The futures of philosophy: insights into metaphysics, ethics, and politics

Description

The concept of the future challenges philosophical thought. Though inaccessible to thought, our temporal orientation toward the future incites us to consider our ethical, political, and metaphysical commitments within the horizon of what is to come. The concept of the future necessarily engages us in thinking about the transcendence of our present based upon interpretation of the past. Thinking about the future is thus inseparably linked to the concept of the possible and the contingency of our situatedness as well as the philosophical frameworks with which we are able to understand our world. The unprecedented pace of technological and societal change in our age of digital revolution brings the very role meaning and role of philosophy itself into question.

This conference invites proposals that explore the concept of the future in three main areas: metaphysics, ethics, and politics. Some specific topics and questions may include:

1. For metaphysics: philosophy of time, the issue of so-called ‘post-metaphysical thinking,’ eschatology.

2. For ethics: pedagogy, hope, intergenerational responsibility.

3. For politics: utopia, the future of humanity, environmental responsibility.

Instructions

Submissions from graduate students across a diverse range of disciplines are welcomed and encouraged. Speakers should anticipate 20 minutes to present, followed by time for questions. Applicants should submit an anonymized abstract between 350–500 words for blind review via email attached as a Word or PDF document to [email protected]

In the body of the email, please include the following identifying information:

o Name

o Email Address

o Institutional Affiliation & Program

o Paper Title

Submissions are due by 11:59pm (EST) on December 31, 2024. Submissions will be reviewed anonymously by the conference committee. Applicants will be notified regarding the committee’s decision by 25 January 2025.

For further questions, please contact the conference organizers: Clay Snell ([email protected]) and Violetta Lato ([email protected])