Dear All,
The Institute Vienna Circle and the APSE group are jointly organizing a
talk by ...
Prof. Anjan Chakravartty (University of Miami)
on
"Humanism and the Aim of Science: Past, Present, Future"
Time and Location:
Thursday, July 6th, 3-5pm, NIG HS 2G
Abstract: Humanism, conceived as a worldview, and science, conceived as
a form (or family of forms) of inquiry into the world, have been
entangled with one another across a long sweep of intellectual history.
I consider their co-evolution as a prelude to the present, briefly
reviewing formative aspects of Renaissance humanism and deepening
associations of values central to the Enlightenment with precursors to
modern science, en route to an arguably peculiar situation today. Where
past conceptions of the aim of science (natural philosophy, etc.) seem
intimately connected to the idea of fashioning a better world,
contemporary philosophy seems largely devoid of normative discussions of
what science itself is for, exactly. I conclude with some reflections on
a possible return to a humanist conception of the role and promise of
science.
Everyone welcome!
Best, Martin Kusch
Liebe Kolleg:innen,
anbei darf ich Sie auf einen CfP zur Ethik und Politik der Imagination aufmerksam machen.
Mit besten Grüßen
Sergej Seitz
Call for Papers
Ethics and Politics of Imagination
Two workshops related to the projects The Limits of Imagination: Animals, Empathy, Anthropomorphism (P35137-G; funded by the FWF) and Prefiguring Democratic Futures: Cultural and Theoretical Responses to the Crisis of Political Imagination (PREDEF 101055015; funded by the ERC)
* First workshop session: Oct 13th and 14th 2023, Innsbruck, Austria
* Second workshop session: April 12th and 13th 2024, Vienna, Austria
Organized by Martin Huth (Department of Philosophy, University of Innsbruck) & Sergej Seitz (Department of Political Science, University of Vienna)
The concept of imagination plays a significant, yet sometimes underestimated or concealed role in the history of as well as in current debates in practical philosophy.
Ethics problematizes whether or to what extent imagination forms a basis or at least an irreducible part of moral judgments and behavior. For instance, our treatment of people with non-normative embodiment (Garland-Thomson 2017) may depend on our capacity to empathize with them and to imagine their specific way of being in the world. While it is often claimed that this is easily possible, imaginative empathy is a complex phenomenon. An illustrative example is the case of epistemic injustice as analyzed by Fricker (2009). The tacit inability to imagine that, for example, people with cognitive disabilities can be capable knowers forms the basis of systematic exclusion and disrespect. Generally, hegemonic socio-cultural frames of the “deviant” tend to picture their way of being in the world through the lens of privation; hence, comprehension and perceptions are in some respect rooted in politically saturated schemes. This may well lead to paternalism, infantilization, or even dehumanization. With regard to non-human beings, current debates scrutinize whether and to what extent we are capable of imagining what it is like to be a pig, a lizard or a bat. Traditionally, we face widespread skepticism concerning this capability (Nagel 1974), which involves an inability to determine if and to what extent animals suffer in factory farms or during experiments, thus paving the way for the reification of animals.
In politics, imagination is considered in its relevance for forming political judgments as well as in regard to how imaginary dispositives stabilize or destabilize the status quo of a given political order. The neoliberal-capitalist hegemony forecloses the very possibility to imagine institutions and political relations substantially different from the status quo. As Margaret Thatcher’s notorious TINA dictum ‘There is No Alternative’ suggests, ‘radical imagination’ (Castoriadis 1975) and a lively political sense of possibility are repressed. Following this line of thought, it seems urgent to rethink the political’s imaginary dimensions both in its stabilizing (ideological) as well as in its possibility-disclosing and subversive capacities. While the latter is classically explicated in terms of utopia, more recent work questions the blueprint character of classical utopias and focuses instead on how political movements enact and experiment with different forms of life and new relationalities. Much-discussed notions in this respect are prefiguration (van de Sande 2023, Sörensen 2023) and pre-enactment (Marchart 2019), pointing to how political imagination is not only a mental-pictorial, but essentially a practical and collective matter.
This double workshop proceeds from the conviction that to thoroughly rethink imagination requires bridging and interweaving ethical and political perspectives. From the perspective of ethics, it is indispensable to tackle the problem of politically saturated schemes since they predetermine the possibilities and limits of perceiving, imagining, and comprehending others. In this view, ethics is not restricted to ethical criteria and deliberation, but is mindful of the bodily and pre-reflective prerequisites of ethical responsiveness. Political imaginaries constitute alternative frames of perception and comprehension as well as new versions of inclusion and (multi-species) cohabitation. In turn, from the perspective of politics, it seems indispensable to acknowledge different versions of living in the world as prerequisites for imaginaries that are considerable as meaningful alternatives to the status quo.
