First Principles, Cause, and Explanation in Ancient Philosophy

Attempts to determine and employ ‘first principles’ or archai seem to dominate much of ancient philosophy. For example, we find in the writings of the Presocratics the positing of primary entities to account for the features of the universe. In the works of Plato and Aristotle archai are crucial for not only their natural philosophy but also for their metaphysical and epistemological commitments.

Friday, 12th 

10:00-13:30: Registration  

14:00-15:15: Konstantinos Kravaritis (University of Edinburgh), 'The Metaphysics of Names, Explanation, and Understanding in Plato'sCratylus'  

Response by Naoya Iwata (University of Cambridge)  

15:15-16:30: Alexandra Newton (Universitaet Leipzig), 'Zeta 17 as an Illustration of Aristotle’s Theory of Predication in the Metaphysics' Response by Carlo Rossi (University of Cambridge) 

16:30-17:00   Coffee Break 

Keynote Paper 1 

17:00-18:30: Jim Hankinson (University of Texas at Austin), 'Posits and Principles: the Ancients on Analysis and Explanation' 

19:00-  Dinner (the venue is TBA) 

Saturday, 13th 

9:30-10:45: Tim Crowley (University College Dublin), 'The Matter of the Elements' Response by Benjamin Harriman (University of Cambridge) 

10:45-12:00: Andreas Lammer (Ludwig Maximilian University Munich), 'Method and Principle in the Tradition of Physics I' 

Response by Siyi Chen (University of Cambridge) 

12:00-13:30   Lunch 

13:30-14:45: Bryan Reece (University of Toronto), 'Diogenes of Apollonia on First Principles, Cause, and Explanation' Response by Rhodes Pinto (University of Cambridge)  

14:45-16:00: Sukaina Hirji (Princeton University), 'Demonstration and Causation in Posterior Analytics A 4' Response by Tamer Nawar (University of Cambridge) 

16:00-16:30    Coffee Break 

Keynote Paper 2 

16:30-18:00: Ravi Sharma (Clark University): 'αἰτία and ὑπόθεσις in Plato's Phaedo (96-102)

Registration is now open. Please register your interest through this link (https://sites.google.com/site/gccamancientphil2013/registration-form). 

Registration is free. Since places are limited, please do register your intention to attend as soon as possible. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Attendees should make their own travel arrangements and plans for accommodation. With regard to these, please consult the following links for:

• accommodation: http://sites.google.com/site/gccamancientphil2013/accommodation
• directions: http://sites.google.com/site/gccamancientphil2013/directions-to-the-faculty 

Further information can be found at http://sites.google.com/site/gccamancientphil2013/home
Please direct any inquiries to Benjamin Harriman [email protected]