26-27 June 2015, University of Kent
Sponsors
British Society for Aesthetics
Kent Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities
Keynote Speakers
Maria Alvarez (KCL)
Carla Bagnoli (Pisa)
Sophie-Grace Chappell (Open)
John Hyman (Oxford)
Aaron Ridley (Southampton)
Elisabeth Schellekens Dammann (Uppsala)
Michael Smith (Princeton)
Conference Theme
Over the last few years a great deal of attention has been paid to the idea of normativity, both in general and in a number of areas of philosophy, principally ethics and epistemology. What should we do, morally, and what should we believe? What, if anything, is the central or foundational normative concept? How does normativity relate to evaluation?
There is currently a growing interest in aesthetic normativity. Similarly we can ask what it is to act for aesthetic reasons and what the relation is between such reasons and aesthetic value. We can also look to thinkers in the past to see – and recall – what they said about these questions. Lastly, by thinking about aesthetics we can reflect on normativity in general. Perhaps a renewed focus on aesthetics will enable us to reconceptualize what normativity is. The purpose of this conference is to bring speakers together who between them have a range of philosophical interests so as to explore the questions above and raise new ones.
Call for Papers
There will be a number of Open Sessions. Contributors are invited to submit extended abstracts (1000 words including all headings, footnotes and references) on anything that comes under the broad heading of aesthetics and normativity.
Please submit an abstract attached to an email (Word or PDF) to s.t.kirchin@kent.ac.uk
Please remove identifying information from the abstract to allow for anonymous review. Please include all identifying information in the email. The paper on which the abstract is based should be suitable for a 40-minute presentation.
Initial review of abstracts will be done anonymously. The final programme will be selected with an eye to maintaining diversity. Postgraduate students, people outside the tenure track, women, and members of underrepresented minorities are thus especially encouraged to contribute.
Submission deadline 3rd April 2015. Modest funds will be available to help support postgraduate students. Preference will be given to postgraduate speakers.
Organisers
Sara Janssen, Simon Kirchin, Hans Maes