, Classics, UC Berkeley, PhD, Philosophy, UC Berkeley
- **Known for:** Guggenheim Fellowship (2019), Lebowitz Prize from American Philosophical Association and Phi Beta Kappa (2020, shared with L. A. Paul), Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Chicago (2017)

## Career timeline

- **1976** — Born in Budapest, Hungary to a Jewish family; both sets of grandparents were Holocaust survivors
- **1981** — Family emigrated from Budapest via Vienna and Rome to the New York metropolitan area
- **1997** — Received BA in Fundamentals from University of Chicago
- **2008** — Received PhD in Philosophy from UC Berkeley; dissertation on akrasia advised by Samuel Scheffler
- **2008** — Joined University of Chicago faculty as philosophy professor
- **2017** — Founded 'Night Owls' public debate/discussion series in Hyde Park, Chicago
- **2017** — Won Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at UChicago
- **2017** — Promoted to Associate Professor of Philosophy
- **2018** — Published 'Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming' (Oxford University Press)
- **2019** — Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship
- **2020** — Won Lebowitz Prize from American Philosophical Association and Phi Beta Kappa (shared with L. A. Paul)
- **2023** — Published 'The Case Against Travel' in The New Yorker, sparking widespread debate
- **2023** — New Yorker profile by Rachel Aviv revealed her co-habitation arrangement with ex-husband
- **2025** — Published 'Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life' (W.W. Norton)
- **2025** — Launched Substack newsletter
- **2025** — Named Director of Undergraduate Studies at UChicago Philosophy for 2025-26

## Achievements

- Guggenheim Fellowship (2019)
- Lebowitz Prize from American Philosophical Association and Phi Beta Kappa (2020, shared with L. A. Paul)
- Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Chicago (2017)
- Author of 'Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming' (Oxford University Press, 2018)
- Author of 'Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life' (W.W. Norton, 2025) - NYT Book Review Editors' Choice
- Regular contributor to The New Yorker, New York Times, The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine
- Monthly philosophy column in The Point Magazine
- Founded 'Night Owls' public philosophy debate series (2017-present)
- Co-hosts 'Minds Almost Meeting' podcast with Robin Hanson
- Director of Undergraduate Studies, UChicago Philosophy (2025-26)

## Latest updates

- **2025-03** — Featured in New Republic profile by Laura Kipnis: 'Is Agnes Callard Making You Uncomfortable?'
- **2025-02** — Launched Substack newsletter with 1,000+ subscribers
- **2025-01** — Published 'Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life' (W.W. Norton) - named NYT Book Review Editors' Choice
- **2024-09** — Delivered Aims of Education address to UChicago Class of 2026
- **2025-03** — Participated in UChicago Division of Humanities Q&A on untimely questions and Socratic ethics

## Links

- Website: https://agnescallard.substack.com/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/AgnesCallard

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/agnes-callard
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-23