June 2026 - News - Philosophy bulletin board

[CHANGE OF VENUE] KiC visiting speaker talk by Liz Camp, Friday 26 June 2026, 11h

by Mani Rashtipour

[CHANGE OF VENUE] Dear all, please note that the venue for the following visiting speaker talk by Liz Camp has changed: Fr, 26 June 2026, 11–12:30 New Venue: New Institute Building (NIG), Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien, Lecture Hall HS 3A Liz Camp (Rutgers): Framing for Perspective: Tools for Making Meaning Abstract: The world bombards us with information; in order to act, we must make sense of it. Philosophers typically construe such engagement as one of forming and assessing hypotheses or plans. But much of our epistemic and practical engagement with the world is more intuitive: we explore hunches and inclinations without being able to articulate exactly what these consist in. Getting to the point of even forming a hypothesis or disagreeing with an interlocutor requires deploying and refining a perspective: a complex disposition to selectively attend to, integrate, and respond to information, in virtue of a background of values and statistical assumptions. In order to explore and share perspectives, we often turn to frames: expressive devices like mantras, metaphors, and stories that encapsulate regulative principles for intuitive interpretation. Drawing on an analogy to perception, I identify three ways that the structure of perspectives differs from that of canonical propositional thought and talk, and illustrate the power of frames to guide rational inquiry and communication. Additional Information: After the talk we will be heading to the Salettl in Uni Campus for lunch, participants are welcome to join.

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(Conference announcement) 29.06.2026: “Falsehood at Stake: Plato Making Believe”

by Solmeng Hirschi

***apologies for cross-posting*** Dear colleagues, I am organising a conference on Monday, 29 June 2026: "Falsehood at Stake: Plato Making Believe." It will take place (in presence only) just a few minutes' walk from the NIG, at Porzellangasse 4, EG04, Seminarraum 2. 13:30-14:30: Viktor ILIEVSKI "To Believe or to Know: Plato on the Gods" 14:30-15:30: Ramón SONEIRA-MARTÍNEZ "Plato as a Source of Ancient Unbelief: From Socratic Individualisation to the Theology of _Laws_ X" 16:00-17:00: Pedro L. BARATIERI "Distinguishing the Opposites and Participating in the Dialogue's Play: The _Hippias Minor_ in the Light of Some Pedagogical Ideas of the _Republic_" 17:00-18:00: Maicon R. ENGLER "On Wolves and Dogs: Plato's Ambiguous Position on _antilogikē_" 18:30-19:30: Kryštof BOHÁČEK "Plato's Reader: Between the Hermeneutics of Question and the Rhetoric of Answer" The programme and practical information can be found here: https://antikephilosophie.univie.ac.at/ Please, do reach out if you have any question! Best wishes, Solmeng -- Solmeng-Jonas Hirschi, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher in Ancient Philosophy and Classics FWF-Projekt: "_Magna Moralia: Critical Edition, Translation and Commentary_" Department of Philosophy, Universitätsstraße 7 (NIG), 1010 Wien solmeng.hirschi(a)univie.ac.at https://antikephilosophie.univie.ac.at/forschungsprojekte/

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IVC Talk: Kosmas Brousalis (IVC Fellow, University of Athens) on "Confronting Tensions in Epistemic Structural Realism: Insights from the Logical Positivist Tradition", June 11, 4.45 pm

