New Journal Alert - Philosophy and Urban Affairs

Dear Philosophers,

I'm pleased to announce that Philosophy and Urban Affairs is now operational. Below is a description.

Philosophy and Urban Affairs is a peer-reviewed journal that explores the ethical, political, epistemological, metaphysical, and social dimensions of cities. Articles may be theoretical, applied, or both, provided they illustrate how philosophical investigation can elucidate, critique, or inform city living.

Unsolicited manuscripts are not accepted. Instead, the journal solicits submissions through public calls on emerging topics or through invitations to scholars working on specific themes. On occasion, a focus article will be published to prompt response papers and foster sustained scholarly dialogue.

Philosophy and Urban Affairs is fully open access and charges no fees of any kind.

Check out the first CFP, Philosophical Perspectives on Coastal and Island Cities. 

All the best - Shane

Shane Epting, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Missouri University of Science and Technology

New Book: Creating Future Cities: Technology, Ethics, and the Fight for the Good Life

Shane Epting, in Creating Future Cities, insightfully analyzes complex normative challenges in urban planning and design—from organizing urban residents' political power to building for resilience—and passionately argues that citizens of cities must fight for their cities and their futures. - Ronald R. Sundstrom, University of San Francisco, USA

My source:

Philos-L "The Liverpool List" is run by the Department of Philosophy, University of Liverpool https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/philos-l/ Messages to the list are archived at http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/archives/philos-l.html. Recent posts can also be read in a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/PhilosL/ Follow the list on Twitter @PhilosL. Follow the Department of Philosophy @LiverpoolPhilos 

International Conference: the Concept of Attention - IEF

Filosofia na Agenda

international conference
the concept of attention

Theme and Objectives

Attention constitutes one of the most fundamental yet under-theorized dimensions of human experience. Despite its centrality to perception, cognition, action, and intersubjectivity, the philosophical investigation of attention as a concept in its own right remains surprisingly underdeveloped. This international conference represents the first major initiative of a four-year research program (2025-2029) dedicated to establishing the philosophy of attention as a major field of contemporary philosophical inquiry.

The philosophical engagement with attention has deep historical roots. Already in ancient Greek thought, we find attention implicitly at stake in the Socratic contrast between an 'examined' and an 'unexamined' life and in the dialectical reform of ordinary reason pursued throughout Plato's dialogues. Medieval philosophy anticipates later developments through its emphasis on representation and intentionality (intentio), particularly in the works of Augustin, Aquinas and Duns Scotus. Yet it is only with Descartes's Meditations that attention receives explicit philosophical treatment, emerging as the crucial mediating link between radical doubt and epistemic certainty. This Cartesian innovation opens a rich trajectory of reflection, pursued by thinkers as diverse as Malebranche, Berkeley, Locke, and Wolff.

The scope of philosophical inquiry into attention expands dramatically from the late 18th century onwards. No longer confined to epistemological questions, attention becomes central to investigating the fundamental structures of subjectivity itself. French spiritualism, phenomenology, and philosophies of existence explore how attention relates to apperception, sensation, emotion, and volition—a trajectory that runs from Maine de Biran and Bergson through the phenomenological movement, encompassing figures from Paul Ricoeur to Michel Henry. Meanwhile, William James's psychological and philosophical investigations, along with later thinkers like Merleau-Ponty, Simone Weil, and Iris Murdoch, demonstrate attention's significance across multiple philosophical domains.

Indeed, contemporary philosophy recognizes attention as fundamental to a remarkable range of inquiries. In ethics, attention emerges as an essential vehicle for exercising personal and collective virtues. Aesthetics invokes attention in debates about the nature of beauty and our engagement with works of art—their creation, appreciation, and critique. Social and political philosophy identifies attention as a central component of the modern media landscape, where it functions as a valuable and increasingly contested economic resource. Environmental philosophy calls upon attention to help conceptualize our evolving and often precarious relationship with the natural world. Across these diverse contexts, attention appears as a fundamental human capacity whose nature and quality largely determine the kinds of bonds we can establish with each other and our surrounding world.

This conference seeks to bring these rich historical engagements into systematic dialogue with contemporary philosophy. We welcome contributions from all philosophical traditions and approaches, including but not limited to: the reflexive tradition, hermeneutics, phenomenology, empiricist and analytic philosophy, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, pragmatism, and non-Western philosophical traditions. We aim to explore how different philosophical frameworks have conceptualized attention's structure, dynamics, and normative dimensions, and how these varied perspectives can illuminate both historical debates and current research.

