Form, Concept and Symbol in the Sciences: The contribution of Ernst Cassirer to a general philosophy of science
August 28, 2014
Humanomics Research Centre, University of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Denmark
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Form, Concept and Symbol in the Sciences
The contribution of Ernst Cassirer to a general philosophy of science
Thursday 28 August 2014
Organised by the Humanomics Research Centre
Venue: Room 22.0.47 (KUA) University of Copenhagen
PROGRAMME
09.15-09.30:
Welcome
09.30-10.30:
Aud Sissel Hoel, Trondheim University
‘Rethinking objectivity by addressing the inner connections between imaging and measuring’
10.45-11.45:
Jean Lasségue, EHESS, Paris
‘Semiotics of the Renaissance according to Cassirer: how philology paved the way to physical sciences’
11.45-13.00:
Lunch
13.15-14.00:
Frederik Stjernfelt, University of Copenhagen
‘Symbolic Forms Extended’
14.15-15.15:
Steen Brock, Aahus University
‘How can the different sciences inform philosophy?’
15.30-16.30:
Esther Oluffa Pedersen, Roskilde University
‘The Logics of the Cultural Sciences and the Humanities Today’
16.45-17.45:
David Budtz Pedersen, University of Copenhagen
‘From cognitive science to digital humanities - Recontextualizing Cassirer’s theory of symbolic forms’
18.00-19.00:
Reception
WORKSHOP THEME
Throughout his eclectic and productive career Ernst Cassirer devoted equal attention to the mathematical and natural sciences and to the humanities. Cassirer spent a great deal of his career working out a synthesis able to contain the “two cultures” of the natural and human sciences, exploring among other things the foundational use of forms and symbols in scientific reasoning. Instead of privileging “object perception” over “expressive perception”, which is exemplified in the widespread idea that the natural sciences have a more robust epistemic base than the humanities, Cassirer shows that neither form of perception can be reduced to the other and he underlines the symbolic preformation of all perception. Whereas the philosophical notion of knowledge has often been informed by the “fact of natural science” and, accordingly, has taken the evolution of the natural sciences as its ultimate datum, Cassirer’s philosophy of symbolic forms is oriented towards the more general “fact of culture”. Thus Cassirer’s ambition, throughout his work, was to develop a systematic articulation of how it is possible to achieve objectivity and validity in both the domain of the natural sciences and the cultural, moral and aesthetic sciences. The latter are granted by the ongoing development of externalized symbolic forms, which give access to an ever-growing field of objectivities at the same time as they develop new facets and possibilities of human subjectivity and liberty. Cassirer’s doctrine of symbolic forms was developed simultaneously with the first attempts to develop a systematic linguistic science of e.g. Roman Jakobson and it prepared the ground for the subsequent evolution of symbolic anthropology, symbolic action theory, sociology of symbolic interaction and related subfields. The importance of Cassirer’s philosophy of science, then as well as today, consists in the move from substantial conceptualizations to concepts of form. Such a Cassirerian criticism represents an important correction to contemporary developments in the sciences. This one-day symposium displays the relevance of Cassirer’s work for contemporary philosophy of science.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The workshop is open to all, but registration is necessary. For registration please send an email to Sarah Vormsby ([email protected]) with your name and affiliation.
Conference organiser
The Humanomics Research Centre.
Conference team
Esther Oluffa Pedersen, David Budtz Pedersen and Sarah Vormsby.
You can find more details about the conference on our website at
The contribution of Ernst Cassirer to a general philosophy of science
Thursday 28 August 2014
Organised by the Humanomics Research Centre
Venue: Room 22.0.47 (KUA) University of Copenhagen
PROGRAMME
09.15-09.30:
Welcome
09.30-10.30:
Aud Sissel Hoel, Trondheim University
‘Rethinking objectivity by addressing the inner connections between imaging and measuring’
10.45-11.45:
Jean Lasségue, EHESS, Paris
‘Semiotics of the Renaissance according to Cassirer: how philology paved the way to physical sciences’
11.45-13.00:
Lunch
13.15-14.00:
Frederik Stjernfelt, University of Copenhagen
‘Symbolic Forms Extended’
14.15-15.15:
Steen Brock, Aahus University
‘How can the different sciences inform philosophy?’
15.30-16.30:
Esther Oluffa Pedersen, Roskilde University
‘The Logics of the Cultural Sciences and the Humanities Today’
16.45-17.45:
David Budtz Pedersen, University of Copenhagen
‘From cognitive science to digital humanities - Recontextualizing Cassirer’s theory of symbolic forms’
18.00-19.00:
Reception
WORKSHOP THEME
Throughout his eclectic and productive career Ernst Cassirer devoted equal attention to the mathematical and natural sciences and to the humanities. Cassirer spent a great deal of his career working out a synthesis able to contain the “two cultures” of the natural and human sciences, exploring among other things the foundational use of forms and symbols in scientific reasoning. Instead of privileging “object perception” over “expressive perception”, which is exemplified in the widespread idea that the natural sciences have a more robust epistemic base than the humanities, Cassirer shows that neither form of perception can be reduced to the other and he underlines the symbolic preformation of all perception. Whereas the philosophical notion of knowledge has often been informed by the “fact of natural science” and, accordingly, has taken the evolution of the natural sciences as its ultimate datum, Cassirer’s philosophy of symbolic forms is oriented towards the more general “fact of culture”. Thus Cassirer’s ambition, throughout his work, was to develop a systematic articulation of how it is possible to achieve objectivity and validity in both the domain of the natural sciences and the cultural, moral and aesthetic sciences. The latter are granted by the ongoing development of externalized symbolic forms, which give access to an ever-growing field of objectivities at the same time as they develop new facets and possibilities of human subjectivity and liberty. Cassirer’s doctrine of symbolic forms was developed simultaneously with the first attempts to develop a systematic linguistic science of e.g. Roman Jakobson and it prepared the ground for the subsequent evolution of symbolic anthropology, symbolic action theory, sociology of symbolic interaction and related subfields. The importance of Cassirer’s philosophy of science, then as well as today, consists in the move from substantial conceptualizations to concepts of form. Such a Cassirerian criticism represents an important correction to contemporary developments in the sciences. This one-day symposium displays the relevance of Cassirer’s work for contemporary philosophy of science.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The workshop is open to all, but registration is necessary. For registration please send an email to Sarah Vormsby ([email protected]) with your name and affiliation.
Conference organiser
The Humanomics Research Centre.
Conference team
Esther Oluffa Pedersen, David Budtz Pedersen and Sarah Vormsby.
You can find more details about the conference on our website at
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