Philosophy is dead in the sense that it has failed to critically engage the way in which professionalization has lead to a kind of banal attitude toward thought and reflection. Most philosophers I know aren't worried about contributing to human wisdom but they are very much worried about how their academic production will impress tenured article producers so that they, in turn, can achieve tenure and promotion.
Thoreau had it right when he said, "There Are Nowadays Professors of Philosophy, but not Philosophers."
In fact, witness the irony for yourself:
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journ.../19.3hadot.pdf