BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//Grails iCalendar plugin//NONSGML Grails iCalendar plugin//EN VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260408T163302Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260326T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260327T170000 SUMMARY:Devotion\, Existential Commitment\, and Ethics UID:20260409T005844Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-f5d4878dd-r5qzs TZID:America/New_York LOCATION:43 Hawes Street\, Room 202\, Boston\, United States\, 02215 DESCRIPTION:

Conference topic: the ethical significance of devotion and robust commitment

NOTE: we have a few spots for session chairs (which involves introducing speakers and calling on people during the q&\;a). \; If you are interested in attending as a session chair\, send an email to devotionconf@gmail.com

Our lives are pervaded by commitments: you might be committed to meeting a friend for dinner\, exercising four times per week\, learning a language\, being considerate\, sustaining a friendship\, promoting a political cause. \; Some commitments are relatively trivial and readily set aside. \; Others are deeper and more resistant to change. \;They persist through doubt and difficulty\, giving shape to a person's life.

When people display extreme degrees of commitment\, we sometimes describe them as \;devoted. \; \;Devotion \;seems to involve a particularly robust form of commitment\, which might differ from standard forms of commitment in its intensity\, stability\, resistance to compromise\, epistemic status\, or deliberative weight

This interdisciplinary conference investigates the ethical significance of devotion and other robust forms of commitment. Topics might include:

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the nature and structure of deep commitment
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existential\, ethical\, or political forms of commitment
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devotion as a source of meaning\, purpose\, or identity
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connections between devotion and love\, responsibility\, or integrity
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the impact of devotion and robust commitment on individual or collective flourishing
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the way in which devotion might interact with epistemic virtues and vices
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pathological or problematic forms of devotion/commitment\, such as fanaticism
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devotion\, commitment\, and responsibility \;
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Keynotes:

Sharon Street \;(NYU\, Philosophy)\, "Devotion without Faith"

David Shoemaker \;(Cornell\, Philosophy)\, "Hilarious Devotion"

Fiery Cushman \;(Harvard\, Psychology)\, "Dangerous Thoughts"

Kimberly Rios \;(Univ. Illinois Urbana-Champaign\, Psychology)\, "Understanding Academics' Perceptions of Religion Research: The Role of Intellectual Humility"

Jennifer Herdt (Yale\, Religious Studies)\, "Idolatry and Devotion"

Speakers:

Giles Howdle (Utrecht University)\, &ldquo\;On Devoting Oneself&rdquo\;

Jason Kay (Rice)\, &ldquo\;Two Kinds of Commitment&rdquo\;

Jordan MacKenzie (University of Virginia) and Michael Cholbi (University of Edinburgh)\, &ldquo\;Free to Be You and Me: Devotion and Practical Fidelity in Personal Relationships&rdquo\;

Lilian O&rsquo\;Brien (Tampere University/University of Helsinki)\, &ldquo\;Committing\, Intending\, and the Distinction Challenge&rdquo\;

Catherine Rioux (Université\; Laval)\, &ldquo\;Striving for Balance: Difficult Long-Term Goals and the Well-Rounded Life&rdquo\;

Commentators:

Andrew Chignell (Princeton)

Vikas Beniwal (University of Mississippi)

Jacob Koval (Florida State)

Eric Aldieri (Bridgewater State)

Rylie Johnson (Boston College)

Brendan Kost (Florida State)

William Kanwischer (UNC)

Meredith McFadden (Northeastern)

Pengbo Liu (Bentley University)

Kaitlyn Creasy (Cal State San Bernardino)

Organizers:

Paul Katsafanas (BU)

Jesse Preston (Warwick)

Location: \;43 Hawes Street Room 202 \;(map)

Program

Conference location: 43 Hawes Street\, Room 202(map)

Thursday\, March 26

9:15-9:30

Coffee and introductions

9:30-10:40

Lilian O&rsquo\;Brien (Tampere University/University of Helsinki)
&ldquo\;Committing\, Intending\, and the Distinction Challenge&rdquo\;

Commentator: Jacob Koval (Florida State)

Chair: Paul Katsafanas (BU)

\;
11:00-12:10

Giles Howdle (Utrecht University)
&ldquo\;On Devoting Oneself&rdquo\;

\; \; \; \;Commentator: Meredith McFadden (Northeastern)

Chair: ______

12:10-1:30

Lunch (catered for speakers\, commentators\, and chairs)

1:30-3:00

Sharon Street (NYU)
&ldquo\;Devotion without Faith&rdquo\;

\; \; \;Commentator: Andrew Chignell (Princeton)

Chair: Coleman Solis (Berkeley)

\;
3:20-4:30

Jordan MacKenzie (University of Virginia) and Michael Cholbi (University of Edinburgh)
&ldquo\;Free to Be You and Me: Devotion and Practical Fidelity in Personal Relationships&rdquo\;

\; \; \;Commentator: Will Kanwischer (UNC)

Chair: Caroline Wall (BU)

\;
4:50-6:20

Kimberly Rios (Univ. Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
"Understanding academics' perceptions of religion research: The role of intellectual humility"

\; \; \;Commentator: Brendan Kost (Florida State)

Chair: Jesse Preston (Warwick)

Friday\, March 27

9:30-10:40

Catherine Rioux (Université\; Laval)
&ldquo\;Striving for Balance: Difficult Long-Term Goals and the Well-Rounded Life&rdquo\;

\; \; \; \;Commentator: Kaitlyn Creasy (Cal State San Bernardino)

Chair: Lucio Maffei (BU)

11:00-12:30

Fiery Cushman (Harvard)
&ldquo\;Dangerous Thoughts&rdquo\;

\; \; \;Commentator: Eric Aldieri (Bridgewater State)

Chair: Pol Pardini Gispert (BU)

\;
12:30-1:45

Lunch (catered for speakers\, commentators\, and chairs)

\;
1:45-3:15 \;

Jennifer Herdt (Yale)
&ldquo\;Idolatry and Devotion&rdquo\;

\; \; \;Commentator: Rylie Johnson (Boston College)

Chair: Margret Sullivan (Cornell)

3:30-4:40

Jason Kay (Rice)
"Two Kinds of Commitment&rdquo\;

\; \; \;Commentator: Pengbo Liu (Bentley University) \;

Chair: \; \;Kam McCondichie (U. Penn.)

\;
5:00-6:30

David Shoemaker (Cornell)
"Hilarious Devotion&rdquo\;

\; \; \;Commentator: Vikas Beniwal (University of Mississippi)

Chair: Sheryl Ross (UW La Crosse)
\;

\;
6:30-7:30

Reception (open to all attendees)

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