Their work in phenomenological opinions, analytical thinking, as well as the reputation for philosophy helped encourage generations off philosophers inside in those sphere regarding search. Foremost certainly his web log was in fact his books James and you will Husserl: The fresh new Foundations from Meaning-a survey in the contrasts off phenomenology founder Edmund Husserl and you may pragmatist/functionalist William James-and you may Husserl and you will Analytical Values, and that traced the break ranging from phenomenology and you will analytical thinking, one or two key philosophic motions of your own 20th century.
Cobb-Stevens said that, as he sensed Husserl’s phenomenology means is actually more productive versus analytical kind of Gottlob Frege-who mainly based the fresh analytical direction-he had composed Husserl and you can Analytic Opinions with the hope of leading to “restored dialogue” among them schools of believe: “[Husserl and you can Frege] one another common the fresh belief that people can perform a point away from goal information, though all of our accessibility truth is constantly perspectival and you will over the years trained.”
Inside 2015, a quantity of essays honoring Dr. Cobb-Stevens, Phenomenology for the a new Secret, try had written, offering contributions off multiple leading experts in phenomenological thinking away from Northern America and you may European countries.
“Knob was very remembered to possess their very important humanness,” told you Teacher regarding Beliefs Patrick Byrne. “He was loving and welcoming to everyone he met, and you can let you know that the guy cared about yourself since the an private. Dick had a great sense of humor and you will was a great storyteller regarding a unique type: He could help themselves drop off as he drew somebody together by drawing them for the story.”
He had an alternative gift for comforting stress from inside the meetings, that’s no brief accomplishment within the an effective college mode
Dr. Cobb-Stevens’ associate Teacher Eileen Sweeney, talking during the their senior years lecture during 2009, praised Husserl and you can Analytic Philosophy as an instance regarding their element to interact which have and you will transcend such as divisions. “It’s thereon cusp one Richard’s philosophical work keeps dwelt, eschewing the reductionism and scientism, toward one-hand, as well as any untimely sanctuary on mysticism otherwise poetry, on the other. We won’t say that Richard’s think has come so you can other people in the certain easy synthesis or middle surface it is as an alternative involved with a continuous dynamic dialectic.”
Their victory as the a researcher and you may author did not overshadow his results once the an instructor and advisor, extra Sweeney, noting you to definitely for more than thirty years Dr. Cobb-Stevens ran brand new Philosophy Department’s practise meeting to own doctoral students, along with brought 27 doctoral dissertations. Students, she said, https://kissbrides.com/croatian-women/cres/ appreciated their capacity to permit them to establish their particular imagine however, so you’re able to subject they so you can rigid evaluation and you can criticism.
His lectures had “the same mixture of build and you can understanding given that really does their writing,” told you Sweeney in the 2009 event. “They can often be counted into into anecdote pupils tend to remember for many years one to epitomizes problematic otherwise situation on the topic he could be teaching. They are usually happy to show a narrative that shows their very own problems and puzzlement when controling an issue or problem, the one that reveals his own humanity having a great humility hence children find it you can to help you emulate. ”
They are ready to work through an issue with children in legitimate cooperation, knowing and enacting the fresh character off philosopher just like the spouse unlike possessor off wisdom
Dr. Cobb-Stevens’ associates together with recalled him once the “a resident of the University” whom took on work and you can tasks that contributed to the greater amount of a beneficial away from his service-as the president from 1993-2002, he lead global recognition to help you BC’s scholar apps when you look at the thinking and increase how many viewpoints student discipline to help you one of several largest on the You.S.-and you will Boston University overall: He was a person in the fresh new School Policy Panel in addition to College or university Educational Considered Council, certainly most other regulators.