Organized by Dr. Reinhard G. Mueller and Prof. Douglas Giles
Weekly meetings will take place on Wednesdays 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (US Central Time) beginning on August 27, 2025. There will be 8 seminar sessions.
Content
From its very beginnings, philosophy has wrestled with the question of its nature and its own limitations. In the Western tradition, Plato pursued philo-sophia – the love of wisdom – through the dialogic form, connecting it with the divine universal ideas of truth, beauty and goodness. Isocrates, by contrast, emphasized the cultivation of practical wisdom (phronesis) through the art of rhetoric. With Aristotle, philosophy became increasingly bound to logos and logical discipline, distinguishing itself from mythos and religious pursuits of truth. Over time, philosophy has become increasingly shaped – and thus limited – by its prevailing discourses and institutional forms: monastic theology in the medieval era; the rise of science and method in modernity; and, in the 20th century, the professionalization of philosophy within academia, which introduced economic and institutional pressures, favoring publishable, peer-reviewed and analytic approaches over speculative ones. Meanwhile, non-European and indigenous philosophical traditions have often been excluded as irrational.
Every philosophy orients itself from a particular standpoint – within specific perspectives and horizons. In terms of the philosophy of orientation, it is only the limitations that permit the “leeway” for philosophizing at all: limitations permit focus and orientation, while necessarily excluding parts of reality. It is most difficult for philosophers to see their own blind spots and limitations, but truth-seeking and the love of wisdom demand that these blind spots and limitations continually be confronted and re-examined.
This seminar explores the limits of philosophy, both historical and contemporary. We will engage with key moments in Western philosophical development and critically reflect on how today’s institutions, methods, and assumptions constrain philosophical thought. The 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 August 20, 2025, via the application form below by briefly explaining 1.) your affiliation and your professional/academic background, 2.) your philosophical interests, and 3.) your motivation for joining the seminar (max. 50 words per field).