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Pre-World Congress of Philosophy Conference


Discerning Boundaries: Philosophy across Cultures

 

July 29-31, 2024

 

 

Under the Auspices of

Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

The 25th World Congress of Philosophy, Rome, Italy

   

Conference Program

 

Authors, Titles, and Abstracts of Presentations

 

 

 

Thematic Description 

In conjunction with the 25th World Congress of Philosophy entitled “Philosophy across Boundaries” (Rome, August 1-8, 2024), the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy along with the CUA McLean Center for the Study of Culture will hold its pre-Congress conference on the theme of “Discerning Boundaries: Philosophy across Cultures.” The conference is under the auspices of Sapienza University of Rome in Rome, Italy and the 25th World Congress of Philosophy. It will be held at the Department of Philosophy (Villa Mirafiori, Via Carlo Fea 2), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, July 29-31, 2024.

 

It has been a tradition for the Council to organize such pre-Congress conferences, for instance, in 1998 at Boston College “Philosophical Challenges and Opportunities of Globalization,” in 2003 at the University of Istanbul “Philosophical Challenges and Prospects of the Dialogue of Cultural Traditions,” in 2008 at the Soongsil University “Philosophy Emerging from Culture,” in 2013 at University of Athens “Culture and Philosophy as Ways of Life in Times of Global Changes,” and in 2018 at Shandong University “Re-Learning to Be Human for Global Times: Dialogue of Cultures and Civilizations.” The conference proceedings have been published respectively in the Council’s publication series “Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change.”

 

What do boundaries mean from a philosophical perspective as well as in our lived experience? What kinds of boundaries are necessary and what not? How are we to discern boundaries (positive/negative) in our world and beyond? How is philosophy able to play its role in crossing boundaries, not only within the discipline of philosophy itself – different philosophical schools, traditions, ideas, etc. – but also with other disciplines – the social sciences, natural sciences, and so on? What are the relationships between philosophy and culture? Do we know the true meaning of philosophy and culture?

 

In order to answer these and other questions, it is necessary for philosophy as one of the humanities to continue to deepen and widen its range according to the circumstances of the times and to relearn its meaning and relevance in the ever-changing world. This requires philosophers and thinkers to work within the contemporary life of all peoples, cultures, and traditions to generate new visions of philosophy. And this requires philosophy to embrace all aspects of the lifeworld – economics, socio-politics, culture, ecology, science and technology, etc. – so that philosophy can develop new inquiries into fundamental questions. Indeed, these philosophical investigations are significant in shaping human minds and hearts.

 

Although philosophical traditions, which are as old as humanity, are different, all have things in common. All peoples have developed their ways of thinking, acting, and being as well as their understandings of reality; accordingly each culture has produced its own thought and value systems and made its unique contribution to world philosophy as a whole, while being open to other philosophical traditions through dialogue and communication. As George F. McLean once stated: there is need for dramatically new ways of thinking in terms both of the whole in which all are related and of the responsive individual person by which values are shaped, freedom is exercised, and hope is generated. Dialogue that is global and universal—open and mutual—is necessary in the present intercultural context; such conversation, not clash, is the philosopher’s trade. Through such thinking what is personal can become more social, and what is global more humane; ethics can thereby be enriched by the cumulative cultural experience of many peoples, and civilizations can be more dialogical in an aesthetic context marked by harmony and beauty. This is the real challenge to philosophers in our day. Such a conversation is most urgent, practical, and filled with promise and can help understand the real meaning of philosophy and culture across boundaries. 

 

In these complex times, the challenges have become ever more daunting and unprecedented, but opportunities are also plenty and foreseeable. In order to assure a better future, the role of philosophy becomes even more vital because philosophical wisdom can help humanity not only understand the meaning and purpose of existence, human and non-human, but also provide some guidance for our socio-political lives. If philosophy means “love of wisdom,” people who truly love philosophy should live up to its meaning and give up their philosophical prejudices so as to embrace as much as possible the given, with no artificial or man-made boundaries either conceptually/philosophically or physically.

 

In this light, the Pre-Congress conference intends to explore such issues as (1) the human person and politics: philosophizing socio-political meaning for the common good; (2) cultural and religious values: social imaginaries and human creativity; (3) openness to many others and multicultural and intercultural and interreligious harmony: engagement and encounters; (4) human transcendence in metaphysics and religions: hermeneutical transformations; (5) challenges and responsibilities to nature and science-technology: contesting human conditions; and (6) universal norms and cultural uniqueness: aesthetic and inter-disciplinary approaches. Accordingly, more specific topics will be allocated to different conference sessions. A detailed donference program will be constructed and updated.

 

The Council, as usual, invites all philosophers, scholars, thinkers of the world who are interested in the conference thematic to come together to share insights, ideas, and experiences.

 

Abstract 

In order to help organize the conference program, please fill in the Registration Form online (www.crvp.org). An abstract with 300-500 or more words and a proper title should be sent by April 30, 2024. Full papers sent by June 15, 2024 will be considered to be published by the Council in its publication series “Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change.” 

 

Logistics

There will be no registration fees. Tea and coffee as well as simple sandwiches for lunch will be provided during the Pre-Congress conference. Participants will cover the costs of their own travels and accommodations. For less expensive accommodations, contact cua-rvp@cua.edu

  

Contact

Council for Research in Values and Philosophy

Email: cua-rvp@cua.edu

Telephone: (202) 319-6089

Website: www.crvp.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gibbons Hall B20, 620 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC, 20064; Telephone: (202) 319-6089; Email: cua-rvp@cua.edu; Website: www.crvp.org