Organized by Dr. John Sykes and Dr. Angelica Kaufmann
Weekly meetings will take place on Zoom on Mondays 9 – 11 a.m. (US Central Time) beginning on January 19, 2025. There will be at least 8 seminar sessions.
Content
From their very beginnings, philosophy and biology have wrestled with the fundamental questions of what “life” is and who we are as human beings – ranging from conceptions of the human being as souls transcending the physical world via entities governed by mechanistic laws to products of evolutionary processes. Throughout their shared history, the two disciplines have continuously shaped one another, while also developing distinct terminologies, methods, theories, and modes of orientation. Today, this relationship remains productively tense. Philosophical reflection continues to unsettle biology’s foundational assumptions – concerning our place in nature, the beginning and end of life, the relation between mind and brain, the role of morality, and questions of purpose. At the same time, biology’s paradigm of evolution theory constitutes the dominant scientific framework today, shaping not only the sciences but also the humanities and philosophy.
After tracing the historical development of this evolving and tense relationship, the seminar will explore a set of central themes that continue to irritate both disciplines: the concept of consciousness, the distinction between brain vs. mind, the notions of system vs. environment, and the contemporary debates concerning artificial life and transhumanism. This seminar is discussion-based; this means that participants are expected to read the assigned passages before the sessions. The seminar is free, but seats may be limited. Please apply by January 12, 2025, via the application form below by briefly explaining 1.) your affiliation and professional/academic background, 2.) your philosophical interests, and 3.) your motivation for joining the seminar (max. 50 words per field).