Against this background, exploring the possibilities and limits of imagination is crucial both for comprehending the ethical aporias as well as the political antagonisms of our times. To this end, the double workshop convenes researchers from all fields of practical philosophy, political theory, sociology, pedagogics, and related disciplines, which tackle the following or further related questions:
* How shall we describe the phenomenon of imagination and its ethical and/or political relevance?
* What role does imagination play in moral decision making? What role should it play?
* To what extent and in what way is imagination pre-determined by hegemonic socio-cultural frames? In other words, how is the relation between imagination and the imaginary to be conceived?
* How can we determine the limits of imagination? Can we extend these limits, and if so, how is that possible?
* How is imagination related to democracy? Is there such a thing as a specifically democratic imagination?
Format
The idea behind the double-workshop model is to provide a platform for more long-term exchange between researchers working on ethico-political questions of imagination. Therefore, we expect all participants to attend both events. We strive towards creating a true workshop atmosphere that allows for serious, productive, and collaborative engagement with each other’s work. Talks should be 30 minutes, followed by at least 30 minutes of discussion. The talk at the second workshop can be on the same or a closely related topic but should however reflect the feedback and criticism gathered at the first workshop. Therefore, this double event is particularly fitting for scholars who wish to present current work-in-progress.
Venue and Accommodation
The workshops will take place in-person at the Universities of Innsbruck (October) and Vienna (April). Online participation is not possible. There is no participation fee. The organizers are happy to give recommendations regarding travel arrangements. In individual cases, assistance with travel expenses may be provided.
Publication
We plan to publish the workshop’s proceedings as a special issue in a peer-reviewed journal and/or in an edited volume.
Timeline
Submission deadline: July 23, 2023
Communication of results: August 5, 2023
Please send your application with an abstract of max. 500 words and a brief biographical note to matin.huth(a)uibk.ac.at<mailto:matin.huth@uibk.ac.at> and sergej.seitz(a)univie.ac.at<mailto:sergej.seitz@univie.ac.at>. Note that you apply for both events with one abstract. For any questions regarding the CfP, please contact both Martin Huth and Sergej Seitz.
Web: https://predef.univie.ac.at/epimag/
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mag. Dr. Sergej Seitz, MA
Postdoctoral Researcher @ Predef – Prefiguring Democratic Futures
Department of Political Science | University of Vienna
Mail: sergej.seitz(a)univie.ac.at<mailto:sergej.seitz@univie.ac.at>
Tel: +43 664 50 66 816
Reminder for this exciting upcoming event!!
Dear Institute of Philosophy!
UPsalon would like to cordially invite you to our Stammtisch or
"regular's table"!
This time, we will use the Stammtisch for a first meeting of the
critical Anti-Racism Working Group at the Institute of Philosophy. We
discuss concerns, ideas and best practices at other departments, such as
the Racism-Critical working group at the department of African Studies,
and set up goals and aims for our own working group. You can find more
information of the group here:
https://afrika.univie.ac.at/en/about-us/wg-against-racism/
In line with this, we invite you to join us for a first meeting and
discussion organised with UPSalon. The working group highly encourages
participation from all levels. This will be a yet informal group of
people who care about and are interested in taking up the topic of
racism in the university ecosystem. This working group is concerned with
the kinds of work, ideas and activities that improves awareness, enhance
visibility, initiate discussions and interventions among all levels and
practices of the institution.
UPsalon are a group of doctoral and post-doctoral researchers; the
initiative aims at creating a space and community in Vienna where
underrepresented philosophers – such as women, gender minorities,
racialised minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged people and people
disadvantaged by society – can connect on a regular basis. For more
information, check out our website!
People from all stages in their philosophical career are welcome, and we
are especially excited to meet those who we have not yet met.
Where?
Tunnel Vienna, Florianigasse 39, 1080 Wien
When?
June 27th at 6 PM
We are very much looking forward to meeting all of you!
Do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions you may have.
Best regards,
UPsalon
Mail: upsalon.philosophy(a)univie.ac.at
Web: upsalon.univie.ac.at
Dear all,
There will be a workshop on Metaethics and Metaphysics TODAY, organised
by Vitor Sommavilla.
The workshop will take place in room 3A at the NIG on Friday 23 June.
