- News - Philosophy bulletin board

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, 3 weeks

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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, 3 weeks

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Vortrag & Workshop Feministische Epistemologien, Do 22.01.2026,

by Gerald Posselt

VORTRAG Miriam Schröder & Frieder Vogelmann: Feministische Epistemologie und Politische Theorie Do 22.01.2026 | 11:30-14:00 | Inst. f. Politikwissenchaft | 2. Stock, Hörsaal H1 BUCHWORKSHOP Feministische Epistemologien: Ein Reader. Hg. von Katharina Hoppe und Frieder Vogelmann (Suhrkamp 2024) Do 22.01.2026 | 15:30-19:00 | Inst. f. Philosophie | 3. Stock, Hörsaal 3A 15:30-15:50 | Frieder Vogelmann: Vorstellung des Buchprojekts 15:50-16:15 | Sonja Riegler: Einführung 16:15-17:00 | Miriam Schröder: "Situierung als identitätskritische Praxis. Donna Haraways Intervention in die Wissenschaften" 17:00-17:30 | Kaffeepause 17:30-18:15 | Luise Meck: "Skalierte Definitionsmacht. Hermeneutische Ungerechtigkeit und Nichtwissen bei Miranda Fricker" 18:15-19:00 | Lilly Mehlhorn: "Eine Geografie des Denkens. Eurozentrismus als organisierte Ignoranz nach Linda Martín Alcoff" Organisation: Gerald Posselt, Sonja Riegler & Sergej Seitz Die Workshop-Texte werden auf Anfrage gerne zugeschickt: gerald.posselt(a)univie.ac.at<mailto:gerald.posselt@univie.ac.at> Mit besten Grüßen Gerald Posselt ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: PD Dr. Gerald Posselt Department of Philosophy |University of Vienna Universitätsstr. 7 | 1010 Vienna FWF Project Politics of Truth<https://language.univie.ac.at/projects/> "Politik und Aphasie: Zur Polarität von Metapher und Metonymie", in: Zeitschrift für Praktische Philosophie 12 (1), 2025, 369-398. https://doi.org/10.22613/zfpp/12.1.16 "Aporias of Truth and Politics: Arendt, Foucault, and the Practice of Truth-Telling." Genealogy+Critique 11 (1), 2025, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.16995/gc.17038

3 months

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TEAP – Ø. Linnebo “Non-instantial generality: What it is and why we need it”

by Ludovica Conti

Dear all, I am pleased to announce a new seminar series titled Themes from Early Analytic Philosophy. Themes from Early Analytic Philosophy is an online seminar series organized by Michele Contente (Czech Academy of Sciences), Ludovica Conti (University of Vienna), and Caterina Sisti (University of Turin). The aim of the series is to bring together scholars whose work addresses topics central to the early analytic tradition, is inspired by the work of major philosophers in this tradition, or offers historically grounded reconstructions of the contributions of key figures. The upcoming semester's theme is “Generality and Generalisations”. You can find more information here: https://sites.google.com/view/themeseap – we plan to update the website regularly. We are delighted to invite you to our first talk on Friday 16 January, 11-13 am (CET), at the following link: https://univienna.zoom.us/j/5880778120?pwd=sagYfjPsE7DV8IfbFzNEZSpfkK3UYz.1. Øystein Linnebo (University of Oslo) – Non-instantial generality: What it is and why we need it What features of reality are responsible for the truth of a universal generalization? The orthodox answer proceeds via the instances of the generalization. Everything is F because a is F, b is F, and so on, plus (perhaps) the fact that these are all the objects. I show that the orthodoxy needs to be supplemented with (wholly or partially) non-instantial explanations. E.g., we can explain why everything crimson is red or why every object has a singleton set without invoking any instances of these generalizations. Although non-instantial generality is familiar from mathematical intuitionism, I divorce the idea from the intuitionistic philosophy and show how it can be put on a robustly realist footing (say, in terms of Finean essences). With non-instantial generality on board, all the truths of intuitionistic (but not classical) first-order logic turn out to have a trivial truthmaker. The talk will describe the truthmaker analysis of non-instantial generality developed in my “Generality explained”. Some more recent developments will also be discussed, especially an extension of my analysis of non-instantial generality to the framework of metaphysical grounding, as well as some applications of the analysis in philosophy and the foundations of mathematics. Hope to see you online! Ludovica Conti

