Their operate in phenomenological philosophy, analytic thinking, together with history of viewpoints helped inspire years from philosophers on it when it Cupones feeld comes to those areas from search. Primary certainly one of his blog site have been their instructions James and Husserl: This new Foundations away from Definition-a study from inside the contrasts regarding phenomenology inventor Edmund Husserl and you will pragmatist/functionalist William James-and you will Husserl and you may Analytic Values, and therefore tracked the holiday between phenomenology and analytical beliefs, two secret philosophic movements of your own 20th century.
Cobb-Stevens asserted that, as he experienced Husserl’s phenomenology strategy was more lucrative versus analytical sorts of Gottlob Frege-which situated this new analytical course-he’d penned Husserl and you may Analytical Values with the expectation of leading to “revived dialogue” between the two colleges off envision: “[Husserl and you will Frege] both mutual brand new belief that people can perform some degree off mission realities, regardless of if our very own the means to access the fact is constantly perspectival and you can typically conditioned.”
In the 2015, an amount of essays in honor of Dr. Cobb-Stevens, Phenomenology for the yet another Key, was penned, presenting efforts off several leading specialists in phenomenological beliefs of North The united states and you may European countries.
“Penis could well be very remembered to own their extremely important humanness,” said Teacher from Opinions Patrick Byrne. “He was loving and appealing to everyone he met, and you will let you know that the guy cared about yourself while the an private. Dick got a good love of life and you will try a storyteller away from a separate form: He might assist himself drop off when he received some body together from the attracting them on the tale.”
He had yet another gift getting soothing stress from inside the meetings, that is no short accomplishment from inside the a university function
Dr. Cobb-Stevens’ associate Professor Eileen Sweeney, speaking during the their later years lecture in ’09, applauded Husserl and you can Analytical Values for instance regarding their feature to activate that have and you can transcend such as for example divisions. “It is thereon cusp one to Richard’s philosophical functions has actually dwelt, eschewing the reductionism and you may scientism, to your one hand, also one premature retreat with the mysticism otherwise poetry, on the other side. I won’t claim that Richard’s envision has come to rest into the specific effortless synthesis or center floor but is as an alternative involved with a continuing dynamic dialectic.”
His success just like the a specialist and you may copywriter failed to overshadow his show because the a teacher and you can coach, added Sweeney, noting one for more than thirty years Dr. Cobb-Stevens ran the new Philosophy Department’s knowledge summit having doctoral youngsters, and had brought twenty-seven doctoral dissertations. Pupils, she said, valued their power to permit them to make her consider but so you can subject it so you can rigorous testing and you may complaints.
Their lectures had “a similar mixture of concept and you will clearness due to the fact really does their writing,” told you Sweeney at 2009 enjoy. “He is able to often be mentioned for the to the anecdote people usually consider for years to come you to epitomizes problematic otherwise issue from the procedure he could be teaching. He’s constantly ready to show a narrative that shows their individual trouble and you can puzzlement when controling difficulty or stress, one which reveals his very own mankind that have a great humility which people see it you can to help you emulate. ”
He is ready to function with an issue with students in genuine cooperation, once you understand and you can enacting the fresh role of philosopher since the lover rather than possessor from expertise
Dr. Cobb-Stevens’ colleagues and additionally recalled him since “a resident of your own University” exactly who took on opportunities and you may tasks you to definitely contributed to the greater number of good of his institution-because the president of 1993-2002, the guy put international recognition in order to BC’s scholar software inside the beliefs and increase what amount of philosophy undergraduate majors in order to among largest from the U.S.-and you may Boston School total: He was a member of the brand new College Coverage Panel plus the College Informative Believed Council, one of other bodies.