Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Feyerabend’s provocative proposals continue to incite an extensive assortment of heated discussions across a range of inter-related disciplines that have proven to be of interest to a broad audience from diverse backgrounds all around the world.
Given the current state of the art, the conference has two closely related main aims. First, it is intended to encourage research by internationally renowned scholars who have worked on Feyerabend’s philosophy, in an attempt to do justice to the notorious complexity of his ideas and their relevance to ongoing debates in contemporary science studies. The second main aim of the conference is to promote the pressing issues concerning the nature of science and its impact on society and how they are structured. Such issues were central to Feyerabend’s philosophy as he repeatedly redeveloped it from the positivist climate prevalent in the 1950s to the post-modernist climate of the 1990s.
Gendered Conference Campaign: a special plenary session is devoted to the issue of implicit bias as a threat to pluralism, with particular emphasis on the problem of the exclusion of women from academic philosophy.
Organizing Committee
Dr. Eric Oberheim
Dr. Matteo Collodel
Joseph Agassi
Tel Aviv University
York University
Matteo Collodel
Humboldt-Universität
zu Berlin
Paul Hoyningen-Huene
Leibniz Universität
Hannover
Martin Kusch
Universität
Wien
John Preston
University of
Reading
Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend
The ICCA
Consortium
Carla Fehr
University of
Waterloo
Ronald Giere
MCPS
University of Minnesota
Gonzalo Munévar
Lawrence Technological
University
Howard Sankey
University of
Melbourne
Jeu-Jenq Yuann
National Taiwan
University
Matthew Brown
University of Texas
Dallas
Stefano Gattei
IMT
Lucca
Ian J. Kidd
Durham
University
Eric Oberheim
Humboldt-Universität
zu Berlin
Vera Tripodi
University of
Barcelona
In order to promote critical discussion of current issues in general philosophy of science in a Feyerabendian spirit, we call for contributed papers on any topic in general philosophy of science related to some aspect of Feyerabend’s diverse and developing philosophical views. We especially encourage proposals concerning the nature of science and its relation to society (e.g., science, democracy and public decision-making; patterns of exclusion in science and academia), the rise of Western rationalism, incommensurability, epistemic pluralism, and cultural relativism.
Please include in your proposal your academic title, name, affiliation, the title of your contribution, and a short abstract (max. 500 words), and submit it as an attachment to the following email address:
Accepted contributed papers will be allocated 40 minutes (including discussion).
Conference language: English
Deadline for submission: 31 August 2012
Notification of decisions: 3 September 2012
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 |
DAY 1
Wednesday, 26 September
| 8:30-9:00 | Registration |
| 9:00-9:15 | Opening Statements |
| 9:15-10:05 | Paul Feyerabend: A Personal Re-Appraisal Prof. Ron Giere (MCPS - University of Minnesota, USA) |
| 10:15-10:30 | Discussion |
| 10:30-10:50 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 10:50-11:40 | Feyerabend, Truth and Relativisms: The Italian Debate Dr. Stefano Gattei (IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Italy) |
| 11:40-12:05 | Discussion |
| 12:05-13:30 | LUNCH BREAK |
| 13:30-17:10 | CONTRIBUTED PAPERS → |
| 17:10-17:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 17:30-18:20 | Feyerabend on Relativism Prof. Martin Kusch (University of Vienna, Austria) |
| 18:20-18:45 | Discussion |
DAY 1
Wednesday, 26 September
CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
PARALLEL SESSIONS
ROOM 207 | ROOM 208
| 13:30-14:20 | Feyerabend on Ad-hoc Modifications Christian Feldbacher (University of Innsbruck, Austria) |
| 14:20-15:10 | Feyerabend's Argument for Theory Pluralism Revisited: Hidden Facts & Alternative Theories Max Mergenthaler Canseco (Freie Universität Berlin, Germany) |
| 15:10-15:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 15:30-16:20 | Feyerabend and Popper on Theory Proliferation and Anomaly Import: A Mediation Attempt Dr. Bschir Karim (ETH Zürich, Switzerland / Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany) |
| 16:20-17:10 | Separability and Pliability: Two Feyerabendian Issues for the Agenda of Sophisticated Scientific Realists Luca Tambolo (University of Trieste, Italy) |
DAY 1
Wednesday, 26 September
CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
PARALLEL SESSIONS
ROOM 207 | ROOM 208
| 13:30-14:20 | Causal Overdetermination, Incommensurability and Pluralism Esteban Céspedes (J. W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Germany) |
| 14:20-15:10 | Feyerabend's Contribution to Modern Computational Microphysics Dr. Steve Meyer (Tachyon Design Automation, USA) |
| 15:10-15:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 15:30-16:20 | What Can We Learn from Feyerabend about Teaching Sciences in School Dr. Maria Titeica (UNESCO Chair, Horia Hulubei Foundation, Romania) |
| 16:20-17:10 | Feyerabend on Ethics of Science and Technology Dr. Hossein Sheykh Reazee (Iranian Institute of Philosophy, Iran) |
DAY 2
Thursday, 27 September
| 9:15-10:05 | Einstein’s Influence on Feyerabend and Kuhn Dr. Eric Oberheim (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany) |
| 10:05-10:30 | Discussion |
| 10:30-10:50 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 10:50-11:40 | Feyerabend, Popper and the Popperian School – Methodological Issues in the History of the Philosophy of Science Dr. Matteo Collodel (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany) |
| 11:40-12:05 | Discussion |
| 12:05-13:30 | LUNCH BREAK |
| 13:30-17:10 | CONTRIBUTED PAPERS → |
| 17:10-17:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 17:30-18:20 | The Rise of Western Rationalism – Feyerabend’s Story Prof. John Preston (University of Reading, UK) |
| 18:20-18:45 | Discussion |
DAY 2
Thursday, 27 September
CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
PARALLEL SESSIONS
ROOM 207 | ROOM 208
| 13:30-14:20 | Paul Feyerabend, Logical Empiricist: A Reappraisal of the Continuity between Logical Empiricism and "Post-positivist" Philosophy of Science Daniel Kuby (University of Vienna, Austria) |
| 14:20-15:10 | Historical World and Historicity of Knowledge in Nishida’s and Feyerabend’s Philosophy Luděk Brouček (Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic) |
| 15:10-15:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 15:30-16:20 | Perspectives on Feyerabend's Late Relativism Lisa Heller (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany) |
| 16:20-17:10 | Religion and Mysticism in Feyerabend’s Late Works Dr. Eric Martin (London School of Economics, UK) |
DAY 2
Thursday, 27 September
CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
PARALLEL SESSIONS
ROOM 207 | ROOM 208
| 13:30-14:20 | Of Sheep and Men: Lay Participation and the Problem of Legitimacy in Public Decision-Making Helene Sorgner (University of Vienna, Austria) |
| 14:20-15:10 | Just So Stories: Feyerabend, Science, and Democratic Relativism Dr. M. Carleton Simpson (University of Ghana, Ghana) |
| 15:10-15:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 15:30-16:20 | Against Method, For All Traditions: Some Unintended Consequences Dr. Shapour Etemad (Iranian Institute of Philosophy, Iran) |
| 16:20-17:10 | Against Feyerabend Dr. Fabrice Bothereau (Independent Scholar, France) |
DAY 3
Friday, 28 September
| 9:15-10:05 | Feyerabend’s Antecedents: Aristotle, Plato and Machiavelli Prof. Gonzalo Munévar (Lawrence Technological University, USA) |
| 10:05-10:30 | Discussion |
| 10:30-10:50 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 10:50-11:40 | Science, Choice, and Hegemony: Making Sense of Feyerabend's Political Philosophy of Science Dr. Ian J. Kidd (Durham University, UK) |
| 11:40-12:05 | Discussion |
| 12:05-13:30 | LUNCH BREAK |
| 13:30-14:20 | Science and Democracy in a Precarious World Dr. Matthew Brown (The University of Texas at Dallas, USA) |
| 14:20-14:45 | Discussion |
| 14:45-15:05 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 15:05-17:45 | SPECIAL PLENARY SESSION Gender Bias as a Threat to Pluralism → |
| 19:00 | CONFERENCE DINNER |
DAY 3
Friday, 28 September
SPECIAL PLENARY SESSION
Gender Bias as a Threat to Pluralism
| 15:05-15:55 | Intuition, Gender and the Under-representation of Women in Philosophy Dr. Vera Tripodi (University of Barcelona, Spain) |
| 15:55-16:20 | Discussion |
| 16:20-16:30 | SHORT COFFEE BREAK |
| 16:30-17:20 | The Limitations of Goodwill: Diversity, Pluralism and Excellent Research Prof. Carla Fehr (University of Waterloo, Canada) |
| 17:20-17:45 | Discussion |
DAY 4
Saturday, 29 September
| 9:15-10:05 | Paul Feyerabend and Rational Pluralism Prof. Jospeh Agassi (Tel Aviv University, Israel - York University, Canada) |
| 10:05-10:15 | SHORT COFFEE BREAK |
| 10:15-12:15 | Roundtable Discussion Dr. Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend (The ICCU Consortium) Prof. Joseph Agassi Prof. Ron Giere (MCPS - University of Minnesota, USA) Prof. Paul Hoyningen-Huene (Leibniz Universität, Germany) Prof. Martin Kusch (University of Vienna, Austria) Prof. Gonzalo Munévar (Lawrence Technological University, USA) Prof. John Preston (University of Reading, UK) Prof. Howard Sankey (University of Melbourne, Australia) Prof. Jen-Jeuq Yuann (National Taiwan University, ROC) |
| 12:15-12:30 | Closing Statements |
All prospective participants are kindly requested to register to the conference by sending an email to feyerabend2012@gmail.com by 20 September 2012 at the latest.
To help cover local costs there will be a nominal conference fee for contributing speakers.
A few travel bursaries for graduate students are available. If you wish to be considered please submit a CV and a travel budget in addition to your abstract.
For any further information, please contact the Organizing Committee by email at: feyerabend2012@gmail.com
| Deadline for submission: | 31 August 2012 |
| Notification of acceptance: | 3 September 2012 |
| Deadline for registration: | 20 September 2012 |
| Conference: | 26-29 September 2012 |
The conference takes place in the Dorotheenstraße 26 building of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin campus (rooms 207 and 208), right behind the university main building and at short walking distance from the "Friedrichstraße" station of the public transport network (
Bahn and 
Bahn).
Detailed information about how to reach Berlin, the wide range of accommodation options offered by the German capital city, as well as a lot of other useful suggestions to enjoy your visit can be found on the official tourism portal of the city of Berlin.