Full details: international conference: the concept of attention

Image: https://www.wikiart.org/en/theo-van-doesburg/heroic-movement-1916

Subjective-Objective: Thinking of Holistic Cake and Eating it

'Our natural awareness of our own activities is holistic. We experience ourselves as embodied beings, complete organisms, directly perceiving physical objects, making choices, engaging in conversation with other people. The attempt to split the human being into a combination of immaterial self and physical body makes a coherent account of these processes impossible. As Heidegger says, “The ‘scandal of philosophy’ is not that this proof has yet to be given, but that such proofs are expected and attempted again and again.”35 Given the Cartesian conception of the “real world”, organisms are “really” mechanisms, while “choices” and “actions” have no place in a world where there are only events, subject to the laws of mechanistic cause and effect. The whole person becomes a metaphysical oddity, straddling two incompatible metaphysical realms.

A theoretical framework that renders the previously straightforward inherently problematic is by no means an unequivocal advance. Materialist authors have attempted to “solve” this problem by denying the reality of the subjective side of the Cartesian picture, replacing his dualism with radical metaphysical reductionism.36 Such authors insist that the “objective” world (still understood as something devoid of phenomenal properties, containing only causes and effects as understood in reductionist science) is all there really is. On this view, we do not have to bridge the gap generated by Descartes, between the subjective and the objective features of human life, because the objective features are the only ones that exist.' p.20.

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic -------------------------------------------  mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group-population

My Mind Subjective	My Body Objective

Mitchell, D., Loughlin, M. (2023) The philosophy of person-centred healthcare, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. https://cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-9058-8/

Previously: 'Descartes' : 'mind' : 'body'

'New Thoughts on Conceptual Engineering' - Introduction to special issue

 Abstract

Conceptual engineering has emerged in recent times as a significant topic in current philosophical literature. The now vast list of references includes works on more general or conceptual issues, such as describing the nature of conceptual engineering, how we may respond to the different objections to it, how it is related to philosophical analysis or empirical philosophy, or toward which target conceptual engineering should be directed, among others. But research on the topic also includes applications of conceptual engineering to many different areas. This Introduction opens with a short overview of the state of the art on conceptual engineering, aiming to clarify the most important features associated with it. The Introduction moves on to introduce and discuss the eight articles collected here, whose topics range from the nature and the functionality of conceptual engineering to reconstructing the entire conceptual engineering practice. Taken as a whole, this special issue is meant to provide enlightening, informative, and thought-provoking views on the topic, its functions, targets, and challenges.

de Donato-Rodríguez, Xavier. 2025. “ Introduction to the Special Issue New Thoughts on Conceptual Engineering.” Metaphilosophy 56(3-4): 283–293. https://doi.org/10.1111/meta.70007

Bill Ross Memorial Workshop – BSP Special Event 2025

A workshop in memory of Bill Ross, and to celebrate the posthumous publication of his book Order and the Virtual: The Philosophy and Science of Deleuzian Cosmology (2024). 

Convened by the British Society for Phenomenology with the family and friends of Bill.

I never met Bill Ross, nor had I learned of his work prior to receiving news of this workshop. I attended today in Manchester; also realising I'd intended to post the details. It was well worth the effort in the (predictable!) rain. The speakers and sessions were as follows:

• Dan Smith (Purdue University): “Reality is a Problem: Deleuze’s Metaphysics of Manifolds”
• Michael Epperson (California State University, Sacramento): “Relational Realism and the Ontogenetic Universe: Subject, Object, and Ontological Process in Quantum Mechanics”
• Vera Bühlmann (Vienna University of Technology): “Cosmic splendour and signal messages, or the choice that will remain unmade”
• Kemal Tezgin (Virginia Tech): “The Virtuality of Space: A Deleuzian Reading of Quantum Fields”
• Robin Durie (University of Exeter) & Craig Lundy (London Metropolitan University): “What the imagination already knew: Science & Myth in the Genesis of Desert Islands”

Order and the Virtual (2024)

The sessions were informative and stimulating for studies here (category theory was noted).

With thanks to Carol at Edinburgh University Press, I have a review copy of Bill Ross's text.

Looking at the contents and index there are many fields in common, which I will share over the coming months.

As with the Laws of Form conference last year in Liverpool, here is another group of academics and scholars, welcoming and keen to share their expertise and learn.

So, thanks to Carol again for what looks an exciting book and the organisers and sponsors of this brilliant event acknowledging and commemerating the work of Bill Ross.

I will try to be more timely with news of related events, and developments. More to follow, but to close for now ...

