Conference Varieties of Cognitive Theory
International Conference
Varieties of Cognitive Theory in the Later Middle Ages:
Towards a Status Quaestionis
Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven February 18–20, 2010
The nature of the human mind and the processes by which human beings acquire knowledge were intensely studied in the later Middle Ages. In particular the period 1250–1350 has been recognized as a golden age for developments in cognitive theory, the period in which thinkers like Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274), Henry of Ghent (d. 1293), John Duns Scotus (d. 1308), William of Ockham (d. 1347), John Buridan (d. ca. 1358), and Gregory of Rimini (d. 1358) elaborated innovative and rigorous positions on the soul and its faculties (including the senses and the intellect), the possibility and the limitations of human knowledge (including the necessity of divine illumination), the mechanics of concept formation (what a concept is and how we acquire one), and whether we think in a “mental language” (a major topic in contemporary philosophy of mind), to name just a few.
This Leuven workshop is the second of two (the first took place at the Unversity of Toronto, in September 2009) that have as their aim to come to a “status quaestionis” on all of the new work that has been done over the past decades on medieval cognitive theory. Ten respected experts on medieval cognitive theory will each present a version of their prospective chapter in a “Companion to Later Medieval Cognitive Theory” (ed. Russell L. Friedman (Leuven) and Martin Pickave (Toronto)). Each of these chapters will offer on a topic in medieval cognitive theory a survey of the work done to date, the major conclusions reached, the trajectory of the later medieval discussion itself, along with suggestions for future research. Each of these presentations at the workshop will be commented upon by a designated commentator, after which the floor will be opened to questions from the workshop participants. In addition to the presentation of the ten chapters, five mostly younger scholars will present aspects of their more focused research into medieval philosophy of mind, and Prof. Claude Panaccio (Université du Québec à Montréal) will speak on “Ockham’s Ontology” in a Thursday evening lecture.
The workshop is free and open to all, but preregistration is required (before February 10).
For more information or registration, please contact Russell L. Friedman (russell.friedman@hiw.kuleuven.be) or Jenny Pelletier (jenny.pelletier@hiw.kuleuven.be).
Sponsored by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the FWO, the De Wulf–Mansion Centre and the International Programme of the Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
