BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Philosophy events - ECPv6.16.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:/philevents X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Philosophy events REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20220327T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20221030T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20230326T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20231029T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20240331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20241027T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231113T093000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231113T110000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140051Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231113T140821Z UID:10001752-1699867800-1699873200@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Medieval Logic Seminar: Ralph Strode\, Treatise on Consequences DESCRIPTION: URL:/philevents/event/medieval-logic-seminar-ralph-strode-treatise-on-consequences/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231114T120000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231114T140000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140051Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231114T142308Z UID:10001753-1699963200-1699970400@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Language and Mind Seminar: Yair Pinto (University of Amsterdam) DESCRIPTION:Title: The grounding problem in language and reality \nAbstract: Philosophy of language has long struggled with the symbol-grounding problem of meaning. If symbols are only defined relationally\, that is\, in terms of each other\, then how do they ever mean something? Learning that ∫ connects ∩ to ₺ seems to say little about the meaning of ∫\, ∩ and ₺. \nA similar grounding problem exists for algorithms. Searle highlighted this in the Chinese Room thought experiment. Computationally transforming meaningless input (0’s and 1’s) into meaningless output (other 0’s and 1’s) seems insufficient to generate meaning. \nFor both symbols and algorithms it could be argued that consciousness is needed to infuse grounding into the system. Recent evidence suggests that these issues may not be entirely philosophical. Surprisingly\, in the context of quantum physics\, it has recently been shown that the description of unmeasured reality always requires complex numbers – complex numbers contain the square root of -1 and must be transformed to become a real number. Yet\, observables\, such as mass\, charge and position\, can be described entirely with real numbers. This suggests that unobserved reality is “pre-real” and needs the infusion of an observation to become actual. \nIn the current talk I will discuss how the seemingly unrelated grounding problems between language\, algorithms and reality may\, in fact\, be related. Moreover\, I will outline how this may lead to testable predictions in these domains. This may have empirical consequences for the seemingly unrelated fields of quantum physics and large language models. \nBio: Yair Pinto is an assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Amsterdam with a background in Physics (MSc) and Cognitive Psychology (PhD). He has received several high-profile grants both European (a Dutch Rubicon grant\, a European Marie-Curie grant) and American (a large Templeton grant). He has published his work in many prestigious journals\, among them JEP:General\, Psychological Science and Brain. His main interests are visual perception\, consciousness\, split-brain patients and free will. URL:/philevents/event/language-and-mind-seminar-yair-pinto-university-of-amsterdam/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 and via MS Teams END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231114T150000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231114T170000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140051Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231112T140831Z UID:10001754-1699974000-1699981200@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:FPST Seminar DESCRIPTION: URL:/philevents/event/fpst-seminar/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231114T150000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231114T170000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231113T140821Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231114T142308Z UID:10001802-1699974000-1699981200@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:FPST Seminar: Emilia Wilson (58Թ) DESCRIPTION:Title: Activist Slogans and ‘Reframing the Debate’ \nAbstract: This talk will examine the role of slogans in social justice movements and how we should understand their meaning. Social justice movements often utilise slogans and claims which putatively clash with received common sense. One way of understanding these claims is as what Cantalamessa terms ‘conceptual activism’: the role of claims like ‘disability pride’ is to challenge and destabilise the hegemonic common sense\, for strategic political ends\, rather than to be descriptively accurate. On such views\, these campaigns have pragmatic political goals rather than epistemic/descriptive goals. I will argue against these views. Drawing on analyses of ideology as both epistemically and politically pernicious\, I contend that such campaigns have both political and epistemic aims. I aim to show that this better captures the role of these slogans by attending to historical case studies.  