January 2026 - News - Philosophy bulletin board

by Martin Kusch

Dear All, The next talk in the "Wittgenstein=steine" series is this Friday (June 13th) at 3pm in room NIG 3D. The speaker is Konstantin Deininger, and his title is: _"On the Material and Formal Aspects of (Moral) Certainty"_. Abstract: Does morality have a binding character in the sense that chains of justification come to an end? In this talk, I will affirm this question and argue that we can plausibly distinguish between formal and material aspects of moral certainty. As a starting point, I will interpret Wittgenstein's idea of "bedrock," introduced in §217 of the Philosophical Investigations, as standing for the end of a chain of reasoning. In doing so, I align with certain Wittgensteinian interpreters who maintain that some chains of moral reasoning end with certainty. However, I will arrive at deviating conclusions by demonstrating that different kinds of moral certainties function in different ways. Wittgensteinian scholars such as Cora Diamond and Nigel Pleasants correctly identify the formal aspect of moral certainty, showing that some propositions resist justification and doubt. However, the candidates for formal certainties they propose do not fully satisfy the criteria of certainty. This, I argue, is due to their failure to adequately distinguish between the formal and material aspects of certainty. Material certainties, such as Diamond's "slavery is unjust and insupportable" or Pleasants' "killing is wrong," remain intelligible to some extent and are thus subject to justification and doubt. Still, these propositions function as regress stoppers by putting an end to the chain of reasoning--but they do not mark the boundary of the unintelligible as formal certainties do. Drawing on Wittgenstein's later writings, I will argue that only formal certainties--which I refer to as transcendental certainties--are entirely exempt from justification and doubt. I identify the principle "equals are to be treated equally" as a plausible candidate for transcendental certainty. This certainty is foundational to moral reasoning and enables moral thought. I illustrate its role through debates on justice in animal ethics. Everybody welcome! Best wishes from the organizers, Esther Heinrich-Ramharter Anja Weiberg Martin Kusch

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Call for Posters: The Vienna Circle and Logical Empiricism. Vienna, October 19-21, 2026

by Wiener Kreis Gesellschaft

CALL FOR POSTERS International Conference The Vienna Circle and Logical Empiricism - Research and Historiography Organizers: Institute Vienna Circle, University of Vienna, and Vienna Circle Society Programme Committee: Esther Heinrich-Ramharter, Martin Kusch, Elisabeth Nemeth, Georg Schiemer (Co-Chair), Friedrich Stadler (Co-Chair) Date: October 19-21, 2026 Location: Aula, Campus of the University of Vienna, Court 1 Research and publications on the Vienna Circle and Logical Empiricism are growing and flourishing for decades. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Institute Vienna Circle and 90 years after the assassination of Moritz Schlick, the founder of the Vienna Circle, it seems reasonable to critically assess and re-evaluate the scholarly output on the history and influence of the Vienna Circle as a collective as well as of its individual members. The aim of this conference is to focus on added values and novelties in research and publications as well as from the perspective of theoretical sustainability. A special attention is laid on archival sources with new results and on completed and running research projects dealing with Carnap, Gödel, Neurath, and Schlick, in addition to gender and migration studies. Sections: 1. The Vienna Circle and Logical Empiricism as collective phenomena 2. Individual members: From Gustav Bergmann to Edgar Zilsel 3. The Philosophical Periphery: Einstein, Popper, Ramsey, Russell, Wittgenstein etc. 4. The European Context: Berlin, Cambridge, Helsinki, Prague, Paris, Warsaw 5. The “Americanization” and Diaspora: Reception and Influence 6. The Gender Dimension: Women in/of Logical Empiricism 7. The Vienna Circle / Logical Empiricism in contemporary history of philosophy of science, scientific and analytic philosophy 8. Neglected research topics and future perspectives Workshop 1: Exhibitions and movies on the Vienna Cricle and its members Workshop 2: Completes, running and planned Edition Projects (Carnap, Gödel, Schlick …) Workshop 3: Archives and Primary Sources, VALEP Keynote speakers: Juliet Floyd (Boston) 9th Arthur Pap Lecture 2026 Alan Richardson (Vancouver) Michael Friedman Memorial Lecture 2026 Jan von Plato (Helsinki) 34th Vienna Circle Lecture 2026 Confirmed speakers: Francesca Biagioli (Turin), Anna Brożek (Warsaw), Hans-Joachim Dahms (Berlin), Christian Damböck (Vienna), David Edmonds (London), Eva-Maria Engelen (Berlin), Massimo Ferrari (Turin), Johannes Friedl (Graz), Janette Friedrich (Geneva), Maria Carla Galavotti (Bologna), Michael Heidelberger (Tübingen), Veronika Hofer (Wien), Ulf Höfer (Graz),Hannes Leitgeb (Munich), Martin Lemke (Rostock), Alexander Linsbichler (Linz), Christoph Limbeck-Lilienau (Vienna), Flavia Padovani (Philadelphia), Günther Sandner (Vienna), Sahotra Sarkar (Austin), Christoph Schuringa (London), Anne Siegetsleitner (Innsbruck), Karl Sigmund (Vienna), Michael Stöltzner (Columbia, SC), Bastian Stoppelkamp (Wien), Marta Sznajder (Vienna / Munich), Ádám T. Tuboly (Pécs), Sander Verhaegh (Tilburg), Thomas Uebel (Manchester), Pierre Wagner (Paris) CALL FOR POSTERS: Especially junior scholars are invited to send an abstract (not more than 500 words) suitable for blind review, of the proposed poster presentation in conjunction with one of the above listed section topics latest by March 31, 2026, to: Georg.Schiemer(a)univie.ac.at and Friedrich.Stadler(a)univie.ac.at Notification date: April 30, 2026 The organizers will support submitters of accepted posters after application with a certain amount for travel and/or accommodation dependent on the final conference budget. -- Friedrich Stadler Professor for History and Philosophy of Science, University of Vienna, ret. Institute Vienna Circle (Permanent Fellow) https://wienerkreis.univie.ac.at/ Vienna Circle Society (Director) http://www.univie.ac.at/vcs/ Forum Contemporary History of the University of Vienna https://forum-zeitgeschichte.univie.ac.at/ Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society (Former President, Consultant) http://www.alws.at Turin Academy of Sciences (Foreign Member) https://www.accademiadellescienze.it/accademia/soci/friedrich-stadler Email: Friedrich.Stadler(a)univie.ac.at, Postal Address: Universität Wien, Universitätscampus, Hof 1.13, Spitalgasse 2, 1090 Wien, Austria Personal Website: https://vcs.univie.ac.at/stadler/FS_short.pdf