The schedule is as follows:
11-11.45: Niels de Haan: Advice-Sensitive Perspectivism and the Better
Information Problem
11.45-12.30: Anne Sophie Meincke: Norms in Nature and Realism about
Moral Values
12.30-13.15: Lunch break
13.15-14: Vitor Sommavilla: Realism and Anti-Realism in Metaethics
14-14.45: Yannic Kappes: Naturalness and Epistemic Value
We hope to see you all at the workshop.
Best wishes,
Anne Sophie
--
Latest publications:
"The Metaphysics of Living Consciousness: Metabolism, Agency and
Purposiveness"
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12304-023-09531-0
"'Hervorbringende Organe', 'bildende Kraft'? Heideggers Gegenentwurf zu
Kants Theorie des Organismus"
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/dzph-2023-0003/htmlwww.annesophiemeincke.com
Elise Richter Research Fellow
Institute of Philosophy
University of Vienna
Universitätsstraße 7
1010 Vienna, Austria
Dear Internationalisation Representatives of the Faculties and Centres,
I would like to draw your attention to a call for proposals within the
European University Alliance *Circle U.*, of which the University of
Vienna is a member alongside eight other universities (see below).
Circle U.’s *Seed Funding Scheme* aims to foster new collaborations
across institutions in the Circle U. alliance. It provides academic and
research staff with opportunities to develop projects across the
alliance and to drive bottom-up initiatives.
I would kindly ask you to forward this call to interested colleagues
within your Faculties and Centres, especially to staff who already have
contacts and research connections to Circle U. partner universities, as
projects need to involve at least three parties from Circle U.
universities. You are also invited to promote the call on other channels
as you see fit.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Viki
Menczel, project lead for Circle U. at the University of Vienna, via
circle-u(a)univie.ac.at <mailto:circle-u@univie.ac.at>.
Thank you and best regards,
Barbara Good
*univie***
**
*Dr. Barbara Good*
DLE Internationale Beziehungen | International Office
Leitung | Head
Universität Wien | University of Vienna
Universitätsring 1
A-1010 Wien | Vienna
Österreich | Austria
Tel + 43-1-4277-18216
Mobile +43-664-60277-18216
E-mail:barbara.good@univie.ac.at <mailto:barbara.good@univie.ac.at>
http://international.univie.ac.at <http://international.univie.ac.at/>
https://facebook.com/international.univie
<https://www.facebook.com/international.univie>__
***
*Circle U. Seed Funding Scheme – 2023 Call for Applications (Call ends
15 October)*
Circle U. invites researchers from the nine member universities of
Circle U. to apply for funding for collaborative projects! Projects
should involve staff from *at least three partner universities
**(*University of Aarhus, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Université
Paris Cité, University of Belgrade, UC Louvain, University of Oslo,
King's College London, University of Pisa, Universität Wien).**In order
to find suitable partners for the project, please check ORCID
<https://www.circle-u.eu/opportunities/academics/orcid/>.
Lead applicants shall be employed as full-time or part-time academic and
research staff with any of the CU member universities.
Max. budget allocated per academic/research project:
Up to EUR 10.000 per project
Examples of eligible academic and research projects:
* developing joint courses or programmes
* organizing winter or summer schools
* organizing short-term physical or blended mobility opportunities
* organizing workshops or seminars or any other teaching/learning
activity, developing innovative teaching models
* organizing public lectures
* conducting (preliminary) research activities
* preparing joint large-scale project proposals to be submitted at
European (or other) calls
An overview of previously funded projects:
https://www.circle-u.eu/opportunities/seedfunding/projects/
<https://www.circle-u.eu/opportunities/seedfunding/projects/>
*More information and application at:
*https://www.circle-u.eu/opportunities/seedfunding/
<https://www.circle-u.eu/opportunities/seedfunding/>
*Apply before*: 15 October 2023
*Contact at the University of Vienna:
*Viki Menczel, Circle U. project lead: circle-u(a)univie.ac.at
<mailto:circle-u@univie.ac.at>
Dear all,
this Friday the Vienna Forum for Analytic Philosophy
<https://wfap.philo.at/> has the pleasure of welcoming Michael Rescorla
<https://philosophy.ucla.edu/person/michael-rescorla/> (UCLA)!
He is going to give a talk entitled “Psychological Explanation and
Proportionality”.
Michael’s research is focused on the nature of mental representation,
often drawing on cognitive science, computability theory, probability
theory, and other neighboring disciplines. He is the author of the
Stanford Encyclopedia Article on The Langauge of Thought Hypothesis.
As always, this is a great time to start attending the Forum, so please
stop by and say hello! Everyone is welcome!
