Jim Holt (philosopher)


Jim Holt is an American journalist, author in popular science and essayist. He has contributed to The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, The American Scholar, and Slate. In 1997, he was editor of The New Leader, a political magazine. His book Why Does the World Exist? was a NYTimes bestseller for 2013.

Career

Holt hosted a weekly radio spot on BBC Wales called "Living in America, with Jim Holt" for ten years. He has appeared on William F. Buckley's Firing Line, NBC News with Tom Brokaw, CNN, and had a brief appearance in an episode of Billy on the Street in which he stormed out of an impromptu game show after he was asked about his sexuality.

Controversy

Holt attracted controversy while chairing the "Pondering the Imponderable: The Biggest Questions of Cosmology" panel at the 2017 World Science Festival. He spoke over the only female member of the panel, Veronika Hubeny, as she attempted to answer his questions, leading some to accuse Holt of mansplaining. Hubeny later downplayed the impact of sexism in science and encouraged women to pursue their scientific interests in spite of it.

Awards and honors