1 week, 4 days

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Q&A Doctoral Positions/PhD in Philosophy at the University of Vienna

by Raphael Gustavo Aybar Valdivia

Dear All, The Vienna Doctoral School of Philosophy (https://vd-philosophy.univie.ac.at/) will be hosting a webinar on PhD studies in philosophy at the University of Vienna and a Q&A session on our Doctoral Recruitment Call 2026 (deadline 2 March 2026, 14:00 CET) (https://careers.univie.ac.at/en/praedoc/praedoc-ssh) Interested parties are welcome to join it: Topic: Webinar - Q&A Doctoral Positions/PhD in Philosophy at the University of Vienna Time: Feb 12, 2026 12:00 PM Vienna Join Zoom Meeting https://univienna.zoom.us/j/69108794103?pwd=Q45zObYbreYpeOUwtyeZyQIFz7ajcd.1 Meeting ID: 691 0879 4103 Passcode: 172515 One tap mobile +4312535502,,69108794103#,,,,*172515# Austria +436703090165,,69108794103#,,,,*172515# Austria Best wishes, Raphael Aybar -- MSc. Mag. Raphael Aybar, BA Scientific Coordinator Vienna Doctoral School of Philosophy University of Vienna Universitätsstraße 7, B0301 1010 Wien +43-1-4277-46020 https://vd-philosophy.univie.ac.at/ vd.philosophy(a)univie.ac.at raphael.aybar(a)univie.ac.at

1 month, 2 weeks

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Reminder: Daniela Dover, "No Promises: Beauvoir on Time, Agency, and Freedom" - PACE/KiC Metaphilosophical Talk Series

by Sebastian Horvat

Dear all, This is a kind reminder for tomorrow's talk of the PACE/KiC Metaphilosophical Talk Series by Daniela Dover, UCLA Title: No Promises: Beauvoir on Time, Agency, and Freedom (see abstract below) Date: January 29th, 2026 (Thursday) Time: 16:45-18:15 Location: Hörsaal 2H, Neues Institutsgebäude (NIG), 2. Stock - Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien Abstract: Most people nowadays, especially in the Anglophone world, first encounter Simone de Beauvoir through her 1949 magnum opus the Second Sex. But in a conversation with a biographer near the end of her life, Beauvoir mentioned only two books as particularly important for understanding her oeuvre. These were her two book-length works of moral philosophy, Pyrrhus and Cineas, from 1944, and Toward an Ethics of Ambiguity, from 1947. These works have until very recently received very little philosophical attention, often being treated as mere background to The Second Sex. Yet we argue that they lay the groundwork for a genuinely novel, promising, and systematic moral theory that parallels but also radically transforms Kant’s approach to moral theory in the Groundwork. In this paper, we explore several of that theory's more surprising implications, including that our ordinary practice of promising is morally suspect. We look forward to seeing you! Best wishes, The PACE/KiC organising team https://pace.phl.univie.ac.at/ https://www.knowledgeincrisis.com/

