De Brigard and Robins Win 2026 Lebowitz Prize

The American Philosophical Association (APA) has announced the winners of its 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize.
They are:
Felipe De Brigard, Professor of Philosophy and Psychology & Neuroscience, a member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University, and Principal Investigator of the Imagination and Modal Cognition Laboratory (IMC Lab) at the Duke Institute for Brain Science
and
Sarah Robins, Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University and founding co-director of Purdue’s Cognition, Agency, and Intelligence Center (CAIC).
The Lebowitz Prize is jointly awarded by the APA and the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Its winners must be two philosophers who hold contrasting views on a chosen topic of current interest in philosophy. They present their views and engage in a dialogue at an annual Lebowitz symposium, held during an APA divisional meeting. Each winner receives an honorarium of $25,000.
You can learn more about the prize and see a list of its past winners here.

Facts Only

* Felipe De Brigard won the 2026 Lebowitz Prize.
* Sarah Robins won the 2026 Lebowitz Prize.
* The prize is awarded by the American Philosophical Association (APA) and the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
* Winners must be two philosophers with contrasting views on a topic of current philosophical interest.
* Winners present their views at an annual Lebowitz symposium during an APA divisional meeting.
* Each winner receives a $25,000 honorarium.
* Felipe De Brigard is a Professor of Philosophy and Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University.
* Felipe De Brigard is the Principal Investigator of the Imagination and Modal Cognition Laboratory (IMC Lab) at Duke University.
* Sarah Robins is a Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University.
* Sarah Robins is the founding co-director of Purdue’s Cognition, Agency, and Intelligence Center (CAIC).

Executive Summary

Felipe De Brigard and Sarah Robins won the 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize. The prize is awarded jointly by the American Philosophical Association (APA) and the Phi Beta Kappa Society. The winners must be two philosophers holding contrasting views on a chosen topic of current philosophical interest. They will present their views and engage in a dialogue at an annual Lebowitz symposium during an APA divisional meeting, and each winner receives a $25,000 honorarium. De Brigard is a Professor of Philosophy and Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University and Principal Investigator of the Imagination and Modal Cognition Laboratory (IMC Lab). Robins is a Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University and the founding co-director of Purdue’s Cognition, Agency, and Intelligence Center (CAIC).

Full Take

The structure of the Lebowitz Prize necessitates a specific dynamic: the award relies not just on individual expertise but on the deliberate juxtaposition of opposing philosophical stances. This mechanism suggests an institutional interest in promoting productive tension rather than consensus within contemporary philosophy. The awarding of recognition to De Brigard and Robins, whose fields touch upon cognitive neuroscience/imagination and cognition/agency, signals a contemporary focus on bridging disparate intellectual domains—the study of mind and the structure of action. The commitment to a dialogue format at an annual symposium reinforces the idea that philosophical advancement occurs through dialectic interaction across disciplinary lines. The pattern observed is a systemic leaning toward cross-disciplinary synthesis as the highest form of inquiry. What assumptions underpin the valuation of contrasting views in public recognition, and what are the long-term implications for philosophical coherence if these tensions are managed or suppressed?

Sentinel — Human

Confidence

This text reads as a standard factual press release announcing the winners of an academic prize, exhibiting the predictable structure of institutional reporting rather than complex narrative construction.

Signals Detected

Relatively direct and factual tone; short, declarative sentences.

Highly straightforward information delivery without superfluous hedging or complex argumentation.

Standard press release structure; no discernible template matching beyond typical announcement format.

The text consists purely of verifiable institutional announcements and factual reporting on an award.

Human Indicators

The presentation of specific academic titles, affiliations, and prize details suggests direct sourcing from an official announcement.