/When?/Friday, 23.06.2023, 6:30pm - 8pm
/Where?/Hörsaal 3B, NIG Universitätsstraße 7
or via Zoom
https://univienna.zoom.us/j/62420090640?pwd=ZzBsNTVQTlVMZE9FbklnQ0Z6dUNzUT09
<https://univienna.zoom.us/j/62420090640?pwd=ZzBsNTVQTlVMZE9FbklnQ0Z6dUNzUT09>
Meeting ID: 624 2009 0640
Passcode: ForumRockz
Cheers,
Martin Niederl
Dear All,
On behalf of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), I'm pleased to
invite you to a series of public lectures on climate change and
ecological crisis, which will take place on 22nd (TODAY!) and 23rd June
2023 in the main building of the ÖAW.
22nd June 2023, 5p.m., Sitzungssaal:
Anne Sophie Meincke: "Philosophische Auswege aus der Ökokrise"
Paul Oberhammer: "Klimaklagen - Gerichtliche Verfahren als Mittel von
Politik"
23rd June 2023, 2p.m., Sitzungssaal:
Andrea Fischer: "Klimawandelfolgen in den Alpen im Spannungsfeld
zwischen naturwissenschaftlicher Szenarienrechnung und menschlichem
Handlungsspielraum"
23rd June 2023, 5.45p.m., Festsaal:
Keywan Riahi: "Transformationen in Richtung Klimaneutralität - wie wir
den Klimawandel vermeiden und den Wohlstand steigern"
I have attached the programme and hope to see you at the ÖAW.
Best wishes,
Anne Sophie
--
Latest publications:
"The Metaphysics of Living Consciousness: Metabolism, Agency and
Purposiveness"
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12304-023-09531-0
"'Hervorbringende Organe', 'bildende Kraft'? Heideggers Gegenentwurf zu
Kants Theorie des Organismus"
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/dzph-2023-0003/htmlwww.annesophiemeincke.com
Elise Richter Research Fellow
Institute of Philosophy
University of Vienna
Universitätsstraße 7
1010 Vienna, Austria
Dear colleagues,
Today, Thursday June 22 at 17.30, Professor Barbara Sattler, Institut
für Philosophie, Universität Bochum, will deliver this year's Bonitz
Lecture, an annual lecture commemorating the famous Aristotelian scholar
Hermann Bonitz, Professor at the University of Vienna between 1849 and
1867). The lecture will be held in German and will take place in Hörsaal
21, next to the Institut für Klassische Philologie, Mittel- und
Neulatein in the University's Main Building.
On Friday the 23rd of June, Barbara Sattler will hold a seminar at 10.00
in the library of the Institut für Klassische Philologie. The topic of
the seminar is "Space and void in early Greek thought"
All are welcome!
George Karamanolis
--
Assoz. Prof. Dr. George Karamanolis
Institut für Philosophie
Zimmer: D0308
1010 Wien, Universitätsstraße 7 (NIG)
T: +43-1-4277-46476
eFax: +43-1-4277-846476
Dear Institute of Philosophy!
UPsalon would like to cordially invite you to our Stammtisch or
"regular's table"!
This time, we will use the Stammtisch for a first meeting of the
critical Anti-Racism Working Group at the Institute of Philosophy. We
discuss concerns, ideas and best practices at other departments, such as
the Racism-Critical working group at the department of African Studies,
and set up goals and aims for our own working group. You can find more
information of the group here:
https://afrika.univie.ac.at/en/about-us/wg-against-racism/
In line with this, we invite you to join us for a first meeting and
discussion organised with UPSalon. The working group highly encourages
participation from all levels. This will be a yet informal group of
people who care about and are interested in taking up the topic of
racism in the university ecosystem. This working group is concerned with
the kinds of work, ideas and activities that improves awareness, enhance
visibility, initiate discussions and interventions among all levels and
practices of the institution.
UPsalon are a group of doctoral and post-doctoral researchers; the
initiative aims at creating a space and community in Vienna where
underrepresented philosophers – such as women, gender minorities,
racialised minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged people and people
disadvantaged by society – can connect on a regular basis. For more
information, check out our website!
People from all stages in their philosophical career are welcome, and we
are especially excited to meet those who we have not yet met.
Where?
Tunnel Vienna, Florianigasse 39, 1080 Wien
When?
June 27th at 6 PM
We are very much looking forward to meeting all of you!
Do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions you may have.
Best regards,
UPsalon
Mail: upsalon.philosophy(a)univie.ac.at
Web: upsalon.univie.ac.at