3 months

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REMINDER: Call for Applications - Summer School on Global Health - Vienna July 2026

by Wiener Kreis Gesellschaft

*Summer School* *Call for Applications * *(Deadline: February 15, 2026)* ** *24^th univie: summer school – Scientific World Conceptions (USS-SWC)* *GLOBAL HEALTH*** *Vienna, July 6-10, 2026* *https://summerschool-ivc.univie.ac.at/* ** *Course Description* ‘Global health’ has attracted wide attention. This program will explore this interdisciplinary topic from a variety different but interrelated perspectives. First, global health reveals significant health disparities: but what causes these, and which disparities are unjust and demand redress? How types of social oppression – such as, racism and heterosexism – relate to health injustices will be explored, alongside investigating the contentious role of advocacy in public health. Second, global health reveals dilemmas between individual rights and communal benefits. For example, clinical trials funded by Western pharmaceutical companies benefit and exploit participants in low-income countries; measures to control the spread of Covid-19 protected and restricted individuals; and international differences in assisted dying legislation largely depend on how much a jurisdiction values individual autonomy. Such dilemmas are viewed through a philosophical bioethics/public health ethics lens. Third, global health will be explored from a sociological and humanistic perspective, emphasizing how health is shaped by global interdependencies, power relations, and cultural meanings. Moving beyond biomedical paradigms, the sociology of health can highlight the social, political, and epistemological dimensions of illness, care, and inequality. In addition, Graphic Medicine as an innovative visual and narrative approach to representing experiences of vulnerability and global crisis, will be introduced. *Topics*will be selected reflecting participants’ interests and may include: ·History of efforts to account for what causes public health disparities, and what makes a disparity an injustice/inequity in need of intervention ·Efforts to theorize how various types of social oppression relate to health injustices and the amelioration of those injustices ·Role of advocacy in public health, including limits on the roles of public health experts in crafting social policies around issues such as immigration and climate change ·Ethics of clinical trials by Western pharmaceutical companies that take place in low-income countries ·Justification for liberty-limiting measures to control the spread of Covid-19 around the globe ·International differences in forms of assisted dying and which, if any, are justifiable. ·The conceptual evolution from Public Health to One Health and Planetary Health, focusing on how sociological approaches reframe health as a relational and systemic phenomenon ·Postcolonial and decolonial perspectives, questioning how global health reproduces colonial hierarchies and epistemic injustices ·Visual storytelling: how comics and graphic narratives contribute to understanding emotional labour, care, and social inequality in health ** ** *Lecturers*: *Stephen Holland (University of York)* Stephen Holland is a Professor in the Departments of Philosophy and Health Sciences, University of York. Stephen’s main research interests are in ethics, including moral and political philosophy, bioethics, and public health ethics. As well as numerous articles, he is the author of ‘Bioethics: A Philosophical Introduction’ and ‘Public Health Ethics’, both published by Polity, and ‘Ethics and Governance of Public Health Information’, published by Rowman & Littlefield. He is currently working on a book on assisted dying, due to be published by Polity next year. *Veronica Moretti (University of Bologna)* Veronica Moretti is an Associate Professor at the University of Bologna and a member of the University Bioethics Committee. Her main research interests lie in the field of creative and participatory methods within the sociology of health and illness, and in the intersections between technology and human practices, with a specific emphasis on digital health theories. She is co-coordinator of the ESA Research Network 22 Sociology of Risk and Uncertainties, a board member of the European Society for Health and Medical Sociology (ESHMS), and one of the founders of Graphic Medicine Italia. Her latest publication, The Social Genre of Comics (Palgrave, 2025), investigates how comics can function as a social and epistemological genre within the humanities and social sciences. ** ** ** *Sean A. Valles (Michigan State University)* Sean A. Valles, PhD, is Professor and Director of the Michigan State University Center for Bioethics and Social Justice and Director of Learning Environment for the College of Human Medicine. Dr. Valles is a philosopher of health specializing in the ethical and evidentiary complexities of how social contexts combine to create patterns of inequitable health disparities. His work includes studying the challenges of responsibly using race and ethnicity concepts in monitoring health disparities, scrutinizing the rhetoric of the COVID-19 pandemic as an ‘unprecedented’ problem that could not be prepared for, and examining how biomedicine meshes with public health and population health. Dr. Valles is author of the 2018 book “Philosophy of Population Health: Philosophy for a New Public Health Era.” He is also co-editor of the Oxford University Press book series "Bioethics for Social Justice.” Dr. Valles received his PhD in history and philosophy of science from Indiana University Bloomington. ** *Application form and further information*: https://summerschool-ivc.univie.ac.at/application/ <https://summerschool-ivc.univie.ac.at/application/> USS-SWC operates under the academic supervision of an International Program Committee of distinguished philosophers, historians, and scientists. Its members represent the scientific fields in the scope of USS-SWC, make contact to their home universities and will also support acknowledgement of courses taken by the students. The annual summer school is organised by the Institute Vienna Circle of the University of Vienna. https://wienerkreis.univie.ac.at/ <https://wienerkreis.univie.ac.at/> Find information about our exchange programme with Duke University (North Carolina) here: https://international.univie.ac.at/en/international-cooperation/university-… <https://international.univie.ac.at/en/international-cooperation/university-…> *Inquiries:* __ _Administrator:_ Zarah Weiss Institute Vienna Circle Alser Straße 23/32 1080 Wien summerschool.ivc(a)univie.ac.at <mailto:summerschool.ivc@univie.ac.at> _Scientific director:_ Georg Schiemer Institute Vienna Circle Alser Straße 23/32 1080 Wien georg.schiemer(a)univie.ac.at <mailto:georg.schiemer@univie.ac.at>