1 month, 3 weeks

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Knowledge in Crisis: Alexandre Lefebvre Talk on 30 January at 3pm

by Paulina Sliwa

Dear All, at 3pm on Friday 30 January (next week), we will be hosting Alexandre Lefebvre, who is Professor of Politics and Philosophy at the University of Sydney. His talk will take place at 3pm in 'Hörsaal 3F' on the 3rd floor of NIG. Details are below. The Good Life State: Politics After Liberalism Alexandre Lefebvre (University of Sydney) Liberals keep making a mistake about the non- and post-liberal turn. The usual story is that regimes like Orbán's Hungary, Xi's China, Putin's Russia, Modi's India, and MAGA America are held together mainly by the ugly goods of politics: money, patronage, resentment, and cynical leaders gaming a duped public. Some of that is true. But it doesn't explain why these projects feel vital to supporters, why they endure, and why liberals keep acting surprised. This talk argues that many of these regimes are better understood as ruling through the good life. They're not only anti-liberal. They're positive, teleological, and willing to use the state's tools—policy, institutions, incentives, and cultural power—to shape citizens' virtues, attachments, and habits of feeling. After the talk, we will go to dinner at Rebhuhn, so please let us know if you would like to join so I can make a booking. I very much hope to see many of you there! All the Best, Alex --- Univ-Prof. Paulina Sliwa Professor of Moral and Political Philosophy Director of Training, FWF Cluster of Excellence "Knowledge in Crisis" Institute of Philosophy University of Vienna

1 month, 3 weeks

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Daniela Dover, "No Promises: Beauvoir on Time, Agency, and Freedom" - PACE/KiC Metaphilosophical Talk Series

by Sebastian Horvat

Dear all, The PACE and KiC Projects cordially invite you to the next talk of the Metaphilosophical Talk Series by Daniela Dover, UCLA Title: No Promises: Beauvoir on Time, Agency, and Freedom Date: January 29th, 2026 (Thursday) Time: 16:45-18:15 Location: Hörsaal 2H, Neues Institutsgebäude (NIG), 2. Stock - Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien We look forward to seeing you! Best wishes, The PACE/KiC organising team https://pace.phl.univie.ac.at/ https://www.knowledgeincrisis.com/

1 month, 4 weeks

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Konferenz: „Denkfiguren von Individuum und Masse“, 6.-7. Februar 2026, Universität Wien

by philosophie＠univie.ac.at

Guten Tag! Wir möchten Sie über die folgende Veranstaltung informieren, die von Dissertant*innen am Institut für Philosophie organisiert wird: -----Original Message----- From: Peter Schneider <peter.schneider(a)univie.ac.at> Sent: Friday, January 16, 2026 11:05 AM To: news(a)lists.philo.at Subject: Konferenz: „Denkfiguren von Individuum und Masse“, 6.-7. Februar 2026, Universität Wien „Denkfiguren von Individuum und Masse“ 6.–7. Februar 2026 Universität Wien, NIG Hörsaal 3B Von Revolutionär*innen geliebt, von Liberalen gefürchtet, von Kulturkritiker*innen bemitleidet – die Masse bleibt eine Provokation. Sie gilt als politische Kraft, die ebenso gefürchtet wie als Hoffnungsträgerin beschworen wird. Dem gegenüber steht das Ideal des autonomen Subjekts, das philosophische, politische und kulturelle Debatten bis heute prägt. Zunehmend rückt dabei die Frage in den Fokus, unter welchen Bedingungen Selbstbestimmung möglich ist und welche Grenzen ihr gesetzt sind. Die interdisziplinäre Konferenz widmet sich diesen Fragen aus historischen und systematischen Perspektiven. Zur Diskussion stehen Modelle sozialen Zusammenhangs, ethische Konzepte des Einzelnen und ideologiekritische Reflexionen über das „Wir“. Keynote-Speaker: Markus Brunner (Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Wien) Stephanie Graf (Freie Universität Berlin) Jonas Oßwald (Universität Wien) Link zum vollständigen Programm: <https://ucloud.univie.ac.at/index.php/s/m46xcKzkdiTDKXJ> https://ucloud.univie.ac.at/index.php/s/m46xcKzkdiTDKXJ

1 month, 4 weeks

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Podiumsdiskussion "Dynamiken des Neuen: Was ist Innovation und wer treibt sie an?"

