Living in Quarantine

The University of Missouri – St. Louis Philosophers’ Forum invites submissions from current graduate students (or those who have graduated during the 2020 Fall/Winter semester) that explore the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns, quarantines, and social-distancing recommendations on individuals, institutions, and theories of epistemic and moral obligation. Broader philosophical engagement of other instances of social isolation or pandemics/epidemics/medical quarantines other than COVID-19 are also welcome. Papers on this theme from all variety of philosophical perspectives are welcome. Particular questions of interest include:

·       What are the effects of social isolation on cognition, reasoning, productivity, and/or emotional well-being? Given those effects, should students, employees, and employers be held to different standards than those in place pre-pandemic?

·       What are the effects of medical misinformation presented in authoritative formats? How can individuals protect themselves and others from misinformation and unwarranted conspiracy theories concerning research on COVID-19, viruses, and pandemics more generally?

·       How should individuals prioritize the economic, relational, and bioethical obligations that they have in the midst of a global pandemic? How should individuals, collectives, and governing bodies respond to conflicts between those obligations?

·       What kinds of knowledge and virtues ought to be prioritized in future policies designed to address pandemic situations?

·       Has the inability to interact with others in-person resulted in increased political polarization and/or disagreement in online mediums?

·       In what ways has this pandemic specifically affected members of marginalized groups? How should the difficulties afflicting members of minority groups be equitably addressed?

·       Does boredom cause overall positive, negative, or neutral effects on individuals? Are there morally relevant differences between chronic/persistent boredom, and more temporarily boring circumstances?

·       How should individuals value online relationships? Do relationships developed entirely online have the same value as those developed in-person?

Accepted papers will be presented in a live, online format with an opportunity for comments and Q&A in a manner that will be determined once we assess the number of accepted submissions. We will update this event page and our website with those details. We do ask participants to attend other presenters’ sessions and contribute feedback/questions.

 To apply, please submit:

1) A paper prepared for anonymous review, not exceeding 3500 words in length.

2) A separate cover sheet including name, institutional affiliation, contact information, paper title, word count, and an abstract of no more than 300 words to Michael Tofte ([email protected]) by January 17, 2021. Acceptances will be announced beginning February 15, 2021 and no later than February 22, 2021.

Those interested in attending the conference in a different capacity (as a commentator or as an attendee) should contact Michael Tofte ([email protected]) or visit our website for registration information.