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AN INVITATION
THE ANNUAL SEMINAR
Philosophy
Emerging from Culture
September
1-November 1, 2007
Washington, D.C.
The Challenge
The theme of the 2008 World Congress of Philosophy in
Seoul, “Rethinking Philosophy for a Global Age” is most
appropriate. The year 2000 proved to be not only the
beginning of a new century, but also the end of the 400
years of the modern era. Philosophers had already begun
to speak of a post-modern era. The attempt to enter this
new global arena in terms of the old coordinates of
control for national self-interest has quickly shown
itself to be a progressive disaster. Truly, it is time
to rethink the philosophical enterprise, to look for a
new paradigm able to integrate not only the achievements
of the past but the many cultures and civilizations of
our newly global context.
Global times now endow -- and challenge -- philosophy
with a broad diversity of cultures and civilizations. At
the same time the progressive deepening of human
concerns reaches beyond what is clear and distinct to
what is of meaning and value, and beyond what is
universal and necessary to free human creativity. This
directs attention to persons and communities which over
time and space cumulatively generate their cultural
traditions. These two dimensions: one of global breadth
and the other of the depth of the human spirit, now
combine to open new sources for philosophy as the work
of the human spirit.
Thus this seminar will address the issue of “Philosophy
Emerging from Culture”. Its intent will be to examine
this new dynamic of philosophy, moving now not only
top-down to apply restrictive principles, but bottom-up.
That is, from the full breadth of human experience and
creativity to evolve a more rich vision which can
liberate and guide all in our newly wholistic world.
The seminar will study this in a series of sub-themes:
“The Dynamics of Change?”; “The Nature of Cultures”; and
“The Challenge of Global Interchange of Civilizations”.
Response
For this work there are significant and promising
resources. The humanities (history and literature) can
uncover the values of the various cultures. The social
sciences (psychology, sociology and economics) can
contribute understanding of the structures of the world
in which we live. Above all, it will be necessary with
these to think together philosophically in order to
understand the way in which faith inspires reason and
reason articulates faith, that human freedom is open
rather than closed, and that self-assertion consists in
reaching out to others in the solidarity and
subsidiarity in which civil society consists.
For this a seminar is projected with the following
characteristics.
- Size:
restricted to under 20 scholars, in order to facilitate
intensive interchange around a single table;
- Interdisciplinary:
in order to draw upon the contemporary capabilities of
the various humanities and sciences and to penetrate
deeply into the philosophical roots and religious
meaning of cultures;
- Intercultural: to
benefit from the experiences and commitments of the
various cultural communities from all parts of the
world, to discover their particular problems in our day,
and especially to envisage new and creative responses;
- Focused: a
single integrating theme, in order to encourage a
convergence of insights;
- Duration:
10 weeks, in order to allow the issues to mature, the
participants to establish a growing degree of mutual
comprehension, and new insight to emerge;
- Intensive:
analyzing in detail a set of related readings and the
papers planned in common and written by each of the
participants during the seminar; and
- Publication:
the resulting volume, consisting of substantive, over 20
page studies, written by the individual seminar
participants, intensively discussed in the seminar and
then redrafted, will reflect concretely the work of the
seminar and share it with those working in the various
cultural communities in facing the problems of
contemporary life.
Organization
- Sponsor:
The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP),
and The Center for the Study of Culture and Values,
Catholic University of America (CUA).
- Participants
in each seminar: 10 philosophers from the various
continents, who are expected to take part in all
sessions of the entire seminar and to write a chapter
for the publication. They will be joined by an equal
number of professors from various disciplines from the
universities and institutes of the Washington area. The
visiting scholars will be welcome to join in seminars
and courses at CUA, where they will be designated
Visiting Research Professors. They will have the use of
the research facilities of the Library of Congress and
of the universities and institutes of the Washington
area. Thus, the period of the seminar should constitute
effectively a hard working mini-sabbatical.
- Schedule:
The seminar will meet on Tuesdays 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 noon
for discussion by the visiting scholars of key
contemporary texts related to the evolution of the theme
of the seminar; and on Thursdays, 2:00-5:00 p.m. for
presentation by the participants of the drafts of their
chapters as a basis for intensive critical and
exploratory discussion by the group.
- Costs:
Successful applicants will be granted an RVP Research
Fellowship which covers all fees for the seminar itself
including simple room and board, but not travel.
- How to
apply: By a letter of application before March 20,
2007, together with a curriculum vitae and bibliography,
providing details of the importance of the seminar to
the applicants overall work and the achievement of his
or her specific goals.
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