Call For Applications
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
CA’ FOSCARI UNIVERSITY VENICE
SUMMER SCHOOL OF PHENOMENOLOGY AND
PHENOMENOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHY
The 2016 edition of the Summer School will take place in Venice on July 12-15. The theme will be:
Phenomenology and History
It has been a long time since one could legitimately ask the question of how an apparently a-historical philosophical discipline, such as phenomenology, the eidetic science of transcendental consciousness, could entertain a vital relation with the reflection on the factual and mundane dimension of history and, at a more fundamental level, with the notion of historicity. A vast number of Husserl’s writings published over the last decades, and revolving around themes such as the different levels of communal life, the distinction between “nature” and “spirit” and the methodological status of the corresponding sciences, the genetic dimension of constitution, and, finally, the rootedness of all sciences the life-word have made it impossible to see a principled opposition between the systematic recourse to the eidetic method on the one hand, and the recognition of the centrality of the historical dimension, on the other. At the same time, number of original post-war theoretical developments (chiefly those of Heidegger, Sartre, Patočka, Arendt, and Gadamer) have stressed the connection between phenomenology and historicity even more markedly. It has now appeared that, in virtue of the way in which it cuts across the most significant philosophical issues explored by the tradition loosely called “phenomenological” (the nature of rationality, the “history of being”, the role of philosophy in Western culture, the philosopher’s self-understanding as moment of a historical development, etc.), the theme of history is perhaps the most appropriate for a critical confrontation of the different authors belonging to it, as well as for an assessment of the relation between phenomenology and the other most important currents of contemporary philosophy. Moreover, somehow paradoxically, it has become increasingly the case that those who are persuaded that an authentic philosophical interest cannot be pursued without explicitly making thematic the historical dimension of humane existence and the problematic relation that thought entertains with its own historicity, turn to the phenomenological tradition precisely because of its ability to address these issues in a radical way.
The seminars of the Summer School will address different aspects of this broad theme. No previous background in phenomenology is required. On the final day of the seminar, advanced students will be encouraged to give a personal contribution to the School’s activities.
Language: English
Seminars will be led by:
Daniele de Santis (Seattle University)
Nicolas de Warren (Husserl Archives at KU Leuven)
Matteo Giannasi (Ca’ Foscari University Venice)
Burt Hopkins (Seattle University)
Arun Iyer (Seattle University)
Niall Kean (University of Limerick)
Hélène Leblanc (University of Geneva)
Claudio Majolino (University of Lille)
Darian Meacham (University of the West of England)
Dermot Moran (University College Dublin)
Gianluigi Paltrinieri (Ca’ Foscari University Venice)
Emiliano Trizio (Seattle University)
Applicants should send a CV and a sample of writing (optional) to
phenomenologysummerschool@gmail.com
The number of attendants being limited.
Deadline for submission: May 10, 2016
Notification of acceptance: May 12, 2016
The event is organized and sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage of Ca’ Foscari University Venice.
PARTICIPATION FEE: 100 euro (50 euro for Ca’ Foscari students and previous attendants)
Titles and abstracts of the seminars, details about the exact location within the city of Venice, as well information about travel and accommodation will be made available soon. The participation fee does not cover any expenses for travel, food, and lodging.