CFP: The Actual and the Possible

Key positions within 20th-century French and German (‘continental’) philosophy have been constructed according to ideas of possibility and its relation to actuality. Similarly, in the last decades questions concerning modality have come to prominence within the forms of metaphysical inquiry pursued in contemporary ‘analytic’ philosophy. The aim of this major international conference to be held at the University of York, April 16th-18th 2013 is to illuminate these different approaches to ideas of possibility and actuality against the background of the history of philosophy.

In how many different senses can something be possible? How do notions of possibility relate to ideas of potentiality or powers? How do notions of possibility relate to ideas of actuality or reality? Are ideas of possibility compatible with freedom and the openness of the future? The conference will approach these and other questions by means of keynote talks, invited papers and parallel, open sessions. Proposals for the latter are invited on any figure or period in the history of philosophy, from ancient Greece to the 20th century.

In order to propose a paper, an abstract of no more than 500 words should be sent to [email protected] by December 1st 2012. Please put BSHP 2013 in the subject-line.