by philosophie＠univie.ac.at

Guten Tag! Wir möchten Sie über die folgende Veranstaltung informieren, bei der Eugenia Stamboliev, Projektmitarbeiterin an unserem Institut, mitwirkt: Veranstaltung <https://www.postgraduatecenter.at/offene-weiterbildung/offene-weiterbildung /kaiserschild-lectures/innovation/anmeldung-podiumsdiskussion-innovation/> Dynamiken des Neuen: Was ist Innovation und wer treibt sie an? Details zur Veranstaltung: Podiumsdiskussion "Dynamiken des Neuen: Was ist Innovation und wer treibt sie an?" Zeit: Mittwoch, 28.01.2026, 18.00-19.30 Uhr Ort: Ateliertheater, Burggasse 71, 1070 Wien mit Elisabeth Unterfrauner (Scientific Director & CEO, Zentrum für Soziale Innovation (ZSI)), Eugenia Stamboliev (Institut für Philosophie, Universität Wien) und Georg Russegger (Director, LBG Open Innovation in Science Center). Moderation: Lena Yadlapalli, Leiterin APA-Science Inhalt: Innovation treibt gesellschaftliche, technologische und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung. Innovative Ideen verändern, wie wir leben, arbeiten und denken, indem sie neue Wege der Gestaltung und Problemlösung aufzeigen. Doch Innovation ist mehr als technologischer Fortschritt: Sie verlangt eine tiefgehende Auseinandersetzung mit sozialen, ethischen und ökologischen Fragestellungen, um Antworten auf die entscheidenden Fragen zu finden, die unsere Zukunft prägen werden. In der Kick-Off Veranstaltung zu unserem Schwerpunkt zu Innovation möchten wir ganz grundlegend mit Ihnen diskutieren: * Was ist Innovation, wie und warum entsteht sie? * Wer treibt sie an? * Und welche Auswirkungen haben Innovationsprozesse? Hier kostenlos anmelden <https://www.postgraduatecenter.at/offene-weiterbildung/offene-weiterbildung /kaiserschild-lectures/innovation/anmeldung-podiumsdiskussion-innovation/> Vielen Dank im Voraus und liebe Grüße Lena Zauchner Lena Zauchner, BA (sie/ihr; she/her) Offene Weiterbildung Universität Wien Postgraduate Center Campus der Universität Wien Spitalgasse 2, Hof 1, Eingang 1.5.4, 1090 Wien T +43-1-4277-10832 M +43-664-817 6389 <javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('ocknvq,ngpc0bcwejpgtBwpkxkg0ce0cv');> lena.zauchner(a)univie.ac.at <http://www.postgraduatecenter.at/> www.postgraduatecenter.at <http://facebook.com/postgraduatecenter> <https://www.instagram.com/postgraduatecenter.univie/> <https://www.youtube.com/PostgraduateVienna> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/postgraduatecenter/> <https://massmailer.univie.ac.at/site/postgraduatecenter/108pgc/subscribe/ar ticle/119.html> » Möchten Sie unseren Newsletter erhalten? Hier geht's zur Anmeldung!

1 month, 4 weeks

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Reminder: Martin Kusch, "Wittgenstein and the Vienna Circle on Science and Relativism" - Physics meets Philosophy

by Sebastian Horvat

Dear all, This is a kind reminder for the next "Physics meets Philosophy" talk (organized in cooperation with the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information) by Martin Kusch (University of Vienna) Title: Wittgenstein and the Vienna Circle on Science and Relativism (see abstract below) Date: January 21st (Wednesday) Time: 14:00-15:30 Location: IQOQI Seminar room (Boltzmanngasse 3, 2nd floor) Zoom link (for those that cannot join in person): https://univienna.zoom.us/j/62477829358?pwd=ClSjluALepJo9eqDxcrHz24QImDtu7.1 Abstract: I argue that there is a common theme in the later Ludwig Wittgenstein, in Philip Frank and Otto Neurath: that the philosophy of science needs to take seriously social-scientific perspectives on the sciences, and that such perspectives come with commitments to relativism. For more information on "Physics meets Philosophy", see https://sites.google.com/view/physphilvienna Best wishes Sebastian

2 months

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Next UPSalon Stammtisch: 22.1., 19:30

by Initiative to Support Women in Academic Philosophy

Dear all, we hope that you had a great start into the new year! We are happy to announce the date, time and venue for the next UPSalon Stammtisch: Thursday, 22.1.2026, 19:30 at Café Weingartner (Goldschlagstraße 6). UPSalon are a group of students, doctoral and post-doctoral researchers at the department of philosophy; the initiative aims at creating a space and community in Vienna where underrepresented philosophers - such as women, trans, inter and non-binary persons, BIPOC, socioeconomically disadvantaged people, queer people, and people with disabilities - can connect on a regular basis at events and informal gatherings. We are looking forward to resuming the conversations we had at our last meeting in December, and are happy about new people who want to join. With all the best, UPSalon

2 months

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