CFP: Kurt Gödel, philosopher: From Logic to Cosmology

Université Aix-Marseille CEPERC (AMU, CNRS) IHPST (Paris 1/CNRS/ENS) SND (Paris 4/CNRS)

Gödel’s writings published during his lifetime show his dual interest in scientific questions and in fundamental philosophical questions. The posthumous publication of certain manuscripts and talks enables one better to understand this double interest in science and in philosophy. On the one hand, Gödel developed most of his scientific results in order to solve or clarify certain philosophical questions. On the other hand, his scientific work in the foundations of mathematics and in cosmology enriched his philosophical thought on, for example, the a priori classification of philosophical systems, and on the relations between the notions of concept and object. Hence, not only did Gödel, as is well known, believe that philosophy might become an exact theory,  provided that one does for metaphysics what Newton did for physics; he should moreover be aligned with Descartes, Leibniz, and other early modern philosophers who believed that science and philosophy are inseparable.

The conference will explore several features of Gödel’s philosophy that emerge from the unpublished manuscripts Max-Phil, which have been partly transcribed by the research group directed by Gabriella Crocco at CEPERC (Université Aix-Marseille). The presentation of the complete transcriptions of Max-Phil IX-XV will be accompanied by an exploration of Gödel’s philosophy of logic, mathematics, and physics by international specialists and young Gödel scholars.

Submissions for individual contributions are invited on the interaction between science and philosophy in Gödel’s writings. Topical strands may include:

1. human will and God’s omnipotence
2. Gödel’s remarks on philosophical systems
3. the notions of concepts and objects
4. the distinction between subjective and objective analysis of the real
5. the relations between Gödel’s theory of concepts and his scientific results
6. time and matter
7. evil and freedom
8. Gödel’s conception of mathematics in its relation to philosophy

Potential contributors will have to submit a title, a short abstract (max. 200 words) and an extended abstract (1000 words), ready for blind refereeing. The abstracts should be sent to the following address: goedelphilosopher2013 (at) gmail (dot) com. The official language of the Conference is English. 

Submission deadline: April 14, 2013 (notifications will be sent by mid-May 2013)

The official language of the Conference is English.

The conference is supported by the Centre d’Epistémologie et d’Ergologie Comparative (CEPER UMR 7304) de l’Université Aix-Marseille, by the Institut d’Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques (IHPST UMR 8590) de l’Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne, and the Institute Sciences, Normes, Décision (SND FRE 3593) de l’Université Paris 4 Pierre et Marie Curie. Organizers: Gabriella Crocco (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille), Pierre Kerszberg (IHPST, Université Paris 1 / CNRS), Mark Van Atten (SND, Université Paris 4 / CNRS), Eric Audureau (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille / CNRS), Paola Cantù, (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille / CNRS), Eva-Maria Engelen (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille / Universität Konstanz, Germany).

Scientific committee: John Dawson (Pennsylvania State University, USA), Akihiro Kanamori (Boston University, USA), Eberhard Knobloch (Technische Universität Berlin, Germany), Göran Sundholm (Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands), Richard Tieszen (California State University, San José, USA), Gabriella Crocco (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille), Pierre Kerszberg (IHPST, Université Paris 1 /CNRS), Mark Van Atten (SND, Université Paris 4 / CNRS), Eric Audureau (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille / CNRS), Paola Cantù (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille /CNRS), Eva-Maria Engelen (CEPERC, Université Aix-Marseille / Universität Konstanz, Germany). For further information please contact: goedelphilosopher2013 (at) gmail (dot) com Conference website: