Prizes and Awards

Prometheus Prize

Frequency: Every 2 years (even years). Next prize 2010.

1) SELECTION COMMITTEE: The selection committee will have five members including one member selected by Prometheus Books, one scientist, one member of the LPR committee, and two other members of the APA.

2) NOMINATIONS: Up to five nominations will be solicited from each member of the APA Board of Officers and from each member of the LPR committee.

3) ELIGIBILITY: The prize winner may come from any country in the world but should be a member of the APA. (This membership may be arranged after the winner is selected.)

4) CRITERIA: Since the goal of the prize is to “honor a distinguished philosopher in recognition of his or her lifetime contribution to ‘expanding the frontiers of research in philosophy and science’,” the prize winner should:
a) be known for contributing significantly to philosophy and breaking of new ground in philosophy as it relates to the sciences
b) be well versed in the sciences
c) demonstrate in his/her work the cooperation between science and philosophy.

5) LECTURE: The prize winner, who will be known as a “Prometheus Laureate,” will deliver one lecture at one of the APA Divisional meetings. Prometheus Books will sponsor a reception immediately after the lecture, at which time the presentation of the Prize will occur.

6) AWARD: The Prize winner will receive $10,000 and will also be offered a publishing contract with Prometheus Books for a work that will incorporate the ideas developed in the lecture. (Accepting the book contract is not a condition for accepting the prize.)

7) SCHEDULE: In the initial year, which we hope will be 2006, the nomination process will be announced in the January APA Proceedings with follow-up announcements/ads placed by Prometheus in leading philosophical journals or through a mailing. The Prize will be awarded in each even-numbered year.

Previous/Current Awardees

2008 Elliot Sober from University of Wisconsin-Madison

2006 Philip Kitcher from Columbia University is the first recipient of the Prometheus Prize.