Their work in phenomenological philosophy, analytic viewpoints, together with reputation of thinking helped convince generations from philosophers inside in those areas out-of research. Main one of his website were their books James and you may Husserl: The Foundations from Meaning-a survey from inside the contrasts out of phenomenology inventor Edmund Husserl and pragmatist/functionalist William James-and you can Husserl and Analytic Viewpoints, and that traced the break between phenomenology and you will analytic opinions, several key philosophic actions of the 20th century.
Cobb-Stevens asserted that, as he experienced Husserl’s phenomenology means try more lucrative than the analytical type of Gottlob Frege-who mainly based this new analytical direction-he previously wrote Husserl and you may Analytic Values with the expectation away from leading to “revived talk” between them universities out-of think: “[Husserl and you may Frege] both common the newest belief we can perform some degree out-of purpose information, regardless if all of our usage of facts are constantly perspectival and you will historically conditioned.”
Within the 2015, a level of essays honoring Dr. Cobb-Stevens, Phenomenology inside a unique Secret, are typed, offering benefits from several leading specialists in phenomenological beliefs off Northern The united states and you may Europe.
“Dick is extremely remembered having his important humanness,” told you Teacher from Philosophy Patrick Byrne. “He had been loving and you may appealing to everyone he fulfilled, and you can let you know that the guy cared about yourself because the an enthusiastic individual. Cock got a beneficial love of life and you may is actually a storyteller off yet another type: He may help himself disappear when he received individuals together from the drawing all of them to your story.”
He previously a unique current to have calming stress inside the conferences, that is no quick success into the an effective college or university function
Dr. Cobb-Stevens’ associate Professor Eileen Sweeney, talking from the their senior years lecture last year, acknowledged Husserl and you may Analytic Beliefs for example out-of their function to engage having and you will transcend for example departments. “It’s on that cusp you to Richard’s philosophical really works possess dwelt, eschewing both reductionism and you will scientism, to the one-hand, and any early sanctuary into mysticism otherwise poetry, on the other. We won’t point out that Richard’s consider has come so you can people during the some easy synthesis otherwise center floor it is rather engaged in a continuing dynamic dialectic.”
His triumph as the a researcher and you may author don’t overshadow his abilities since an instructor and you can advisor, added Sweeney, listing you to for over 3 decades Dr. Cobb-Stevens went new Opinions Department’s practise seminar having doctoral students, together with brought 27 doctoral dissertations. College students, she told you, respected their capability to permit them to generate their unique think however, to topic they so you can rigorous review and complaints.
His lectures got “the same combination of design and you may quality once the really does his writing,” told you Sweeney at the 2009 experience. “He is able to be counted to your towards the anecdote people commonly think about for many years you to definitely epitomizes a problem or material regarding the matter he or she is knowledge. He or she is constantly ready to display a narrative that presents their own dilemmas and you will puzzlement in working with an issue or dilemma, the one that exposes their own humankind which have a good humility hence youngsters view it you can easily so you’re able to imitate chileno damas para casarse. ”
He’s prepared to function with an issue with college students from inside the genuine venture, understanding and you may enacting this new character of philosopher while the companion as opposed to possessor out of understanding
Dr. Cobb-Stevens’ colleagues including appreciated your because “a resident of the University” which obtained employment and you may projects one to lead to the greater an effective out of his agency-as the chairman away from 1993-2002, he delivered global detection so you’re able to BC’s graduate apps in viewpoints while increasing how many thinking student majors in order to one of the biggest regarding the U.S.-and you can Boston College or university overall: He had been a member of the new University Policy Panel plus the School Educational Believed Council, certainly other government.