Acknowledgments
A special thanks to my interviewees: Paul Quenon, Michael Casaglan, Michael Leger, Martin Dolski, Padraic Macleish, David Neidorf, Beck Ballentine, Olena Provencher, Matthew Segall, Robert McDermott, Joachim Duyndam, Erno Eskens, Eduardo Bianchi, Margherita Murgiano, Claudio Paolucci, Marie Türcke, Friedrich Sieben, Ludwig Jaskolla, Godehard Brüntrup, Filip Frontczak, Katarzyna Wejman, Katarzyna Kuś, Przemysław Bursztyka, Kyle Canterbury, Andrew Sinnes, Topi Heikkero, David McDonald, and several people to remain anonymous. It is through these interviews that I came to a richer and more nuanced understanding of the principles of their philosophical community life. I made fast friends with many of them and was honored to have the opportunity to hear their stories.
I would also like to thank the Department of Philosophy of Culture of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Warsaw for supporting my post-doctoral research that went into this project. In particular, I am deeply indebted to my colleagues Przemysław Bursztyka and Marcin Rychter for their friendship, advice, and insight. I also need to thank my colleagues and supervisors at the Institute of Philosophy of the University of Wrocław for my current research position which afforded me the time and resources necessary to greatly expand and refine this manuscript. In particular I would like to thank Paweł Wróblewski and Ilona Błocian for their enthusiastic support of my work.
I am deeply indebted to Randall Auxier for his insight and friendship. Without him, I would have been unable to write such a unique philosophical work. A special thanks needs to be given to Kenneth Stikkers, David Johnson, Douglas Berger, and Leonard Waks. They have broadened and deepened my historical study of philosophical communities. In addition, I am deeply grateful to Michael Chase and Matthew Sharpe for helping me greatly improve the historical section of the volume.
I am forever thankful to Jared Kemling, Paul Cherlin, and Laura Mueller, and many others, who listened attentively and provided feedback on this volume. I owe a special thank you to my friend Thomas Albanese for joining me on my adventure visiting these philosophical communities. He provided much needed outside feedback, friendship, and a zest for adventure. I wish to thank my parents, Mark Kramer and Lois Orner, for their support, humor, and love. Finally, I thank my loving partner Joanna for helping me find my voice and honesty in my writing and life.