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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260414T115518Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260327T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260328T170000
SUMMARY:Medicina Mentis: The Problematic Nature of the Imperfect Mind
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TZID:America/New_York
LOCATION:140 Commonwealth Avenue\, Chestnut Hill\, United States\, 02467
DESCRIPTION:<p><strong>Medicina Mentis: The Problematic Nature of the Imperfect Mind</strong></p>\n<p>27-28 March 2026</p>\n<p>Boston College (Chestnut Hill\, MA)</p>\n<p>Department of Philosophy</p>\n<p>&ldquo\;Happy is the one who has been able to know the causes of things!&rdquo\; (<em>felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas</em>)\; but how is such knowledge possible given the imperfect mind?</p>\n<p>Throughout the history of philosophy\, traditions have prescribed certain practices (or <em>medicina mentis</em>) for correcting mental imperfection: Socratic <em>elenchus</em>\, Stoic <em>askēsis</em>\, Augustinian <em>confessio</em>\, Scholastic <em>disputatio</em>\, Loyola&rsquo\;s <em>exercitia spiritualia</em>\, Cartesian <em>meditatio</em>\, Lonerganian transcendental precepts\, Husserlian bracketing\, modern psychoanalysis and many others. These practices aim to purify the mind and propose paths forward toward a more perfect understanding and judgment.</p>\n<p>This conference invites proposals on topics related to the nature\, necessity\, and practice of the <em>medicina mentis</em>. Topics will be arranged by historical period: beginning with ancient and medieval\, early modern and modern\, and lastly contemporary. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): the relation between mental practices and scientific inquiry\, religious and sacramental experience\, politics\, psychology\, and ethics and the good life. Submissions from graduate students across a wide range of disciplines are welcomed and encouraged.</p>\n<p>The conference will take place from <strong>27-28 March 2026</strong> on the Chestnut Hill campus of Boston College. Speakers should anticipate 20 minutes to present\, with time for questions to follow.</p>\n<p>Applicants should prepare anonymized abstracts for blind review between 350&ndash\;500 words\, submitted via email as a Word or PDF document\, to robert.mcqueen.2@bc.edu. In the body of the email\, please include the following identifying information:</p>\n<p>o Name</p>\n<p>o Email Address</p>\n<p>o Institutional Affiliation &amp\; Program</p>\n<p>o Paper Title</p>\n<p><strong>Submissions are due by 11:59pm (EST) on 31 December 2025.</strong> Submissions will be reviewed anonymously by the conference committee\, with notifications to applicants regarding decisions by 25 January 2026.</p>\n<p>For further questions\, please contact conference organizer: Robert McQueen (robert.mcqueen.2@bc.edu).</p>
ORGANIZER;CN=Rob McQueen:
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