Second Annual Interdisciplinary Philosophy Conference at Providence College

CALL FOR PAPERS: Second Annual Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Philosophy Conference: Providence College Date: Saturday April 3, 2027.  Providence College.  Providence, Rhode Island Keynote Speaker: Gregg D. Caruso, Fairfield University. The Philosophy Department at Providence College celebrates undergraduate scholarship in philosophy and in the humanities—and we particularly support attempts by undergraduates to make philosophy speak to and with other disciplines. Our second annual interdisciplinary conference on April 3, 2027 seeks to provide a welcoming forum for undergraduates to share their scholarship in what we might call engaged philosophy. In this call for papers, we solicit submissions of undergraduate work in either a branch of philosophy—ancient, medieval, modern, contemporary—or in an interdisciplinary connection between philosophy and psychology, philosophy and business, law or politics, and philosophy and health or nursing or medicine, etc. We welcome submissions in Continental and Analytic thought. And we welcome submissions in ethics, either general or applied. Accepted papers will be presented in person and discussed among those attending the conference. Each paper should be written for a 20-30 minute presentation time (approximately 10 typed pages). We are also seeking respondents for accepted papers.  Each commentary should be written for a 10-minute delivery (approximately 5 typed pages), to be delivered after the presented paper. Following the response, there will then be time for approximately 20 minutes of question and answer. Students interested in being involved in the conference without submitting a paper are very welcome to attend or to provide ac ommentary. Please let us know of your intention to attend, as that helps in planning. Also, please indicate if you would like to be considered for the presentation of one of the commentaries and let us know your particular interests in philosophy. Keynote speaker Professor Gregg Caruso will give the keynote address to the conference early in the morning on Saturday, April 3, 2027. Professor Caruso is Director of the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics and Professor of Ethics and Management at Fairfield University. He is also Scientific Advisor for the Center for Justice and Mental Well-Being at the Nova Institute for Heath and Co-Director of the Justice Without Retribution Network at the University of Aberdeen. His books include Ethical Business for the 21st Century: The Moral Foundations of Corporate Purpose (forthcoming), How to Live Well without Free Will (2026), Neurolaw (2024), Moral Responsibility Reconsidered (w/Derk Pereboom, 2022), Rejecting Retributivism: Free Will, Punishment, and Criminal Justice (2021), Just Deserts: Debating Free Will (w/Daniel C. Dennett, 2021), Public Health and Safety: The Social Determinants of Health and Criminal Behavior (2017), and Free Will and Consciousness: A Determinist Account of the Illusion of Free Will (2012). Submission Guidelines: Please email the following [email protected] by January 30, 2027: A 2500-3000 word paper (.docx or .pdf) prepared for blind review. In the main body of the email please include (i) your first and last name, (ii) paper title, (iii) paper abstract, (iv) institution. The subject line should read: LastName PCPHL Undergrad Paper Submission.

We encourage papers to discuss pure philosophy or the relationships of philosophy with other interdisciplinary subjects. These topics can include but are not limited to exploring ancient thought used in current discourse and institutions, such as analyzing Plato's Republic to discuss government, community, virtue, religion and or spirituality. The conference also looks for papers discussing the ethics of; medicine, psychology, AI, law, and sports. We welcome any intersectionality between specialized areas of study and philosophy. 
Deadline for Submission: January 30th, 2026