I put the question to the Grok bot: Who first called Brian Leiter 'Ladder Man' and why? Grok shot back:
The earliest identified use of the nickname "Ladder Man" for Brian Leiter appears in a blog post by Bill Vallicella on Maverick Philosopher dated March 13, 2014. Vallicella used the term to criticize Leiter’s perceived obsession with academic rankings and status, particularly through his creation and management of the Philosophical Gourmet Report (PGR), a controversial ranking of philosophy PhD programs. The nickname plays on the German word "Leiter," which means both "ladder" and "leader" (as in Gauleiter), suggesting Leiter’s focus on climbing or promoting hierarchical structures in academia. Vallicella’s post describes Leiter as a “careerist” and links the nickname to his reputation for prioritizing professional status and rankings.No earlier source is identified, so Vallicella likely coined the term. The context was a broader critique of Leiter’s influence in philosophy, including his academic gossip site, Leiter Reports, and his perceived aggressive behavior, which some labeled as "thuggish." The nickname reflects a satirical jab at Leiter’s role in shaping academic hierarchies.
Not bad! But truth be told, I did not coin 'Ladder Man.' The honor goes to John J. Ray. See his blog Brian Leiter (Ladderman). I will check back later to see if Grok does an update. My impression thus far is that Grok crawls through substacks more assiduously than it does through blogs.
Hegel wrote about objecktiver Geist. Your humble correspondent is but one subjective spirit making his contribution to the depositum philosophiae subsisting in the aether of cyberspace.
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