MANCEPT CfA: The Value of Survival

*Apologies for cross-posting*

MANCEPT Workshops in Political Theory (1-3 September 2015)

The Value of Survival

Convenors: Carlo Burelli ([email protected]), Marco Piasentier ([email protected])

Since at least Hobbes, political philosophy has been either explicitly or implicitly revolving around the question of survival and its normative status. However, this status has rarely been brought to light. Some traditions, like political realism or bio politics, do address this theme directly, while in others, like for example liberalism, it lays dormant as a hidden but crucial assumption.

In this panel, we aim at enquiring the ground and role of the value of survival among a plurality of philosophical perspectives. Given the sometime implicit role of survival, different angles will allow common themes to emerge.

We encourage abstracts that cover or relate to one or more of the following strands:

·      What is the meaning of survival? Is survival a value?

·      What is the normative ground of survival?

·      Is survival the grounding value of politics? And if so, should it be?

·      What is its place among other values? Should it override other moral and political values?

·      What is the relation – if any – between individual survival and the survival of the political institution?

·      How does the question of survival vary among different traditions in the history of political thought? Can it be considered a modern invention?

If you are interested in this panel, please send your name, affiliation and a detailed abstract (400-500 words) to [email protected] by May 15th, 2015.