Permissive Meaning Pluralism

Charlie Potter (University of Sheffield)

Sponsor:

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan

Organisers:

·       Kiki Berk, Southern New Hampshire University

·       Nobuo Kurata, Hokkaido University

·       Iddo Landau, University of Haifa

·       Thaddeus Metz, University of Pretoria

·       Masahiro Morioka, Waseda University

·       Tatsuya Murayama, Tohoku University

·       Yujin Nagasawa, University of Birmingham

·       Rivka Weinberg, Scripps College

Keynote speakers:

Frances Kamm, Rutgers University

Other Keynotes to be confirmed

Details:

Meaning in life is one of the most fundamental philosophical problems, discussed for centuries but having acquired considerable depth in English-speaking philosophy over the past 30 years. Is there any meaning in life? If so, how can we find it? Can life be meaningful if death is the ultimate end of our existence? How is meaning related to well-being and happiness? What are the moral implications of philosophical debates on meaning in life? Can life be objectively meaningful, or can it only be subjectively meaningful? What are the links between God and meaning? What do we mean by ‘meaning’ in the first place?

The aim of the conference is to address these fundamental questions from a wide range of philosophical perspectives, including both western and non-western traditions. Potential topics could include, but are not limited to: theoretical approaches to meaning in/of life; the relationship between death and meaning; anti-natalism and nihilism; procreation and extinction; spiritual, religious, and psychological implications of meaning; linguistic, metaphysical, and epistemological issues concerning meaning; meaning in applied ethics, such as bioethics, environmental ethics, and transhumanism; the roles of narrative, identity, and agency; comparative accounts of meaning in religio-philosophical traditions around the world; implications of meaning for health, well-being, or virtue.

Call for papers:

We invite submissions concerning meaning in/of life as considered in the field of philosophy. Please send an abstract of approximately 500 words (excluding any references), prepared for blind review, to [email protected].

Deadline: 31 January 2023

Notification: Applicants will be notified of the result via email by mid-March 2023.

Publication: Speakers are encouraged to submit their papers in a special issue of the Journal of Philosophy of Life. The submission deadline is 31 October 2023. The publication will be in the first half of 2024.

Time for presentation: 50 minutes for live presentations (roughly 20-25 minutes for talk and the rest for discussion).

Format of presentation:  Online via Zoom and also Slack. Some talks will be pre-recorded, while others will be live.

Official language: English

Registration: Will conference registration be required? Yes, but accepted presenters will be notified closer to the time.

For questions, please email: [email protected]