3 months

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KoPhil-Vortragsabend am DO. den 22.01.2026

by philosophie＠univie.ac.at

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, wir möchten Sie auf eine bevorstehende Veranstaltung an unserem Institut aufmerksam machen. Nähere Informationen zu Termin, Thema und Ablauf entnehmen Sie bitte der unten stehenden E-Mail. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Katherina Krobath From: Dr. HASHI Hisaki < <mailto:pantelos@pc5.so-net.ne.jp> pantelos(a)pc5.so-net.ne.jp> Sent: Monday, January 12, 2026 3:56 PM To: <mailto:news@lists.philo.at> news(a)lists.philo.at Cc: 'Dr. HASHI Hisaki' < <mailto:pantelos@pc5.so-net.ne.jp> pantelos(a)pc5.so-net.ne.jp>; <mailto:hisaki.hashi@univie.ac.at> hisaki.hashi(a)univie.ac.at Subject: KoPhil-Vortragsabend am DO. den 22.01.2ß26 Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, Im Folgenden eine information über die bevorstehende Veranstaltung, organisiert durch den Verein für Komparative Philosophie und Interdisziplinäre bIldung KoPhil. Datum: Donnerstag, 22.01.2026 Zeit: 18:30 20:15 Ort: HS 3B, Institut für Philosophie der Universität Wien (NIG) Vortragsgeber: Dipl.-Ing. A. Rockenbauer, BA Thema: Digitaler Inhumanismus KI als Kulminationspunkt gegenwärtiger Digitaltechnik Eintritt frei Näheres im Attachment Interessenten werden herzlich eingeladen. Mit freundlichen Grüßen KoPhil-Präsidium https://www.kophil-interdis.at

