CFP: Perspectivism and Realism In Science and Mind (PRISM)

In different disciplines and fields, controversies surrounding the compatibility between “perspectivist” and “realist” approaches have been prominent in recent decades. Both in philosophy of science and in 4E cognition, for instance, different versions of the same general question have appeared, asking how, starting from a variety of different perspectives (similar and dissimilar in various respects and degrees) human communication and knowledge can be achieved. Disagreements concern not only ideas about what a perspective on reality is, but also about how to understand reality itself such that different perspectives on it can exist, as well as about how we can talk and learn about reality with others.

The goal of this interdisciplinary online workshop is to promote dialogue between different perspectives on “perspectivism” and “realism” with a particular focus on how they relate to the embodied and situated nature of mind/cognition and of scientific knowledge and scientific practices. The idea for the workshop arises from our reading group on the book Perspectival Realism by Michela Massimi (Oxford University Press, 2022), and given this, we would like to invite proposals for talks in philosophy of science that engage directly with ideas in the book. At the same time, we also strongly encourage submissions that approach questions about perspective and reality much more broadly, from different angles in philosophy of science as well as from perspectives in epistemology, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, psychology, and other fields.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of relevant keywords as they relate to perspectives and reality:

• objectivity / intersubjectivity
• epistemic identities
• situated knowledge
• indigenous knowledge
• multiculturalism
• explanation / understanding
• scientific representation
• scientific modeling
• idealization / misrepresentation
• standpoint theory
• personal knowledge
• naturalism
• empiricism
• 4E cognition
• enactivism and ecological psychology
• active inference / predictive processing
• pragmatism
• essentialism
• phenomenology (whether analytic or continental)

Where: ONLINE

When: the workshop is tentatively planned for June 4 and June 11, 2024 - each day from 9am to 12:30 Eastern US / 10am to 1:30pm Brazil / 3pm to 6:30pm Central European Time

Invited speakers: Michela Massimi (University of Edinburgh) and Michelle Maiese (Emmanuel College)

Proposals of 150-500 words for talks of 15-20 minutes are welcome until April 20. To send your proposal please complete the following submission form: https://forms.gle/Hof6k7LYSgmEuu4i9

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the organizers: Gui ([email protected]) and Pedro ([email protected])

http://www.embody.group/prism2024/