No thing can be another. What then?

La seconde conférence de la Société Philosophique de Louvain 2023-2024 aura lieu le mardi 20 février, de 12h30 à 14h. 

Elle accueillera Anna Marmodoro (Durham University) et aura pour thème : 

"No thing can be another. What then?"

Répondant: Florian Marion (UCLouvain)

Présentation

If no thing can be another, which seems very sensible, does this mean that predication of F of x is impossible, which seems nonsensical? In this lecture I show how Parmenides, a pillar of Western thought, has bequeathed us a world where things cannot bear qualifications, because no thing can be another. So, we cannot even think or speak about the world, bereft as we are of predication. Some contemporary philosophers have even commended this (negative) outcome of Parmenides's views. 

Is there a way to 'save' predication? Could we both accept Parmenides' principle, that no thing can be another, and yet allow ourselves to talk about the world? I argue that Aristotle addresses successfully this challenge: he claims that all things are ‘individual particulars'; while they cannot change with respect to what makes each individual, they can change with respect to what makes each particular. I will explain what it is for a thing to be individual and particular according to Aristotle, and show why his account is relevant to us, today.

Séances suivantes

Jeudi 7 mars, 12h30, Salle Ladrière (A 124)

Isabelle Drouet et Marion Vorms (Sorbonne Université) :

Les sciences au tribunal. Quelques éléments de réflexion philosophique sur le cas du Mediator

Lundi 11 mars, 20h, Salle du Sénat Académique, Halles Universitaires

Joan Tronto (University of Minnesota).

"The Revolutionary Potential of Caring Democracy"

Répondante: Nathalie Frogneux (UCLouvain)

Mardi 14 mai, 12h30, à Salle Ladrière (A 124)

Mark Hunyadi (UCLouvain).

"L'esprit humain, bien commun de l'humanité?"