3 months

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PhD Positions in the Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH) - Application deadline: 2 March

by Vienna Doctoral School of Philosophy

Start your doctorate in the Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH) at the University of Vienna The University of Vienna invites applications for more than 40 funded doctoral positions across the Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH). This thematically open call allows applicants to submit their own research project and choose a preferred supervisor from around 300 excellent researchers across multiple doctoral schools. Doctoral researchers work in a structured academic environment and are part of a vibrant international research community at one of Europe’s leading universities. We welcome applications from Master’s students and recent graduates from all SSH disciplines. Application deadline: March 2, 2026, 2:00 pm CET Find detailed information on the application process, criteria, and doctoral training opportunities here: https://careers.univie.ac.at/en/praedoc/praedoc-ssh

3 months

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

by Sebastian Horvat

Dear all, You are hereby invited to 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

3 months, 1 week

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Reminder: Workshop "Klassismus in der Lehre"/"Classism in (Teaching) Philosophy", January 20, 2026, 3-6 PM

by Leonie Möck

Liebe Kolleg*innen, liebe Lehrende der Philosophie, wir laden Sie zum Workshop *„Klassismuskritik in der Philosophie(lehre)“* am *20. Jänner 2026, 15-18 Uhr in 3A (NIG) *ein, der sich vor allem an alle Lehrende der akademischen Philosophie richtet. Wie lässt sich kritisches Denken und Handeln in einem Raum fördern, der nur begrenzt selbstkritisch ist? Und wie lässt sich machtkritisches Denken und Handeln fördern, wenn die Universität selbst von Machtverhältnissen geprägt ist, an deren Reproduktion wir als Lehrende und Wissenschaftler*innen beteiligt sind? Im Mittelpunkt dieses Workshops stehen die Auseinandersetzung mit Klassismus in der Philosophie(lehre), die Reflexion eigener Lehrpraktiken unter machtkritischer Perspektive sowie die gemeinsame Entwicklung klassismuskritischer Ansätze für Lehre und Lernräume (Workshopbeschreibung angehängt). Workshopleitung: *Dr. Lisa Scheer* (Zentrum für Lehrkompetenz, Universität Graz) Eine Vorbereitung ist nicht erforderlich. Anmeldung bitte über diesen *Link. <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe69hi_Gi3ulm8-mtn-L0Twgxc1TMd36GS…>* Wir freuen uns auf einen anregenden Austausch! Irene Salzmann & Leonie Möck organisiert im Rahmen von UPsalon & mit Unterstützung der VDP *********** Dear colleagues, dear philosophy teachers, We invite you to participate in the upcoming workshop *“Classism in (Teaching) Philosophy”* on *January 20 2026, 3-6 PM, room 3A (NIG)*, which is open to all teachers of academic Philosophy. How can critical thinking and practice be promoted in a place that is only self-critical to a limited extent? And how can power-critical thinking and practice be promoted when the university itself is characterized by power relations which we as teachers and academics reproduce too? Key themes of the workshop include reflecting on class-based exclusion and privilege in philosophy, developing strategies for class-critical teaching, exploring the boundaries and possibilities of academic freedom and institutional constraints (full description of workshop attached). Workshop facilitator: *Dr. Lisa Scheer *(Competence Center for University Teaching, University of Graz ) No prior preparation is required. Please register using the following *link <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe69hi_Gi3ulm8-mtn-L0Twgxc1TMd36GS…>.* We look forward to your participation and to engaging discussions! Irene Salzmann & Leonie Möck organized with UPsalon & supported by the VDP -- Leonie Möck, University Assistant (Prae Doc) Philosophy of Media and Technology University of Vienna Universitätsstraße 7 (NIG), 1010 Vienna leonie.moeck(a)univie.ac.at

