Philosophy Professor Recognized in Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2024

Clancy Martin, Ph.D., and his work on the interactive classic book application, Rebind, receive national acclaim

UMKC philosophy professor Clancy Martin, Ph.D., can add one more accolade to his illustrious career.

Martin, with his colleagues John Dubuque, an entrepreneur, and John Kaag, Ph.D., philosophy professor at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, have been recognized by Time magazine for their work on Rebind, named in the publication's Best Inventions of 2024 list.

Rebind, a digital book study application, is hoping to make the classics more accessible than ever. Subject experts, called Rebinders, provide insight through videos, and once the selected reading is completed, readers can "converse" with the expert through an artificial-intelligence-driven discussion curated from the Rebinder's commentary on the reading.

"Want to discuss 'A Room with a View' with Lena Dunham? Or hear Roxane Gay talking through Edith Wharton's 'Age of Innocence?' Now you can, thanks to publishing outfit Rebind," Time Magazine said of the application in its announcement. "With Rebind, AI provides expert conversational commentary about a book in response to user questions."

Time magazine selected just 200 entries, decided on by editors from all around the world. There is a focus on growing fields, such as AI, but the true deciding factor is the impact the invention can have on everyday lives.

"Rebind meets people where they are, especially younger readers," Martin said. "They want to have an interactive thing, right? They go on their phones. They go on their computers. Making it interactive is hopefully going to show them how much spiritual, emotional and intellectual wisdom and guidance and help is available in these great classic works."

Like his other accomplishments, including his latest book on the New York Times Bestseller list and an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, this worldwide acclaim meant the most on a local level to Martin.

"I've been at UMKC for so long now, and I have such a passionate love of the university, my colleagues and our students," Martin said. "The most fun thing for me really was just emailing everybody at UMKC and saying, 'Hey! We got it!'"