Symposium: Philosophy in Practice (PiP)

Symposium Philosophy in Practice (PiP)

Theme and aim

Over the past 20 years, philosophical research has undergone a ‘practice turn.’ Philosophers are increasingly and more explicitly drawing on empirical data and methods from the social sciences to support philosophical reflection. This methodological shift is accompanied by a growing interest in researching concrete social, scientific, and political practices. This is evident in various ‘in practice’ research programs. 

Despite the growing interest in empirical philosophy and the growing group of young researchers at (among others) Flemish institutions who use empirical methods, adequate support and a stable network are still missing. Regardless of their innovative work and capacity for real-world impact, young researchers involved in Philosophy in Practice (PiP) are therefore often isolated. They do not seem to fit within various disciplinary boundaries and are therefore generally unable to build on existing methodological expertise within their department. For example, philosophy curricula currently offer few opportunities to develop empirical research skills, and the necessary expertise for this is limited. Without a broader network of peers, PiP risks being an extremely labor-intensive and lonely process.

With this first PiP symposium, we want to address this gap by introducing young researchers in this field, who are currently scattered across various Flemish universities, to each other and by stimulating the dialogue between various existing approaches to empirical philosophy in Flanders and elsewhere. We bring together researchers from different universities and sub-disciplines of philosophy to discuss – together with established (national and international) researchers – the possibilities and obstacles that empirical research in philosophy entails. 

At PiP, early career researchers come first: we want to offer them the opportunity to share their personal experiences with practical philosophical research. In addition, we will examine methodological and conceptual questions raised by the practice turn. In practice, philosophy is not a clearly applicable methodological framework, but rather a collective term for all kinds of approaches that lie at the intersection of philosophy and other empirical disciplines. For example, which (qualitative and quantitative) methods are suitable for philosophical questions? How do we assess the quality of empirical philosophical research? 

A second important pillar for PiP is emphasizing the intra- and interdisciplinary nature of empirical-philosophical research. Unfortunately, cross-pollination has remained limited to date. In order to introduce young researchers to the diversity of empirical-philosophical research, we therefore encourage applications from researchers in fields such as bioethics, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, social philosophy, or other philosophical disciplines where empirical methods are gaining ground. In this way, we hope that the PiP symposium will lay the foundation for a robust, cross-disciplinary network of Philosophy in Practice.

Program and preparation

Confirmed speakers on the program are Dr. Sophie Veigl (University of Vienna, University of Johannesburg), Dr. Julie Mennes (Ghent University, ILVO), and Prof. Dr. Kristien Hens (University of Antwerp). Other speakers will be selected from the abstracts submitted. The full program will follow.

Participants are expected to read a number of short texts in preparation for the symposium. These texts will be sent to them well in advance. 

Practical information

Where? 

City campus of the University of Antwerp, building R (Rodestraat 14).

When? 

May 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

How?

Participation is free, but places for this symposium are limited. To ensure the interdisciplinary nature of the event, we are working with a selection procedure. We welcome international applications.

You can register via this link:https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/rntpr9j12h 

Application deadline: March 31st 

Participants will be notified of their acceptance by April 8th. 

Would you like more information or are you unsure about whether your research fits this description? Please contact us at this email address:[email protected] 

Submitting an abstract?

Participants also have the opportunity to submit an abstract to present their research during the symposium. Nine participants will be selected from the submitted abstracts to give a 10-15 minute flash talk. Submitting an abstract is not a requirement for participation in the symposium. 

Abstracts may contain a maximum of 300 words (excluding references) and can be sent to:[email protected] 

Submission deadline: March 15th