CFP: Schelling in the Anthropocene: Thinking Beyond the Annihilation of Nature

Submission deadline: April 11, 2014

Conference date(s):
August 21, 2014 - August 23, 2014

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Conference Venue:

North American Schelling Society
New York, United States

Topic areas

Details

Humanity, as a force of nature, seems all too ready to prove itself more cancer than bloom on the body of our global ecosystem. Schelling warned us against “annihilation of nature’ in 1804, while ecologists and climatologists tell of it in their nomenclature for the present age—the Anthropocene. Is it possible for humanity to change course to prevent or mitigate what now looks like an inevitable environmental catastrophe? Efforts to ameliorate the current state of nature and, so too, humanity’s relationship with the rest of nature, traditionally looks to the past with the hope of changing the future. But, as Schelling argued, the human as force of nature does not stand-alone; in the present, we have alternatives—other forces of nature offering resources to correct our current trajectory.

‘Thinking beyond the annihilation of nature’ is a challenge to think beyond – outside - the limits and definitions of modern philosophy since Descartes. If we accept Schelling’s proposition of Mitwissenschaft, and the claims of absolute knowing that follow from it, what happens when we think the consequences of this premise in a systematic manner? How does this re-configure the dualisms of subject and object, self-awareness and reflexivity; ontological paradigms, organic models of integrating mind and matter; emergence, consciousness, and creativity; art and myth as the voice and schema of nature; a secular theodicy that can address the possibility of humanity’s annihilation of nature?

The North American Schelling Society’s third annual conference will explore these themes, broadly construed, against the horizon of possible futures that suggest a way of moving beyond our current quagmire.

Plenary session speakers include Manfred Frank, Tübingen University, Markus Gabriel, Bonn University, Dale Snow, Loyola University, Iain Grant, University of the West of England, Lore Hühn, Freiburg University, Joseph Lawrence, College of the Holy Cross, Bruce Matthews, Bard College, Sean McGrath, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Michael Vater, Marquette University, Jason Wirth, Seattle University, Roger Berkowitz, Bard College.


Talks should be no more than 20 minutes in length and should address how any facet of Schelling’s thinking might help us to develop more coherent and productive ways of moving beyond our current quagmire vis-à-vis nature. While informed by the past, talks should offer a contemporary relevance aimed at possible futures of the 21st Century. The period of the modern, in its etymological meaning of ‘now,’ as well as ‘living for the moment,’ must be overcome by a different period, one that makes our immanent future the telos of actions now. More detailed explanation of the focus and subject of this conference can be found at the North American Schelling Society website.

Proposals should include a title, a 500-word abstract, the presenter’s name, degrees earned, institutional and departmental affiliation, and contact information (including an email address). Proposals must be received by April 11th, 2014, by email ([email protected]). Notification of the proposal’s acceptance will be returned by May 1, 2014.


Organized by the North American Schelling Society, with further support from the International Schelling Society, Bard College, Bard Graduate Center, and Bard High School Early Colleges.


www.schellingsociety.org
www.schelling-gesellschaft.de
www.bard.edu

http://www.bgc.bard.edu/

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