3 months, 1 week

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Werkstatt Phänomenologie

by Georg Harfensteller

Liebe Kolleg_innen, wir möchten Sie herzlich zur nächsten Veranstaltung der *Werkstatt Phänomenologie* einladen: Dienstag, 13.01.26, um 18:00, Seminarraum 3A im NIG (Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien), 3. Stock. *Runder Tisch - Epoché: Zur Aktualität der Klammer* *Beschreibung:* Wie bei zahlreichen anderen prägenden Ereignissen unseres Lebens, können sich die meisten von uns in die Situation zurückversetzen, in der sie zum ersten Mal mit dem Wunder der Phänomenologie in Kontakt gekommen sind: dominiert von Verwirrung, Unglaube, aber auch einem diffusen Versprechen, eine neue Perspektive auf die Welt entdeckt zu haben. Die fast schon unumgänglichen Startschwierigkeiten hängen dabei nicht zuletzt mit den anspruchsvollen methodischen Voraussetzungen unserer Disziplin zusammen, paradigmatisch ist dies an der Urteilsenthaltung der Epoché. Für unseren ersten Runden Tisch der Werkstatt Phänomenologie haben wir uns daher vorgenommen, dieses fundamentale Werkzeug ein wenig zu entzaubern und seine Kritik und aktuellen Anwendungsfälle gemeinsam zu besprechen. Die husserlsche Phänomenologie, wie sie in den Ideen 1 dargelegt wird, findet ihre Grundlage in einer Geste, die genauso radikal wie umstritten ist: der transzendentalen Epoché, d.i. der Einklammerung der Thesis bezüglich der Existenz der natürlichen Welt. Diese zielt auf die Freilegung des reinen Bewusstseins ab, das die Grundlage für jede neue Theorie werden soll. Damit geht Husserl noch über den cartesischen Zweifel hinaus und begründet eine philosophische Tradition, die diese Methode jedoch nicht unhinterfragt übernimmt. Sowohl die bloße Möglichkeit einer solchen Ausschaltung jeglichen Existenzurteils als auch die Reinheit des phänomenologischen Residuums sind der Grund vielfältiger kritischer Auseinandersetzungen. Diese können sowohl ihre Historizität als auch ihre sozioökonomische Situiertheit betreffen, insofern sie den Zugang zu einer reinen, ahistorischen Transzendenz infrage stellen. Ist die Phänomenologie, wie Adorno und Horkheimer behaupten, eine bürgerliche Philosophie? Aber auch ihre grundlegend egologische Ausrichtung ist das Ziel bedeutender Kritiken: Lässt sich die gesamte Phänomenalität auf eine Subjektivität reduzieren, so transzendental sie auch sein mag, oder liegt hier nicht bereits eine problematische Blindheit gegenüber der Irreduzibilität von Alteritätsphänomenen, wie sie beispielsweise bei Levinas im Vordergrund stehen? Und vergisst der Fokus auf das reine Bewusstsein nicht auch die grundlegende Leiblichkeit jeder möglichen Erfahrung, wie sie bei Merleau-Ponty betont wird? Um diese und viele weitere Fragen an die Epoché zu diskutieren, möchten wir euch am 13. Januar 2026 zu einem runden Tisch im Rahmen der Veranstaltungsreihe Werkstatt Phänomenologie einladen. In mehreren Beiträgen zu je zehn Minuten soll der Begriff grundgelegt und kritisch diskutiert werden, um die Frage nach der Aktualität der Klammer im philosophischen Tagesgeschehen zu stellen. Alle sind herzlich dazu eingeladen, mitzudiskutieren, egal in welchem Abschnitt des Studiums ihr euch befindet, bzw. ob und wie ihr universitär angebunden seid. Das Ziel ist es, eine lebendige, kritische und gegenseitig wertschätzende Diskussion zu ermöglichen, im Rahmen derer Verbindungen geknüpft und gestärkt werden können. Für das leibliche Wohl wird gesorgt. Für weitere Informationen und Kontaktmöglichkeiten: https://phaenomenologie.univie.ac.at/forschung/werkstatt-phaenomenologie/ Wir freuen uns auf euch, Claudia, Georg und Björn

3 months, 1 week

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2026

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