Picture of head starting to explode Metaphysics of Mind Graduate Conference

24 & 25 June 2011

Metaphysical questions within the Philosophy of Mind abound. What is the ontology of the mental? To what extent should we be revisionary about folk psychology?  How does the mental relate to the physical? What is the nature of mental-physical causation? Are there mental laws? What is the nature of actions and how are they related to the mental?  Does the mental dictate our identity? Are our perceptual experiences or other mental states comprised by physical objects and properties outside of our head? Our understanding of what it is to be a human, and how it is that we interact with the world hinges on these questions.

By drawing together contemporary developments in metaphysics, the philosophy of mind and with reference to developments in psychology and neuroscience, our conference aims to promote philosophical and inter-disciplinary dialogue around these central philosophical questions.

Keynote Speakers:

Professor E. J. Lowe (University of Durham)
Professor Martine Nida-Rumelin (University of Fribourg)


Graduate Speakers

Jeremy Goodman (University of Oxford)
Jonas Christensen (University of Edinburgh)
Damon Crockett (University of California, San Diego)
Richard Davis (The University of Texas at Austin)
Zoe Gutzeit (Tel-Aviv University)
Andy MacGregor (University of Glasgow)
Peter Murray (University of Chicago)
Richard Clarkson (Durham University)

The call for papers is now closed.


Registration

If you would like to attend please e-mail umut baysan e.baysan.1@research.gla.ac.uk.

Registration is £15. Conference lunch and dinner are options and will cost in addition to the registration fee - costs TBC.

Registration deadline - Friday 17 June 2011.

In planning your trip to Glasgow you may find our list of accommodation near the University helpful.

 

Programme

The conference will take place in the Hutcheson Room, Department of Philosophy, 69 Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow. (See this location on a map.)

Friday 24 June 2011
Time   Institution Title
09.00 - 10.00 Registration and Coffee    
10.00 - 11.15 Professor Martine Nida-Rumelin University of Fribourg "A Subjective Account of Perceptual Openness to the World"
11.30 - 12.30 Jeremy Goodman University of Oxford "From Physicalism Near Enough to Physicalism"
12.30 - 14.00 Lunch    
14.00 - 15.00 Damon Crocket University of California at San Diego "Can Fregean Intentionalism Save Intentionalism?"
15.00 - 16.00 Zoe Gutzeit Tel-Aviv University "Can Shoemaker's functionalism save his neo-Lockeanism?"
16.00 - 16.30 Coffee    
16.30 - 17.30 Andy MacGregor University of Glasgow "Bridging the Gap: Direct Perception and Mind/World Identity"
  Drinks at the pub    
19.30 Conference Dinner    
 
Saturday 25 June 2011
09.30 - 10.00 Coffee    
10.00 - 11.15 Professor E.J. Lowe Durham University "Perceptual Content and Realism"
11.30 - 12.30 Jonas Christensen University of Edinburgh "Is Realization Determination?"
12.30 - 14.00 Lunch    
14.00 - 15.00 Richard Davis University of Texas at Austin "How to Reconcile Realism and Commonsense About Color"
15.00 - 16.00 Richard Clarkson Durham University "Biosemantics without Mental Representations"
16.00 - 16.30 Coffee    
16.30 - 17.30 Peter Murray University of Chicago "Is Overdetermination Implausible or Ad Hoc?"

 

Funding and organisation

We are grateful to the Scots Philosophical Association, the Mind Association, the Aristotelian Society, and the University of Glasgow College of Arts for providing funding for this conference. Thanks also to Nik Ainley (www.shinybinary.com) for use of his image.

Organisers: Neil McDonnell and Umut Baysan.