WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Past, Present and Future

The University of Warwick, 26th-28th June 2019

For as long as philosophical questions have been asked, the nature and task of philosophy itself has posed a problem to which various and often conflicting solutions have arisen. Today it seems that the idea and practice of philosophy is as controversial as ever – for philosophers and non-philosophers alike, though the questions have been rephrased. What is the place of philosophy in an increasingly specialised academia? How does society perceive philosophy and how can philosophy itself impact society? Has philosophy progressed, or simply adapted to the political and social world in which it is found? Is a single foundation possible, or must we always ‘begin again’, seeking new philosophical tools in pursuit of the problems we encounter?

This year, the Warwick Conference of Continental Philosophy (WCPC) wants to reflect on these issues, and thus invites papers of Continental or European philosophy focusing upon the purpose and scope of philosophical discourse and practice. Suggested topics might include, but are not limited to:

● The nature and task of philosophy: What is philosophy today? What is the role of the philosopher? Does philosophy or its subdisciplines have set functions? What are the problems that philosophy addresses and why? What characterises continental philosophy? Is philosophy possible (only) within academia?

● The identities of philosophy: Philosophy and gender, philosophy and social class, philosophy and language. Who is the philosopher? Who are the female philosophers to be rediscovered in the history of philosophy? Who are those excluded from philosophy? Is philosophy a ‘luxury’? How do non-philosophers think of philosophers and vice-versa? Is there a single language and style of philosophy?

● The geography of philosophy: Dialogues and misunderstandings between Western and non-Western traditions. Is there a difference between Western and non-Western conceptions and modes of philosophising? What are the reciprocal influences? What is non-Western philosophy? Is there a defining feature of Western philosophy?

● The interplay between philosophy and other disciplines: Philosophy and science, technology, the arts, psychology & psychoanalysis, the social sciences, religion, etc. What are the boundaries and intersections between philosophy and these other disciplines?

● The histories of philosophy: Different conceptions and practises of philosophy in Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Modernity. What are the differences and similarities across epochs and traditions? What can past conceptions tell us?

We are also pleased to announce the following keynote presentations:
The 26th June will open with a roundtable discussion on Foucault, philosophy and problematisation, featuring Stuart Elden (Warwick), Daniele Lorenzini (Saint-Louis - Bruxelles) Claudia Stein (Warwick), Martina Tazzioli (Swansea), and other experts on Foucault.

The 27th will feature a roundtable discussion of crisis in philosophy and other disciplines, chaired by Miguel de Beistegui (Warwick) and in association with the Philosophy in a Time of Crisis project (philosophyx.co.uk).

On the closing day of the conference, we are also pleased to feature a keynote presentation from Andrew Benjamin (Kingston/University of Technology, Sydney).
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The Warwick Continental Philosophy Conference welcomes the following proposals:
● Papers: Each paper will be allotted 25 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for discussion.
● Panels: We also invite suggestions for panels consisting of 3-4 papers organised around a common theme (paper abstracts of 250-500 words & panel abstract 250-300 words); the panel as a whole cannot exceed one and a half hours.
● Roundtables: We will also consider suggestions for roundtable discussions to discuss a single theme, idea or topic, moderated by a chair (abstract of 250-500 words).

If you wish to submit a proposal in any of the formats above, please send an email to wcpc@warwick.ac.uk. The deadline for submissions is the 22nd March 2019. We hope to make bursaries available following the acquisition of more funding, so please indicate on your application if you would like to be considered.