Prejudice in Hume and His Contemporaries University College Dublin\, 23-24 June 2026
Confirmed speakers:
\nAmy Schmitter (University of Alberta)
\nJacqueline Taylor (University of San Francisco)
\nRoss Carroll (Dublin City University)
\nElena Gordon (University College Dublin)
\nDescription: The early modern concept of prejudice is currently receiving renewed attention along two dimensions. First\, rising interest in early modern social and non-ideal epistemology has turned to theories of prejudice for explanations of group irrationality and group ignorance and\, more generally\, for early modern vice epistemologies. Second\, theories of prejudice are interesting for how they intersect with emerging theories of social\, racial\, gender and national identity. Despite the centrality of prejudice to long-established narratives about the Enlightenment and the rise of the &lsquo\;new science&rsquo\;\, these &lsquo\;social&rsquo\; aspects of the concept remain understudied. \;
David Hume's views on prejudice strikingly express these social dimensions. \;His central discussion of prejudice (Treatise 1.3.13) connects it to unreflective generalizations of humans based on perceived group membership. He couples this discussion with sophisticated socio-constructivist accounts of many kinds of social identity\, that are at the same time limited by objectionable sexist and racist beliefs. \;
This conference aims to investigate Hume&rsquo\;s theory of prejudice along the lines indicated above\, but it will also look at his possible inspirations and at his own influence on later authors in the Scottish Enlightenment and beyond. Thus\, spreading outward from Hume\, the conference aims to produce a more comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of the social aspects of prejudice in the broad context in which he was writing.
Possible topics: Possible questions and topics can include\, but are not limited to:
The event is generously supported by the British Society for the History of Philosophy\, the Mind Association\, \;Taighde É\;ireann - Research Ireland\, and the \;UCD School of Philosophy. \;It is organised as part of the project 'Hume and the Prejudiced Self'\, funded by Taighde É\;ireann - Research Ireland (grant number GOIPD/2025/1772).
ORGANIZER;CN=Ruben Noorloos: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR