CFP: Beijing International Conference on the Philosophy of Normativity

Normativity constitutes the bedrock for human cognition and rationality. As it governs our social and moral practices as well as our judgments and actions in general, normativity stands as a keystone in contemporary discourse for exploring the fabric of human agency. A better understanding of the nature of normativity can hence give rise to novel, critical perspectives—or “meta-perspectives”—on what we ought to do, believe, and value.

We believe the study of normativity is not only essential for a wide range of philosophical inquiry, but also can bridge various subfields within philosophy—between moral and political philosophy, but also epistemology, philosophy of logic, language, mind, and action. Over the past five years, we at Beijing Normal University have organized a series of workshops and lectures on the topic of the philosophy of normativity. Supported by a major research project, these events have fostered fruitful dialogues and collaborations across different disciplines.

From November 2–3, 2024, we will be organizing our next international conference on the philosophy of normativity: Beijing International Conference on the Philosophy of Normativity. This conference will serve as a landmark event of ours, aiming to bring together leading philosophers from around the globe to examine the fundamental normative structure that is shaping our moral, epistemic, and social landscapes. We believe an international event dedicated to the philosophy of normativity is both important and timely, as it not only helps cultivate deeper understandings of the significance of normativity but also creates a platform for international scholars to address questions of normativity and contribute to the evolution of philosophical thought in the 21st century.

We invite scholars from different subfields of philosophy to submit papers on the philosophy of normativity. Suggested topics include:

·       The Nature and Foundations of Normativity

·       Epistemic Normativity

·       Moral Normativity

·       Metanormativity

·       Normativity of Meaning and Content

·       Aesthetic Normativity

·       Normativity and Metaphilosophy

·       Normativity and Naturalism

·       Normativity and Rationality

·       Normativity and Objectivity

·       Normativity and Common Values

·       Normativity and Public Policy

Papers should be no more than 5,000 words and made ready for blind review. Submissions should also include a cover letter with the following information: (i) author name, (ii) email, (iii) institution, (iv) title of the paper, (v) word count, and (vi) an abstract (150 words). The deadline for submitting papers is: July 31, 2024. We aim at announcing acceptances by August 20, 2024.

Submissions should be emailed to:[email protected] 

Be sure to attach your paper and cover letter as .doc(x) or .pdf files.