"Group two" is terra incognita for the same institution whose philosophy building is named after Ralph Waldo Emerson, Class of 1821. Leiter agrees, despite pointing out that recent hires and promotions have solidified the department.

"In prior years, there was the sense that things were a little shaky," Leiter said. "I have not talked to anyone who thinks I'm underselling [Harvard]."

Harvard philosophy professors are united in criticizing the methodology of Leiter's report. But while they have universal disregard for the survey, some agreed with Leiter both that the department had declined from its mid-20th-century prime and that it may be on the verge of a renaissance.

Not a Philosopher's Gourmet

Leiter began publishing the report in 1989 as an aid for undergraduates at the University of Michigan interested in applying to graduate programs in philosophy. He first posted it on the Internet four years ago after which, according to the website, "the use and influence of the report has exploded: last year, the Report recorded an average of 5,000 hits per month."

Leiter produces his rankings by sending out surveys to philosophy professors around the country asking them to rate a long list of departments from one (lowest) to five (highest), taking the average score for each department, and adding 0.2 to the scores of smaller departments which by virtue of their size are less likely to have faculty that colleagues at other schools may recognize. The current report is based on survey data from 63 respondents.

Leiter's website concedes that the report has "attracted its share of critics."