by Zarah Weiss

Dear all, our next speaker in the Philosophy of Science Colloquium organized by the Institute Vienna Circle is Kosmas Brousalis (IVC Fellow, University of Athens), who will give a talk on June 11, 4.45-6.15 pm. All are welcome! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Philosophy of Science Colloquium TALK: Kosmas Brousalis (IVC Fellow, University of Athens)* Confronting Tensions in Epistemic Structural Realism: Insights from the Logical Positivist Tradition Philosophy of Science Colloquium The Institute Vienna Circle holds a Philosophy of Science Colloquium with talks by our present fellows. * Date:* 11/06/2026 * Time:* 16h45 * Venue:* New Institute Building (NIG), Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien, HS 3C * Abstract:* Epistemic structural realism (ESR) is a moderate realist position according to which our knowledge of the unobservable world is limited to its "structure" rather than its "nature." This thesis is commonly explicated using Ramsey sentences and is thereby equated with the claim that, for any successful scientific theory, the most we can be realists about is the propositional content captured by its Ramsey sentence. ESR is typically motivated by two considerations: semantic and epistemological. On the one hand, it is taken to follow from a descriptivist Carnap–Lewis semantics of theoretical terms; on the other, it is presented as the only realist epistemological position capable of accommodating revolutionary theory change. In this talk, I argue that endorsing both considerations results in inconsistency. After clarifying the tension and outlining the desiderata for any adequate resolution, I propose a novel variant of ESR, which I call "Multiplicative ESR." Roughly speaking, this view counsels epistemic restraint regarding the prospects of veridically "visualizing" unobservable entities—that is, representing them using observational concepts rooted in our sensory experience of the macroscopic world. I then motivate Multiplicative ESR, explore its (possibly troubling) implications, and examine the relationship between key tenets of this view and themes in the logical positivist tradition.

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WORK IN PROGRESS: German Philosophy Workshop on Friday, June 26th 2026

by Sophia Danter

Liebe Kolleg*innen & Interessent*innen, wir möchten Sie herzlich zum folgenden Event *diesen Freitag, am 26. Juni 2026*einladen: WORK IN PROGRESS: German Philosophy Workshop *Datum:*26. Juni 2026 von 10:00 Uhr bis 16:30 Uhr *Ort:*Department of Philosophy – University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6/8, 1090 Wien _*Mit Beiträgen von:*_ * Elisabeth Widmer * Leonard Weiß * Austin Wang * Katharina Kraus Der Workshop widmet sich Forschungsarbeiten mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf Kant und der kantischen Tradition. Ziel der Veranstaltung ist es, laufende Projekte in einem offenen und konstruktiven Rahmen zu diskutieren und den wissenschaftlichen Austausch zu fördern. _Programm:_ *10:00–11:00 Uhr* *Leonard Weiß* /"You’ll Never Be Alone! Lotze on Being and Relations"/ (pre-read version available) *11:30–12:30 Uhr* *Elisabeth Widmer* /"Kant's Republic"/ (pre-read version available) *14:00–15:00 Uhr* *Austin Wang* /"The Place of Inner Sense in Kant’s Transcendental Philosophy" /(pre-read version available) *15:30–16:30 Uhr* *Katharina Kraus* /"Kant on Empirical Truth, Fallibility, and the Progress of Inquiry"/ *18:00 Uhr - open end* Workshop Dinner *Organisiert von:*Univ.-Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. (Department of Philosophy – University of Vienna) *Anmeldung:*Bitte senden Sie Ihre Anmeldung an:sophia.danter@univie.ac.at Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Teilnahme und anregende Diskussionen! Mit besten Grüßen, /Univ.-Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. & Sophia Danter, B.Ed., M.A. Department of Philosophy University of Vienna/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear Colleagues, we would like to cordially invite you to the following event on*Friday*, *June 26th, 2026*: WORK IN PROGRESS: German Philosophy Workshop *Date:*June 26, 2026 - *10:00 AM to 04:30 PM* *Location:*Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6/8, 1090 Vienna _*With contributions from:*_ * Elisabeth Widmer * Leonard Weiß * Austin Wang * Katharina Kraus The workshop is dedicated to Kantian research and aims to promote scholarly exchange by providing an open and constructive setting for discussing ongoing projects. _Program:_ *10:00–11:00 am* *Leonard Weiß* /"You’ll Never Be Alone! Lotze on Being and Relations"/ (pre-read version available) *11:30 am–12:30 pm* *Elisabeth Widmer* /"Kant's Republic"/ (pre-read version available) *2:00–3:00 pm* *Austin Wang* /"The Place of Inner Sense in Kant’s Transcendental Philosophy" /(pre-read version available) *3:30–4:30 pm* *Katharina Kraus* /"Kant on Empirical Truth, Fallibility, and the Progress of Inquiry"/ *6:00 pm - open end* Workshop Dinner *Organized by:*Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. (Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna) *Registration:*Please send your registration to:sophia.danter@univie.ac.at We look forward to your participation and stimulating discussions! With best regards, /Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. & Sophia Danter, B.Ed., M.A. Department of Philosophy University of Vienna/ / / / / Sophia Danter, BEd, MA Organisationsassistentin - Professur für die Philosophie der Aufklärung und der Moderne Institut für Philosophie Universität Wien Universitätsstraße 7 (NIG), 1010 Wien, Austria Raum: D0305

