Metaphysical Knowledge

The language of the conference is English.

Metaphysics aims at discovering necessary features of reality, contrary to empirical sciences, which, depending on observations, describe contingent aspects of the world. Metaphysics deals with issues related to the constitution or essence of things. This  raises an important epistemological worry: how are metaphysical truths to be established and justified? Several talks will address the central question of the justification of modal truths: since our senses tell us only what is, not what must be, how can we know necessary truths? We shall also discuss the relationships between scientific knowledge and metaphysical knowledge. Is there something special about metaphysical problems, or is metaphysics only meta-science, ie the continuation of science? Is it legitimate to use defeasible reasonings, like inference to the best explanation, in metaphysics? Here are some issues that will be reflected upon during the conference.

Program:

March 29
9h30 : Opening
10h : Jonathan Jenkins Ichikawa, «Modals and modal epistemology»
11h : Coffee break
11h30 : Sonia Roca-Royes, «Explaining modal knowledge (the one we have)»
12h30 : Lunch
14h30 : Christian Nimtz, «Modal knowledge»
15h30 : Pascal Ludwig & Filipe Drapeau-Contim, «The epistemology of mind/brain identities»
16h30: Coffee break
17h : Carrie Ichikawa Jenkins, «Justification magnets»

March 30
9h : Jean-Baptiste Rauzy, «Abduction and the varieties of abstraction»
10h : Alexander Bird, «Is there meta-scientific knowledge? Against the no-miracles argument and the pessimistic induction»
11h : Coffee break
11h30 : Alexandre Guay & Thomas Pradeu, «Situating metaphysics of science: back to square one»
12h30 : Lunch
14h30 : Scott Shalkowski, «If this is not a reductio, what would be?»
15h30 : Claudine Tiercelin, «Metaphysical humility»
16h30 : Coffee break
17h : Daniel Andler, «Why philosophical naturalism?»

March 31
10h : Michael Esfeld, «From physics to metaphysics: knowledge in quantum physics»
11h : James Ladyman, «Does science give us metaphysical knowledge of natural necessity and ontological dependence?»
12h : End of the conference

Organisation: Filipe Drapeau-Contim, Bruno Gnassounou, Pascal Ludwig, Thomas Pradeu.