URL:/philevents/event/fpst-seminar-emilia-wilson-st-andrews/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231115T153000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231115T173000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231115T143933Z UID:10001755-1700062200-1700069400@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Metaphysics and Logic Seminar: Peter Hylton (Boston University and University of Illinois\, Chicago) DESCRIPTION:Title: Carnap on Metaphysics\, Before and After 1932: The Importance of Tolerance \nAbstract: Late in 1932\, Carnap accepts the Principle of Tolerance. This makes a fundamental difference to his philosophy\, although that is not always readily apparent in his writings. The present paper illustrates this claim by examining his opposition to metaphysics. It discusses his pre-1932 rejection of metaphysics and emphasizes the idea that that rejection is based on assumptions which might themselves be thought of as metaphysical. Accepting the Principle of Tolerance enables Carnap to avoid those assumptions\, but it also undercuts the basis of Carnap’s earlier opposition to metaphysics. The rest of the paper considers how\, and to what extent\, the post-1932 Carnap can give a rationale for opposing metaphysics. \nPlease note that this is an online talk on Microsoft Teams which will also be live-streamed in G03 (Edgecliffe). URL:/philevents/event/metaphysics-and-logic-seminar-peter-hylton-boston-university-and-university-of-illinois-chicago/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 and via MS Teams CATEGORIES:Metaphysics and Logic group END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T120000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231109T140052Z UID:10001756-1700128800-1700136000@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Plenary Seminar: No Meeting DESCRIPTION:We use the plenary seminar time slot on occasions when we have a meeting of wider interest to the whole Arché community. URL:/philevents/event/plenary-seminar-no-meeting-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T120000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231116T145338Z UID:10001757-1700128800-1700136000@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Arché Plenary Seminar: Dr Sara Uckelman (Durham) Why the History of Logic [and Philosophy!] Should Matter to Modern Logicians [and Philosophers!] DESCRIPTION:Title: Why the History of Logic [and Philosophy!] Should Matter to Modern Logicians [and Philosophers!]Abstract: The starting point of this talk is the present-day state of logic\, a field which is ever expanding and becoming more inclusive and yet which still presents systemic barriers of access to certain groups of people.  As logicians [and philosophers!] we think there is value in the study and practice of logic [and philosophy!]\, so patterns of exclusion should concern us\, in two ways: \n\nWhere did these exclusionary structures come from?\nWhat can we do to get rid of them?\n\nA lot of work has been done in philosophy on the latter question\, as witnessed by important work done in canon-revision.  But the former question is much less often discussed\, and yet\, in the context of logic at least\, is crucially important to understanding where we are today and how we got here: How logic\, or the lack thereof\, is the tool by which exclusion and inclusion can be and has been performed.  Only by looking at historical answers to “who gets to have access to logic and why” can we fully understand where we are at today. URL:/philevents/event/arche-plenary-seminar-dr-sara-uckelman-durham-why-the-history-of-logic-and-philosophy-should-matter-to-modern-logicians-and-philosophers/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 CATEGORIES:Plenary session ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:/philevents/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Dumbleton-Compendium-incipit_001-CGdjCr.tmp_.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Stephen Read":MAILTO:arche@st-andrews.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T143000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231109T140052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231116T145338Z UID:10001758-1700139600-1700145000@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Epistemology Seminar: Discussion group led by Patrick Winther-Larsen (58Թ) DESCRIPTION:We will be reading excerpts from José Medina’s The Epistemology of Protest (2023). URL:/philevents/event/epistemology-seminar-patrick-winther-larsen-st-andrews/ LOCATION:Edgecliffe G03 and via MS Teams END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T143000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T153000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231017T152320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231112T162345Z UID:10001737-1700145000-1700148600@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Moral Philosophy Reading Group DESCRIPTION:Location: Edgecliffe G03 and Teams \nContact: ceppadirector@st-andrews.ac.uk URL:/philevents/event/moral-philosophy-reading-group-103/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T143000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T153000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231113T162327Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231116T162339Z UID:10001803-1700145000-1700148600@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Moral Philosophy Reading Group DESCRIPTION:This week we will be discussing Jacob Blumenfeld’s article ‘Climate Barbarism: Adapting to a Wrong World’ \nLocation: Edgecliffe G03 and Teams \nContact: ceppadirector@st-andrews.ac.uk URL:/philevents/event/moral-philosophy-reading-group-112/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T160000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T173000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20230907T112508Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231116T162339Z UID:10001720-1700150400-1700155800@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:CEPPA Talk (in person) – Cristina Richie (Edinburgh) DESCRIPTION:Location: Edgecliffe G03 \nTitle: Green Bioethics: Environmental Sustainability