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This lecture explores the relationship between the ethical view of civilization and the future of humanity through three questions.
\nFirst\, human civilization today is undergoing a philosophical crisis in both concept and actuality. At the conceptual level\, civilizational centrism has pushed the concept of civilization toward the limits of its usefulness. At the level of actuality\, conflict now unfolds among civilizational tribes\, between humanity and nature\, and between humanity and itself. An apocalyptic civilizational mindset is therefore taking shape.
\nSecond\, where does the future of civilization lie? A philosophical crisis must be resolved philosophically\, and civilizational conflict is fundamentally a conflict between different views of civilization. We must therefore seek the third idea beyond both civilizational conflict and dialogue among civilizations: the return and construction of the ethical view of civilization.
\nThird\, what can Chinese ethics contribute? Chinese ethics and morality give rise to a distinctive tradition of virtue\, shape an ethically oriented and ethical-rather-than-religious form of civilization marked by the continuity of family and state\, and generate the Chinese ethical view of civilization. This view is articulated through six major formulations covering civilization&rsquo\;s foundational vision\, driving force\, ideals and historical models\, principles of construction\, view of the human world\, and cosmic view.
\nThe ethical view of civilization can make two major contributions to the future. The first is a civilizational driving force generated through the modern transformation of Self-discipline and Social Commitment and the dialectical interaction between the most powerful and the ethically best driving forces. The second is a future opened by the primacy of ethics\, in which humanity learns to be governed by ethical reflection.
\nThe ethical view of civilization is a view of civilization governed by ethical reflection. Its essential meaning is learning to live together&mdash\;with &ldquo\;us&rdquo\; and with &ldquo\;them\,&rdquo\; with ourselves\, with nature\, with the cosmos\, and with the future.
\nKeywords: modern civilization\; philosophical crisis\; ethical view of civilization\; governed by ethical reflection\; Chinese ethics
ORGANIZER;CN=Robert Sparrow: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260807T135912Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Vilnius:20261002T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Vilnius:20261003T170000 SUMMARY:Inheriting Ordinary Language Philosophy UID:20260810T000026Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:78a8:30ff:fe6c:2c0e%3 TZID:Europe/Vilnius LOCATION:Universiteto g. 9\, Vilnius\, Lithuania DESCRIPTION:Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in so-called ordinary language philosophy &ndash\; one of the main traditions in 20th century analytic philosophy. The conference will contribute to this renewed engagement by examining the legacy and contemporary significance of the tradition and its leading representatives. At the same time\, the conference aims at critically examining the idea of an ordinary language philosophy tradition itself. The thinkers typically grouped under this label differ substantially in philosophical outlook and method. Assessing the depth and significance of these differences raises broader questions about how unified the tradition really is. Is the current resurgence best understood as the continuation of a shared philosophical approach\, or does it instead consist of diverse and sometimes competing attempts to draw on different elements of this legacy? By addressing these questions\, the conference will both clarify the historical significance of ordinary language philosophy and assess the prospects for its contemporary revival.
\nKeynote speakers
\nAvner Baz (Tufts University)
\nBenjamin De Mesel (KU Leuven)
\nHans-Johann Glock (University of Zurich)
\nMartin Gustafsson (Å\;bo Akademi University)
\nNicole Rathgeb (University of Bern)
\nImportant dates
\nAbstract submission: July 31\, 2026
\nAuthor notification: August 10\, 2026
\nConference: October 2-3\, 2026
\nRegistration fees
\nStudents 50 &euro\;
\nNon-students 100 &euro\;
\n(Registration fee covers the conference dinner\; waivers might be considered)
\nConference Venue
\nFaculty of Philosophy\, Vilnius University\, Universiteto street 9\, Vilnius\, Lithuania.
\nSubmitting an abstract for a presentation (30 minutes including discussion)
\nAbstracts at a maximum length of 400 words should be submitted as Word or PDF to mindaugas.gilaitis@fsf.vu.lt. Make sure to state your name and affiliation clearly in the abstract. The deadline for submission is July 31\, 2026. The date of notification is August 10\, 2026.
\nOrganizers
\nMindaugas Gilaitis (Vilnius University)\, Martin Gustafsson (Å\;bo Akademi University)
\nPlease direct all inquiries by email to mindaugas.gilaitis@fsf.vu.lt or martin.gustafsson@abo.fi.
\nThe event is free to attend. If you intend to come to the conference as a non-speaker\, please register by sending an email to mindaugas.gilaitis@fsf.vu.lt. The deadline for registration is September 25\, 2026.
