Causality in Early Modern Philosophy

The present edition of the Reuniones Filosóficas intends to open up a broad discussion on the problem of causality at the beginning of Modern Philosophy, focusing on the main figures of pre-Kantian thought. Modern science and cultural changes during the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance triggered a profound questioning of some of the main philosophical notions. Specifically, the concept of causality suffered great transformations and its cognitive value was put into question. The development of sciences and the use of mathematics suggested the substitution of the concept of cause with that of the law; the four dimensions of Aristotelian causality gradually became reduced to efficiency; the manner of understanding the dualism of body and soul gave rise to different metaphysical doctrines with the aim of explaining the relation between those which were considered both substance and their possible interaction; and the problem of divine causality and human freedom reappeared with greater impact.

Special Session: "Causality in Francisco Suárez"

On April 19, from 12 pm to 2 pm a special session about causality in the thought of Francisco Suárez will be held.

•  Languages:  Spanish or English.

Programme

Wednesday 18:

16:00 Opening and presentation
16:15 Juan Arana (Universidad de Sevilla): Causes and Laws: a Debate initiated en the Early Modern Age
17:15 Marta Mendonça (Universidade Nova de Lisboa): The Role of ‘Ends’ in the Modern Conception of Natural Causality
18:15 Coffe-Break
18:30 Discussion

Thursday 19:
9:30 Jean-Paul Coujou: (Université de Toulouse): Free Causality and the Morality of action in Suarez
10:30 Socorro Fernández (Universidad de Burgos): Hobbes on Causality
11:30 Coffee-Break
12:00 Short-Paper Tables
Special session: Causality in the thought of Francisco Suárez
14:15 Lunch
16:15 Raquel Lázaro (Universidad de Navarra): Cartesian Dualism: Passions and Free will 
17:15 Hervé Pasqua (Institut Catholique de Rennes): Grace and Free Will in Blaise Pascal. 
18:15 Break

18:30 Discussion

Friday 20:
9:30 Ángel Luis González (Universidad de Navarra): Cause and Reason in Leibniz’s Ontology and Theodicy
10:30 María Jesús Soto (Universidad de Navarra): The Dialectical  Unfolding of Causality: From Eriugena to Spinoza
11:30 Coffee-Break
12:00 Discussion
13:00 Closure