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Wittgen=steine talk this Friday

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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Liz Camp: "Framing for Perspective: Tools for Making Meaning", Friday 26 June at 11h

by Max Kölbel

REMINDER You are cordially invited to the following visiting speaker talk: Fr, 26 June 2026, 11–12:30 Venue: Lecture Hall 'HS 42', Main Building, Second Floor (Stiege 7) Liz Camp (Rutgers): Framing for Perspective: Tools for Making Meaning Abstract: The world bombards us with information; in order to act, we must make sense of it. Philosophers typically construe such engagement as one of forming and assessing hypotheses or plans. But much of our epistemic and practical engagement with the world is more intuitive: we explore hunches and inclinations without being able to articulate exactly what these consist in. Getting to the point of even forming a hypothesis or disagreeing with an interlocutor requires deploying and refining a perspective: a complex disposition to selectively attend to, integrate, and respond to information, in virtue of a background of values and statistical assumptions. In order to explore and share perspectives, we often turn to frames: expressive devices like mantras, metaphors, and stories that encapsulate regulative principles for intuitive interpretation. Drawing on an analogy to perception, I identify three ways that the structure of perspectives differs from that of canonical propositional thought and talk, and illustrate the power of frames to guide rational inquiry and communication. ––––––––––––––––––––– Max Kölbel

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[Logik Café]: Marco Panza (Chapman University): "The Epistemic Economy of Mathematical Formal Definitions", Monday, 22.06.2026, 16:45-18:15

by Georg Schiemer

Dear all, This is a reminder for our next talk in the Logik Café colloquium: Monday, 22.06.2026, 16:45-18:15, Marco Panza (Chapman University) <https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/marco-panza.aspx>: "The Epistemic Economy of Mathematical Formal Definitions". Room 2H (C0224), 2. Stock am Institut für Philosophie <https://philosophie.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/i_philosophie/Orient…> The meeting will be held from 16:45-18:15 in seminar room 2H (C0224) <https://philosophie.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/i_philosophie/Orient…>; 2rd floor at the Department of Philosophy, Universitätsstrasse 7. Best wishes, Esther Heinrich Georg Schiemer

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Postponement of Today's FÖP Session

by VD Philosophy

Dear all, Unfortunately, we must postpone today's FÖP session. Our DSPL is currently on sick leave, and our vice-DSPL has prior professional commitments that prevent him from stepping in at short notice. We will contact the candidates and arrange an alternative date soon. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused. Best regards, Raphael Aybar -- Dr. Raphael Aybar, MA MSc. 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

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Invitation to 15th WFAP Conference: "The Armchair on Trial: A Graduate Conference on Philosophical Methodology"

by Veronika Lassl

Dear all, the Vienna Forum for Analytic Philosophy (WFAP) is delighted to invite you to attend _The Armchair on Trial: A Graduate Conference on Philosophical Methodology_, taking place from July 9-11, 2026 at the Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna. This year's annual WFAP graduate conference brings together early-career and established researchers to explore the question: _How should philosophy be done?_ A central theme of the conference is the debate between traditional "armchair" approaches and empirically informed methodologies. The conference will feature discussions on naturalistic and experimental methods alongside more traditional philosophical approaches, including thought experiments, conceptual analysis, conceptual engineering, and formal methods. Together, these contributions will examine both the promises and the challenges of different ways of doing philosophy. Keynote Speakers We are especially pleased to welcome our keynote speakers: * HILARY KORNBLITH (University of Massachusetts Amherst) * JENNIFER NAGEL (University of Toronto) * CHRISTIAN NIMTZ (University of Bielefeld) Venue Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna Neues Institutsgebäude (NIG), 2nd Floor Rooms 2i & 2H Universitätsstraße 7 1010 Vienna, Austria Dates July 9-11, 2026 Format The conference will take place in person and is open to everyone. Registration is only required to participate in the social events (e.g. dinners). For more information on the program and the conference, visit: https://wfap.philo.at/conferences/armchair-on-trial/ For further questions, please contact: Veronika Lassl (veronika.lassl(a)univie.ac.at) We warmly invite students, graduate researchers, faculty members, and anyone interested in philosophical methodology to join us for three days of stimulating discussion and exchange. Kind regards on behalf of the Organizing Comittee, Veronika Lassl (Chairperson, WFAP) www.wfap.philo.at [1] Links: ------ [1] http://www.wfap.philo.at

