Medicina Mentis: The Problematic Nature of the Imperfect Mind

Medicina Mentis: The Problematic Nature of the Imperfect Mind

27-28 March 2026

Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)

Department of Philosophy

“Happy is the one who has been able to know the causes of things!” (felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas); but how is such knowledge possible given the imperfect mind?

Throughout the history of philosophy, traditions have prescribed certain practices (or medicina mentis) for correcting mental imperfection: Socratic elenchus, Stoic askēsis, Augustinian confessio, Scholastic disputatio, Loyola’s exercitia spiritualia, Cartesian meditatio, Lonerganian transcendental precepts, Husserlian bracketing, modern psychoanalysis and many others. These practices aim to purify the mind and propose paths forward toward a more perfect understanding and judgment.

This conference invites proposals on topics related to the nature, necessity, and practice of the medicina mentis. Topics will be arranged by historical period: beginning with ancient and medieval, early modern and modern, and lastly contemporary. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): the relation between mental practices and scientific inquiry, religious and sacramental experience, politics, psychology, and ethics and the good life. Submissions from graduate students across a wide range of disciplines are welcomed and encouraged.

The conference will take place from 27-28 March 2026 on the Chestnut Hill campus of Boston College. Speakers should anticipate 20 minutes to present, with time for questions to follow.

Applicants should prepare anonymized abstracts for blind review between 350–500 words, submitted via email 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 31 December 2025. Submissions will be reviewed anonymously by the conference committee, with notifications to applicants regarding decisions by 25 January 2026.

For further questions, please contact conference organizer: Robert McQueen ([email protected]).