Paradigms, Progress, and Conceptual Change

The Department of Philosophy at the University of Maribor is pleased to announce an international symposium reflecting on the enduring legacy of Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Marking approximately 65 years since its publication, this event seeks to move beyond a purely historical retrospective, exploring "Kuhn after Kuhn"—the continued evolution of his concepts within contemporary philosophical practice.

Kuhn’s notions of paradigms and scientific revolutions have long transcended the history of science. Today, they serve as vital frameworks for understanding the structure of research practices, the shifts in epistemic standards, and the normative boundaries within which conceptual change occurs.

We invite contributions that engage with Kuhnian themes across the breadth of analytic philosophy. We particularly encourage submissions that demonstrate how paradigms, incommensurability, and progress are currently being redefined in fields such as:

• Philosophy of Science & Epistemology: Scientific pluralism, theory-ladenness, and paradigms as epistemic or social frameworks.
• Ethics & Political Philosophy: The nature of moral revolutions, shifts in normative frameworks, and the evolution of political "paradigms of action."
• AI & Cognitive Science: Conceptual change within research programs and the impact of paradigm shifts on the study of mind and intelligence.
• Aesthetics: Paradigm shifts in artistic movements and the structure of creative progress.
• Metaphysics: The ontological status of objects across theoretical transitions and the problem of realism vs. anti-realism.

The symposium aims to foster a dialogue on the broader questions of how progress is achieved and how conceptual frameworks evolve across diverse human practices.

Call for Abstracts We welcome abstracts of approximately 500 words. Presentations will be 45 minutes long, followed by 15 minutes of discussion.

• Submission Deadline: September 20, 2026
• Submission Method: Please submit your abstract via the following Google Forms link: https://forms.gle/gtpb5yY254Fqpcx29.
• Notification of Acceptance: October 5, 2026