'Bill Ross (1964 – 2022) had interests ranging widely across contemporary philosophy and culture, with a particular interest in the relations between science and philosophy. As managing editor, he was the driving force behind Clinamen Press, which in the early 2000s published new works by contemporary philosophers, and English translation of important works by continental philosophers such as Henri Bergson, Gaston Bachelard and Michel Serres. He completed his PhD in philosophy at Staffordshire University, where he taught on the MA in the Philosophy of Nature, Information, and Technology. Bill had a lifelong passion for the connections between science and philosophy, on which he had published several important articles. Bill was working on a monograph on the philosophy and science of Deleuzian cosmology, which was has been posthumously published by Edinburgh University Press. This event is to celebrate Bill’s book and his life, and to allow his friends, his colleagues, and anyone interested in his work or the topics and issues addressed by his work to continue the conversation that Bill’s work inspires.'

https://www.thebsp.org.uk/bill-ross-memorial-workshop-deleuzian-cosmologies/

Care concept engineering - anyone? [ concepts-maths ii/iii ]

"Concepts are the building blocks for thought, and from Socrates onward one of the goals of philosophers in the Western tradition has been to analyse important philosophical concepts like knowledge, justice, beauty and freedom. For some, the motive was just to get clearer about these fundamental units of thought. For others, the goal was more ambitious. Not content to analyse our concepts, these philosophers hoped to improve them - an old project that has recently acquired a new name: "conceptual engineering". p.98.

"Well, good conceptual engineers, like good engineers in other domains, should start with as much information as possible about which options have already been tried and how well they have worked. If we are going to build a better concept of knowledge, or justice, or moral permissibility, or freedom, we would do well to begin by seeing how these concepts (or their closest analogs) are constructed in cultures around the world, and how well existing varieties work. We would also do well not to restrict ourselves to the millennia old method of cases in studying concepts. Over the last century, linguists, anthropologists, psychologists and neuro-scientists have developed many new methods and technologies for studying concepts. Philosophers who are serious about conceptual engineering should embrace these methods." p.100.

Stich, S., Machery, E., A Possible Future For Philosophy, The Philosopher's Magazine, 1st Quarter 2018. 80: 98-100. 
https://www.stephenstich.com/_files/ugd/0ad9d7_2679b985ce0e43b693d197c775c08e46.pdf

You can call it [conceptual engineering] whatever you wish; in nursing, concept analysis is well established for example. However described, you may find that Hodges' model useful. If you can demonstrate that Hodges' model is not suited to the task, due to its undoubted Cartesian credentials (baggage'), then this would also be progress.

There are no doubt many previous posts this one can be connected to. Most immediately is:

Rediscovering nursing ...? [ concepts-maths i/iii ]

- to follow iii.

This issue of TPM is long gone. In the clear out, I'd drafted these posts.

6º CONGRESSO INTERNACIONAL DA SPF - CONVITE À SUBMISSÃO DE RESUMOS/CALL for PAPERS

6º CONGRESSO INTERNACIONAL DA SOCIEDADE PORTUGUESA DE FILOSOFIA

CONVITE À SUBMISSÃO DE RESUMOS

A Sociedade Portuguesa de Filosofia, em colaboração com o Centro de Filosofia da Universidade de Lisboa, organiza o seu 6º Congresso Internacional, que decorrerá na Faculdade de Letras da mesma universidade, de 1 a 3 de setembro de 2025.

O Congresso é aberto à participação de todos os interessados em apresentar e discutir a sua investigação em qualquer domínio e metodologia dos estudos filosóficos. As propostas serão avaliadas anonimamente por membros de um amplo painel de especialistas.

ORADORES CONVIDADOS

Genia Schonbaumsfeld (Universidade de Southampton)
João Carlos Salles (Universidade Federal da Bahia)
Luísa Couto Soares (Universidade do Porto)
Olga Pombo (Universidade de Lisboa)
Viriato Soromenho-Marques (Universidade de Lisboa)

LÍNGUAS DO CONGRESSO: Português, Inglês, Francês e Espanhol

VALORES DA INSCRIÇÃO:

Participantes: € 80,00
Sócios da SPF: € 50,00
Estudantes (licenciatura, mestrado ou doutoramento): € 40,00
Estudantes sócios da SPF: 30€

DATA LIMITE para a submissão de propostas de comunicação: 1 de Abril de 2025

COMISSÃO CIENTÍFICA:

Álvaro Balsas (Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Braga)
André Barata (Universidade da Beira Interior)
António Pedro Mesquita (Universidade de Lisboa)
Célia Teixeira (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro)
David Yates (Universidade de Lisboa)
Diogo Ferrer (Universidade de Coimbra)
Gil Santos (Universidade de Lisboa)
Irene Borges Duarte (Universidade de Évora)
João Cardoso Rosas (Universidade do Minho)
João Constâncio (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)
José Meirinhos (Universidade do Porto)
Magda Costa Carvalho (Universidade dos Açores)
Nuno Venturinha (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)
Pedro Galvão (Universidade de Lisboa)

EMAIL DO CONGRESSO: 6congressospf  AT gmail.com

INSTRUÇÕES PARA SUBMISSÃO DE RESUMOS E MAIS INFORMAÇÕES

Consulte a página do congresso no site da SPF: www.spfil.pt/6congresso

__________________________________________________________

ENGLISH

6th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF PHILOSOPHY

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Portuguese Philosophical Society, in partnership with the Centre of Philosophy of the University of Lisbon are organizing the 6th International Congress of Philosophy, to be held at the University’s Faculty of Letters on 1 to 3 September 2025.