and Health Care \nCommentator: Joseph Millum (58Թ) \nAbstract: Health care is ubiquitous in the industrialized world. Yet\, every medical development\, technique\, and procedure impacts the environment. By 2017\, the National Health Service’s Health\, and Social Care sectors had a carbon output (CO2) of 27.1 million tons. Carbon dioxide emissions contribute to climate change\, climate-change related health hazards\, and perpetuate environmental racism. In response\, the NHS has implemented a Carbon Reduction Strategy\, but this is a largely superficial approach to reducing the carbon emissions of the medical industry\, because it focuses on health care structures like buildings and transportation. The doctor-patient relationship and health care delivery are indeed the most carbon intensive part of the medical industry\, and indeed the scope of biomedical ethics. Thus\, Green Bioethics synthesizes environmental ethics and biomedical ethics to move towards sustainable\, just health care delivery in practice and policy. URL:/philevents/event/ceppa-talk-in-person-cristina-richie-edinburgh/ CATEGORIES:CEPPA Talk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T160000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231116T173000 DTSTAMP:20260615T004757 CREATED:20231102T170817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231116T173820Z UID:10001748-1700150400-1700155800@www.st-andrews.ac.uk SUMMARY:Girlhood Stories: What can(‘t) stories about girls do?. 16th November 16:00. DESCRIPTION: Girlhood Stories: What can(‘t) stories about girls do? \nThe St Andrews Institute for Gender Studies is delighted that Catherine Mackenzie will be delivering the StAIGS Seminar on Thursday the 16th of November. The talk is titled: Girlhood Stories: What can(‘t) stories about girls do? The abstract is copied below.   \n The talk will take place from 4pm to 5.30pm\, on Thursday the 16th of November\, in the Arts Seminar 7 in the Arts Building (ARB: 317).   \nCatherine (Kate) Mackenzie is a 4th Year PhD researcher in the School of Modern Languages at the University of St Andrews\, with supervision also at the University of Strathclyde (Dr Elaine Webster\, School of Law).  Kate’s PhD research is on Imagining Children’s Rights in Central Africa: Francophone Fiction and State Discourse since 1999.   She takes a post-colonial approach to analyse how such texts reflect differing conceptions of childhood and shed light on the tensions inherent in the relationship of the child to the adult\, the individual to the state\, and African nations to the international human rights regime.  \n  \n Abstract: My work brings together representations of childhood in international children’s rights law and in four francophone African novels. I do not set one against the other\, but rather use law as a lens to explore fictional representations of childhood and vice versa. A question which runs through my analysis is: what does narrative bring to understanding of childhood and of children’s rights? Here\, I focus on stories and rights of girls.  \n The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child ((1990) set out the rights of everyone under age 18. For ‘the child’ of the UN Convention\, sex is irrelevant; the Convention bars discrimination\, but makes no direct mention of girls (or boys). The African Charter makes brief mention of girls in relation to education. Beyond that\, there is no suggestion in either treaty that the needs\, vulnerabilities\, capacity to access rights for girls are any different than for boys. In rights terms\, if female sex is significant\, then girls are ‘becoming women’\, their rights addressed by women’s rights law.    \n In the two novels in my study with girl protagonists\, the girls’ female sex is central to their lives. In Our Lady of the Nile\, by Scholastique Mukasonga\, adolescent girls are seen as becoming-women\, -wives\, -mothers. In Johnny Mad Dog\, by Emmanuel Dongala\, the girl protagonist starts as cared for child\, emerges into the role of protective mother to a younger child. In both novels\, girls who are having consensual sex are portrayed as outside ‘proper’ childhood. That is\, both stories depict girlhood as uneasily straddling childhood and womanhood within societies significantly structured around sex.  \nFor my analysis\, stories of girlhood make visible i) the significance of sex\, elided in children’s rights law and discourse\, and ii) the ways in which the experience and social understanding of girlhood is shaped by impending womanhood. The separation in human rights law of girls’ rights as children and as female is shown to reflect a wider social ambivalence (with North/South dimensions) around girlhood and the material and social link between girlhood\, womanhood and potential motherhood.  \nThere is a further question: what can stories do for girls? In both novels\, the girl protagonists are inspired by the real or imagined stories of strong women. The notion of ‘relatable’ role models is ubiquitous in children’s rights/development discourse. The girl protagonist of Johnny Mad Dog is herself discussed as a role model in educational editions of the novel (though she is invisible in the title and the cover illustrations of most editions). Her own role model\, the real life African American scientist and astronaut Mae Jemison\, is the subject of dozens of ‘inspirational’ books for children. At the same time\, both real life and fictional stories\, especially of the marginalised\, may be critiqued as objectifying. Do girlhood stories challenge or inevitably function within existing power dynamics? – a question Dongala has female characters explore in relation to stories of sexual violence. I invite discussion.  URL:/philevents/event/girlhood-stories-what-cant-stories-about-girls-do-16th-november-1600/ LOCATION:Arts Building END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR