Call for Abstracts for The North American Society for Early Phenomenology conference 28-30 April 2022. Dominican University College, Ottawa, Ontario.
Call for Abstracts
The North American Society for Early Phenomenology
Essences and Ideas: Metaphysics and Religion in Early Phenomenology
28-30 April 2022
Dominican University College, Ottawa, Ontario
Keynote Speakers:
> Crina Gschwandtner (Fordham University)
> TBD
“Already now we can name a basic tenet, recognized in like manner (though not adopted as untested presupposition) by all phenomenologically oriented philosophers: the existence of entities that are not given empirically [nichtempirischer Gegebenheiten] and that make so-called a priori research possible.” —Jean Hering, tr. Arthur Szylewicz
Phenomenology developed with an attendant metaphysics that is highly informed by concepts shared with religion. Dichotomies such as empirical and a priori, finite and infinite, temporal and atemporal, essence and idea, mundane and divine, material and immaterial, subsistence and existence, non-being and being (along with others), are constitutive of early phenomenology’s methods and tenets. While Husserl envisioned phenomenology as “metaphysically neutral” and attempted to keep his personal religious views separate from his scientific work, figures such as Stein and Scheler did not hide the fact that their metaphysical and religious views informed their investigations. Brentano and members of his school were deeply influenced by Aristotelian metaphysics, and this legacy can be seen in the works of Reinach and Ingarden. The presence of Platonism in early phenomenology and the implications of phenomenological idealism remain topics of debate. This conference will explore the metaphysical currents within early phenomenology, as well as the role that religious convictions played in their development.
As always, the organisers encourage submissions dealing with the thought of the full spectrum of early phenomenologists (including Edmund Husserl, Franz Brentano, Carl Stumpf, Theodor Lipps, Alexander Pfänder, Max Scheler, Moritz Geiger, Hedwig Conrad-Martius, Eugen Fink, Roman Ingarden, Edith Stein, Dietrich Von Hildebrand, Adolf Reinach, Maximilian Beck, Jean Hering, Henri Bergson, Emmanuel Levinas, et al.) as well as figures who were in conversation with the early phenomenological movement.
The organisers especially encourage submissions from individuals who identify as members of groups currently underrepresented in philosophy and academia more generally.
Abstracts should be 400-600 words and include a short bibliography. Abstracts must be prepared for blind review and sent to Charlene Elsby ([email protected]).
Extended deadline for submissions is February 20th, 2022.
Decisions will be sent out no later than March 1st, 2022.