CFP: Britain's Early Philosophers

Who were Britain’s earliest philosophers? What were Alcuin of York’s contributions to philosophy? To what extent can we consider thinkers such as Hild, Bede, Cuthbert, Gildas, and Cædmon philosophers? How did philosophy reach Britain? Who was reading it, who was writing it, who was teaching it, who was learning it? In this seminal exploratory workshop, we will be considering these questions as well as other questions such as: What counts as philosophy in the early medieval British period? What are the boundary/ies between philosophy and theology? Is there a specifically/uniquely early British philosophical tradition? Just who was reading Alfred’s translation of Boethius?

Invited talks

In this two-day workshop, we will have plenary talks given by:

• Dr. Fred Biggs(Connecticut)
• Dr. Barbara Denison(Shippensburg)
• Dr. Helen Foxhall Forbes (Durham)(tbc)
• Dr. Mary Garrison(York) (tbc)

These talks will set the stage by focusing on some of the intellectual context of early medieval Britain and the contributions of leading figures in early British intellectual history, including Bede, Alcuin, and Hild.

Call for abstracts: Contributed talks

In addition to the plenary invited talks, we are soliciting proposals for contributed papers on any aspect of philosophy and philosophers born in or living in Britain before 1000. Abstracts of no more than 500 words should be sent to Dr. Sara L. Uckelman by January 30, 2019; responses to decisions on abstracts will be communicated by February 15, 2019.