Has there been "rapid growth in philosophical research in" universities? How should we measure that? Perhaps by looking at the increase in the number of philosophical journals? And in terms of the numbers of articles and books published per year? I would expect that, judged by such measures, philosophical research is booming. I think the most obvious explanation for this is the tying of promotion through the academic ranks to publication. The search for "objective" standards for promotion (to abet the abdication of judgment, to avoid lawsuits, to provide a measure of an institution's standing vis-à-vis its competitors), this search seized with relief upon the spurious quantifiability of articles and books. Academic presses understood the need and stepped in to supply the demand. No mysteries here. Only a situation to regret, and resist.