The Congress welcomes all researchers interested in presenting and discussing their research in all domains of philosophical studies and according to all philosophical methodologies. Abstracts submitted will be anonymously refereed by members of a large panel of experts.

INVITED SPEAKERS:

Genia Schonbaumsfeld (University of Southampton)
João Carlos Salles (Universidade Federal da Bahia)
Luísa Couto Soares (Universidade do Porto)
Olga Pombo (Universidade de Lisboa)
Viriato Soromenho-Marques (Universidade de Lisboa)

CONGRESS LANGUAGES: Portuguese, English, French and Spanish

CONGRESS SECTIONS

Each proposal must indicate that it intends to be associated with one and only one of the following sections:

Teaching Philosophy (PE)

Epistemology / Philosophy of Knowledge (ET)

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art (ES)

Ethics and Bioethics (EB)

African Philosophy (AF)

Philosophy of Science (SF)

Philosophy of History (FH)

Philosophy of Language (FL)

Philosophy of Mathematics (FMA)

Philosophy of Mind (FME)

Philosophy of Nature and Environment (FN)

Philosophy of Religion (FR)

Philosophy of Law (FD)

Philosophy and Gender (FG)

Phenomenology (FE)

Luso-Brazilian Philosophy (FB)

Political Philosophy (PF)

History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (HA)

History of Modern Philosophy (HM)

Logic (LO)

Metaphysics and Ontology (MO)

FEES:

Participants: € 80,00
SPF Associates: € 50,00
Students (Bac, MA or PhD): € 40,00
Student SPF Associates: 30€

DEADLINE for submitting proposals: ­­­­­­1st April 2025

SCIENTIFIC COMITTEE:

Álvaro Balsas (Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Braga)
André Barata (Universidade da Beira Interior)
António Pedro Mesquita (Universidade de Lisboa)
Célia Teixeira ((Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro)
David Yates (Universidade de Lisboa)
Diogo Ferrer (Universidade de Coimbra)
Gil Santos (Universidade de Lisboa)
Irene Borges Duarte (Universidade de Évora)
João Cardoso Rosas (Universidade do Minho)
João Constâncio (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)
José Meirinhos (Universidade do Porto)
Magda Costa Carvalho (Universidade dos Açores)
Nuno Venturinha (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)
Pedro Galvão (Universidade de Lisboa)

CONGRESS EMAIL: 6congressospf AT gmail.com

HOW TO SUBMIT ABSTRACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION on the congress page at the SPF site: www.spfil.pt/6congresso

My source:

E-mail: iestudosfilosoficos AT gmail.com

Sítio Web: http://www.uc.pt/fluc/ief

meta- meta- meta- +!

 

INDIVIDUAL

|

 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

GROUP

META-COGNITIVE	META-GENOMICS
META-SOCIOLOGICAL	META-POLITICAL

meta-conceptual - anyone?

+! all the other 'meta-'s you wish to consider ...

Source: Reference to 'metagenomics' in -

Mancini, D.P., 'Monkeypox mutating faster than expected, study finds', FT Weekend. 25-26th June 2022.  p.6.

See also: Previous posts 'meta'

The "Mereology of Potentiality" project - e-Seminars

The "Mereology of Potentiality" project would like to announce the following activities for Trinity Term (to attend the e-seminar, you will simply need to click on the link provided):

Online Work in Progress seminars:

• 1 May - Thomas Sattig (Tuebingen) - "The enduring present"
• 8 May – William Simpson (Cambridge) - "Empowering scientific practices: Naturalism and the problem of induction "
• 15 May – Aaron Cotnoir (St. Andrews) - "A Mereology of Powers? Three Ideas"
• 22 May - Neil Williams (Buffalo) - "Book discussion: the power metaphysic"
• 29 May - Robert Corry (Tasmania) - "TBC"
• 5 June - Travis Dumsday (Concordia) - "The structure of powers: canvassing some options"
• 12 June - Elisa Paganini (Milano) - "Powers and Ontic Vagueness"

For all our project-related events, attendance is open to all. On our website -
(https://www.power-parts.website/ ) you can find news, abstracts, or sign up to our mailing list. 

For any questions, please e-mail us at power AT philosophy.ox.ac.uk

All the best
Anna, Christopher and Andrea


My source:
phil-powers AT maillist.ox.ac.uk