CFP: Book Symposium on "Fundamental Things" - Philosophical Inquiries

Call for Papers 

Book Symposium on Fundamental Things 

Philosophical Inquiries, Issue 1/2027 

Guest Editors: Giorgio Lando, Giorgio Mazzullo 

We invite submissions for a book symposium on the themes of “Fundamental Things” (Oxford University Press, 2023) to be published in the first 2027 issue of Philosophical Inquiries. 

Louis deRosset’s Fundamental Things. Theory and Applications of Grounding (OUP 2023) develops a theory of grounding that articulates the prominent philosophical view that reality is structured in layers, with higher-level phenomena depending on and being determined by more fundamental ones. 

We welcome papers that engage critically and constructively with the arguments and themes of the book.  

https://academic.oup.com/book/45749 

Topics may include, but are not limited to: 

• Grounding and Fundamentality 

• The Relata of Grounding 

• What Grounds the Grounding Facts 

• Grounding and Reduction 

• Grounding and Causality 

• Grounding and Multiple Realizability 

• Metaphysical Laws 

• Truth and Grounding 

• The Connection Problem 

Contributions should aim to engage directly with the content and arguments of Fundamental Things, ideally fostering a dialogue with its author and its broader philosophical implications.The symposium-formally known as a Focus-will consist of: 

• a short, two-page précis of deRosset’s book written by the author; 

• a number of contributors’ papers engaging with its themes; 

• a collective response by deRosset addressing the contributors’ papers. 

Submission Guidelines 

We are looking for contributions of approximately 8,000 words (including references). Submissions will undergo peer review in line with the journal’s editorial policies.  

Please submit your contribution here:https://www.philinq.it/index.php/philinq/about/submissions 

When submitting your paper, please make sure to select the section “Focus” from the submission menu. This ensures that your contribution will be considered as part of the symposium on Fundamental Things. 

Submission Deadline: April 15, 2026 

About the Journal 

Philosophical Inquiries is a peer-reviewed philosophy journal published in English. It is indexed in Scopus, The Philosopher’s Index, and other major databases, and is currently ranked Q2 in the SCImago Journal Rank. More information is available at:https://www.philinq.it/index.php/philinq/index. 

For further information, [email protected] or [email protected]. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions!