Philosophical Reasoning as Transformative Experience

L.A. Paul’s treatment of transformative experience has been much discussed in recent decision theory: How can we make rational decisions with respect to cases that we have reason to believe will be life-changing or personally “transformative”? But even beyond decision theory, it seems that the notion of transformative experience might be productively applied to the therapeutic and transformative aspects of the enterprise of philosophy itself. Indeed, from its ancient beginnings to the present day, philosophy is not a purely theoretical endeavor but also has a strong experiential aspect and might even be conceived of as a practice of self-transformation. This application of transformative experience to the activity of philosophy has not yet been developed in any detail and will thus be explored further at this conference.

All sessions will be held at room G 201.

Attendance is free. Registration is not required.

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact us at [email protected]



Wednesday, July 24

14.00 – 14.15       Introduction (Andrea Lailach/Rico Gutschmidt)

14.15 – 15.15       Dorothea Debus, University of Konstanz: Imagining Our Own Future Selves: On the Nature and Value of Imagination in Transformative Projects

15.15 – 15.45       Coffee Break

15.45– 16.45        Andrea Lailach, University of Konstanz: Recognition as Transformative Experience
16.45 – 17.45       André Grahle, LMU München: Witnessing and Transformative Experience

19.00                    Guided City Walk and Dinner


Thursday, July 25

10.00 – 11.00        Pei-hua Huang, Monash University: Moral Knowledge and Transformative Emotions
11.00 – 12.00        Tilo Eilebrecht, Stuttgart: What is Gained from a Transformation. A Daoist Perspective

12.00 – 13.30        Lunch Break

13.30 – 14.30        Philipp Thomas, University of Tübingen: Philosophy as Transformative Practice. A New Approach to Philosophy Education
14.30 – 15.30         Michael Hampe, ETH Zürich: Bildung and Entbildung. Forms of Transformation of the Mind by Texts

15.30 – 16.00        Coffee Break

16.00– 17.00         Alice Koubová, Czech Academy of Sciences and Academy of Performing Arts: Transformative Experience within Performance Philosophy

19.00                     Conference Dinner


Friday, July 26

10.00 – 11.00        Cedric Braun, University of St. Gallen: Deweyan Philosophy as a Guidance for Qualitative Experiential Growth
11.00 – 12.00        Julia Langkau, University of Fribourg: Experiencing Literary Fiction

12.00 – 13.30        Lunch Break

13.30 – 14.30         Sidra Shahid, Amsterdam University College: Doing Philosophy. Wittgenstein and Hadot on Philosophy as ‘Discipline’
14.30 – 15.30         Rico Gutschmidt, University of Konstanz: Beyond Quietism. Transformative Experience in Pyrrhonism and Wittgenstein

15.30 – 15.45        Coffee Break

15.45 – 16.45        Final Discussion