ORGANIZER: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260807T135912Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Athens:20261105T090000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Athens:20261107T170000 SUMMARY:Hegel on Historicity UID:20260810T000027Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:78a8:30ff:fe6c:2c0e%3 TZID:Europe/Athens LOCATION:Athens\, Greece DESCRIPTION:10th Conference of the International Network Hegel&rsquo\;s Relevance
\nHegel on Historicity
\nAthens\, Greece
\n5-7 November 2026
\nDespite important precedents in Augustine\, Bossuet\, Voltaire\, Kant\, and Herder\, Hegel is widely regarded as the first philosopher of history&mdash\;not only because he subjected history to philosophical inquiry\, but above all because he thematized the historicity of philosophy itself. Alongside his much-debated philosophy of world history\, Hegel repeatedly stressed\, throughout his oeuvre and especially in numerous programmatic and introductory remarks\, that philosophy\, including all metaphysical categories\, and even rationality itself is substantially conditioned by history&mdash\;by world history as well as by the histories of empirical sciences\, art\, religion\, and philosophy. For Hegel\, history articulates the very possibility of the actual spirit (Geist) in all its forms: there is no subjective\, objective\, or absolute spirit without history. This emphasis famously inspired Marx to describe the &ldquo\;science of history&rdquo\; as the &ldquo\;sole science.&rdquo\;
\nThis conference aims to discuss central aspects of history and historicity in Hegel&rsquo\;s philosophy from a systematic perspective. Possible guiding questions include\, but are not limited to:
\nWe invite postdoctoral researchers working in the field to submit an abstract (maximum 500 words) addressing one or more of these topics. The conference will include four postdoctoral slots. Coverage of accommodation costs is subject to available funding.
\nA collected volume based on the conference papers is planned for publication in the series Critical Studies in German Idealism (BRILL). The publication language will be English.
\nLength of papers: 30 minutes presentation\, followed by 15 minutes of discussion
\nDeadline for submissions: 15 June 2026
\nEmail address for abstract submissions: HegelOnHistoricity@gmail.com
\nNotification of acceptance: 30 June 2026
\nConference languages: English\, German
\nConfirmed speakers: Christophe Bouton\, Paul Cobben\, Maria Daskalaki\, Allegra De Laurentiis\, Georges Faraklas\, Diogo Ferrer\, Guido Frilli\, Antonios Kalatzis\, Jean-Franç\;ois Kervé\;gan\, Jannis Kozatsas\, Christian Krijnen\, Thomas Noutsopoulos\, Tim Rojek\, Panagiotis Thanassas\, Klaus Vieweg
\nOrganizers: Georges Faraklas (Department of Political Science and History\, Panteion University)\, Jannis Kozatsas (Department of Primary Education\, University of Thessaly)\, Ermylos Plevrakis (Department of History and Philosophy of Science\, University of Athens)
\n ORGANIZER;CN=Ermylos Plevrakis;CN=Georges Faraklas;CN=Jannis Kozatsas: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260807T135912Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:29990101T033000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:29990201T120000 SUMMARY:POSTPONED - Creativity and Improvisation in Thought\, Practice\, and Mind: An Interdisciplinary Conference UID:20260810T000028Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:78a8:30ff:fe6c:2c0e%3 TZID:America/Chicago LOCATION:6001 Dodge Street\, Omaha\, United States\, 68182 DESCRIPTION:*Please note that this event has officially been postponed. More information will be made available asap in the near future*
\nMany human cognitive capacities and processes may be deployed creatively\, from unique choices made for oneself up through novel cultural shifts. Similarly\, large swaths of our daily lives are taken up with performing spontaneous\, on-the-fly\, and unplanned activities that are\, in a word\, improvised. \; Charting out the nature of both creativity and improvisation\, taken individually or together\, remains an open and pressing issue. In this conference\, we will delve into various philosophical\, theoretical\, empirical\, and interdisciplinary issues that are related to creativity and improvisation. A non-exhaustive list of related questions and themes for this topic include:
\n- What is the relationship between improvisation and creativity?
\n- What is the relationship between creative activity and well-being?
\n- What is the best way to model individual and collective creativity?
\n- Is creativity in the arts the same thing as in other domains\, such as in science or business?
\n- What are the pros and cons of different scientific operationalizations of creativity and improvisation?
\n- Provide a conceptual analysis of creativity and/or improvisation.
ORGANIZER: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR