CFP: Ethics & Aesthetics in Schopenhauer & Wittgenstein

Ethics & Aesthetics in Schopenhauer & Wittgenstein 

University of Southampton. Department of Philosophy; 12th – 13th January 2026. 

Supported by the British Society for the History of Philosophyand the British Society of Aesthetics 

Keynote Speakers: Prof. Hanne Appelqvist (University of Helsinki),Prof.Severin Schroeder (University of Reading) 

Calling for abstracts of up to 1000 words, suitable for a 40-minute presentation, followed by twenty minutes of Q&A. We welcome submissions from people at all career stages, but especiallyencourage them from early career researchers.  

There will be five slots for submitted papers. 

Important updatesand information about the event can be found at:https://schopenhauerandwittgenstein.weebly.com 

Workshop Rubric: 

It is well known that Wittgenstein was inspired by Schopenhauer; a small tradition in the literature already discusses a number of notable commonalities and developments between the two thinkers. Yet, much of this literature is dated, and there remain many regrettably overlooked connections between these historical giants. In particular, many such connections lie between their multifaceted engagements with questions of value – with ethics and aesthetics. 

The workshop aims to bring together leading scholars and emerging researchers to spark new discussions on Schopenhauer and Wittgenstein’s views on ethics and aesthetics—thereby uncovering new connections between the two. We seek to platform talks on intriguing and underexplored aspects of Schopenhauer and Wittgenstein’s thinking on value, including (but by no means limited to): 
 

• The ethical and aesthetic dimensions of their shared fascination with the transcendental 

• The notion of seeing the world sub specie aeternitatis (from the perspective of eternity) 

• Schopenhauer’s presentation of aesthetic contemplation, and its resonance in Wittgenstein

• The respective roles played by meaning (Bedeutung) in our engagements with value 

• The impression of mysticism in Wittgenstein’s philosophy and its ancestry in Schopenhauer’s work

• The role of the willing subject in both thinkers’ accounts of action and ethics, and in their broader philosophical frameworks 

Abstracts discussing the work of both thinkers are especially desirable, but this is NOT a strict requirement. Talks discussing the views of either thinker on any topic in aesthetics/ethics are very welcome. 

Submission: 

Please submit your abstract, prepared for blind review, [email protected] 1st October 2025. Please use "EASW Abstract Submission" as the subject line, and mention in the body of the email whether you are an early career researcher (understood to mean no more than four years beyond the completion of a PhD). 

If you are interested in attending the workshop, please email the organisers ([email protected]) to be sent a registration form. This should be completed and returned before 5th December 2025. 

Financial Provision: 

Overnight accommodation will be provided to all speakers – further financial contributions toward speakers’ travel expenses may also be available, distributed with a priority to those most in need. (Eligible speakers are also strongly encouraged to apply to the British Society of Aesthetics for help financing travel:https://british-aesthetics.org/portfolio/travel-stipends/). 

There are alsofunds available to support childcare needs. Please contact us as soon as possible to arrange this or other accessibility requirements, in order to ensure we can guarantee every possible provision. For further details regarding accessibility, see the workshop website at:https://schopenhauerandwittgenstein.weebly.com/accessibility.html 

Organisers: Dominic Kearney, Cheuk Hei Leung, and Dr. Simone Nota