2012 - Keele University
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Politics, International Relations & Philosophy

November Philosophy Hothouse

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Posted on 26 November 2012

It was World Philosophy Day on November 15, and this marked the beginning of a very busy time for Keele Philosophy. Two Royal Institute of Philosophy lectures in two weeks: Professor John Hyman from the University of Oxford on 20 November talking about his important new work on the nature of mental causation, which tries to take the debate beyond its defining twentieth century influences of Wittgenstein and Davidson, and then Dr. Lilian O'Brien from University College Cork on 27 November talking about her attempt to move beyond psychologism and anti-psychologism. Transcending old oppositions is
the order of the day. In addition, the Programme reading group on Adrian W. Moore’s The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics recommenced on 26 November.

Montefiore The main events, however, were the Annual Jean-Jacques Rouseau Annual Lecture and Conference. The lecture, on 23 November, was introduced by Professors Ann Hughes and Bülent Gökay, and was given by the only surviving member (to his and our knowledge) of one of the two original philosophy departments that were set up by Lord Lindsay at the founding of Keele University: Professor Alan Montefiore.

Professor Montefiore, who was at Balliol College Oxford for 30 years after leaving Keele in the 1960s, could fondly remember teaching the first person to graduate from Keele, Margaret Boulds (dual honours English and Philosophy, 1954). He gave an sharp and insightful talk on the 'Frontiers of Philosophy' before providing  illuminating answers to a variety of questions from the floor.

Then the following day on 24 November, there was a one-day conference on the theme of Kant and Sartre. The name of the conference was also the name of Dr. Sorin Baiasu's acclaimed 2011 monograph published by Palgrave Macmillan, and Dr. Baiasu, who organised both the Annual Lecture and Conference, was the first speaker in a very intensive and rewarding conference which drew together leading experts on these two great philosophers. The affinities between them were perhaps never so clear as at the end of the day.

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