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WORK IN PROGRESS: German Philosophy Workshop on June 26, 2026

by Sophia Danter

Liebe Kolleg*innen & Interessent*innen, wir möchten Sie herzlich zum folgenden Event am*26. Juni 2026*einladen: WORK IN PROGRESS: German Philosophy Workshop *Datum:*26. Juni 2026 von 10:00 Uhr bis 16:30 Uhr *Ort:*Department of Philosophy – University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6/8, 1090 Wien _*Mit Beiträgen von:*_ * Elisabeth Widmer * Leonard Weiß * Austin Wang * Katharina Kraus Der Workshop widmet sich Forschungsarbeiten mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf Kant und der kantischen Tradition. Ziel der Veranstaltung ist es, laufende Projekte in einem offenen und konstruktiven Rahmen zu diskutieren und den wissenschaftlichen Austausch zu fördern. _Programm:_ *10:00–11:00 Uhr* *Leonard Weiß* /"You’ll Never Be Alone! Lotze on Being and Relations"/ (pre-read version available) *11:30–12:30 Uhr* *Elisabeth Widmer* /"Kant's Republic"/ (pre-read version available) *14:00–15:00 Uhr* *Austin Wang* /"The Place of Inner Sense in Kant’s Transcendental Philosophy"/ *15:30–16:30 Uhr* *Katharina Kraus* /"Kant on Empirical Truth, Fallibility, and the Progress of Inquiry"/ *18:00 Uhr - open end* Workshop Dinner *Organisiert von:*Univ.-Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. (Department of Philosophy – University of Vienna) *Anmeldung:*Bitte senden Sie Ihre Anmeldung an:sophia.danter@univie.ac.at Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Teilnahme und anregende Diskussionen! Mit besten Grüßen, /Univ.-Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. & Sophia Danter, B.Ed., M.A. Department of Philosophy University of Vienna/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear Colleagues, we would like to cordially invite you to the following event on*June 26, 2026*: WORK IN PROGRESS: German Philosophy Workshop *Date:*June 26, 2026 - 10:00 AM to 04:30 PM *Location:*Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6/8, 1090 Vienna _*With contributions from:*_ * Elisabeth Widmer * Leonard Weiß * Austin Wang * Katharina Kraus The workshop is dedicated to Kantian research and aims to promote scholarly exchange by providing an open and constructive setting for discussing ongoing projects. _Program:_ *10:00–11:00 am* *Leonard Weiß* /"You’ll Never Be Alone! Lotze on Being and Relations"/ (pre-read version available) *11:30 am–12:30 pm* *Elisabeth Widmer* /"Kant's Republic"/ (pre-read version available) *2:00–3:00 pm* *Austin Wang* /"The Place of Inner Sense in Kant’s Transcendental Philosophy"/ *3:30–4:30 pm* *Katharina Kraus* /"Kant on Empirical Truth, Fallibility, and the Progress of Inquiry"/ *6:00 pm - open end* Workshop Dinner *Organized by:*Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. (Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna) *Registration:*Please send your registration to:sophia.danter@univie.ac.at We look forward to your participation and stimulating discussions! With best regards, /Prof. Katharina Kraus, Ph.D. & Sophia Danter, B.Ed., M.A. Department of Philosophy University of Vienna/ / / Sophia Danter, BEd, MA Organisationsassistentin - Professur für die Philosophie der Aufklärung und der Moderne Institut für Philosophie Universität Wien Universitätsstraße 7 (NIG), 1010 Wien, Austria Raum: D0305

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