CFP: Kant on the Normativity of Laws: Logic, Natural Science, Ethics

Target audience: advanced bachelor students, master students, PhD students, recent postdocs (with PhD received not before 2017).

Topic: In his critical philosophy Kant argues that the central principles guiding our mind have a peculiar status. They are neither analytic nor a posteriori but rather synthetic a priori. But how can we distinguish between valid and invalid principles that share that status? Moreover, according to Kant, some of these synthetic a priori principles are the normative basis for the validity of our judgments about the world, on one hand, and our volitions, on the other. How does Kant justify his controversial claims about synthetic principles a priori – from the principles of the understanding, to the categorical imperative, to civil rights in a state? The task of the 2020 summer school will be to explore and evaluate Kant’s account of the normativity of those laws and principles. The guiding thread of our lectures and seminars will be marked by the following related questions: (1) how does Kant argue for (deduce) their binding force, or validity, and (2) is there a middle ground between realism and constructivism with respect to Kant’s idea of our reason’s self-legislation? The summer school will focus on the analysis of central passages from Kant’s works (and a few others), including but not limited to the Critique of Pure Reason, the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science, the Critique of Practical Reason, and his essay on Perpetual Peace.

The summer school consists of lectures, seminars, and readings. Within the framework of the summer school there will also be a scientific conference, in which participants will give their own presentations on a research topic related to Kant’s philosophy, and discuss it with colleagues from different universities of Russia and the world. At the end of the summer school the participants will be given a certificate of their participation.

School participants are selected on a competitive basis, no more than 20 people. Participation in the summer school is free of charge. Accommodation in Svetlogorsk and daily meal will be paid by our sponsor – the Forum “Petersburger Dialog”.

Thematic program of lectures and seminars:

Lecture 1: Kant’s Revolutionary Account of Normativity

Seminar 1: Kant on Synthetic Judgments A Priori

Lecture 2: Kant’s Transcendental Hylomorphism

Seminar 2: Kant on Logical Normativity

Lecture 3: Self-Legislation and the Laws of Nature

Seminar 3: Kant on the Lawfulness of Natural Laws

Lecture 4: Self-Legislation and the Moral Law

Seminar 4: The Homo Phenomenon-Noumenon Distinction and the Lawfulness of Practical Laws

Lecture 5: Kant and the Natural Right Tradition

Seminar 5: Natural Right and Kant’s Perpetual Peace

Requirements for applications:

English, at least upper intermediate;

Questionnaire (see supporting materials);

Abstract on the topic of your presentation related to the
theme of the summer school (in English, 1200-1400 words of main text, plus references, see: Harvard System of Referencing (6th edition))

Motivation Letter outlining how your attendance of the summer school would contribute to the progress of your research (in English, 350-400 words)