A/Prof. Matthew Sharpe will be presenting on Thursday 7 April 2022 1-2pm, via Zoom, as part of the Contemplative Studies Centre’s new interdisciplinary colloquium series, ‘Wise words: A deep dive into contemplative science’.
The possibility of a contemplative way of life was widely recognised in ancient Greek and Roman thought. Aristotle conceives of the bios theoretikos as the highest form of life, on grounds of its pleasures, its objects, and its independence. Even the Stoics and Cicero, who valorise the active life of public service, each recognise that humans have a distinct contemplative capacity whose fulfilment will be part of the best life. Yet, to the extent that we presently identify philosophy with rational argumentation, this dimension of ancient philosophy has often been overlooked. This seminar will explore conceptions of contemplation (theoria), the contemplative life (bios theoretikos), as well as specific contemplative practices, across different philosophical schools, including Aristotle, the Stoics, and Epicureans.
This event will be facilitated by Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam, Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end.
Deakin Philosophy’s Dr Cathy Legg was recently interviewed at length by Laureano Ralón for Figure/Ground, on C.S. Peirce’s pragmatism and its ongoing relevance.
This rich array of Peirces can seem like completely different philosophers. But I prefer to see them like scattered initial excavations of a ruined city, which ultimately presents a strongly integrated and brilliant plan.
Deakin student Matt King’s contribution to the December Religion, Politics and Hope seminar is discussed by speaker Christina Petterson on the Faith and Capital podcast.
A reminder that the Stoicon-X Melbourne event will be taking place in Melbourne on Sunday 26 February 2022, featuring former NSW Premier Bob Carr, tennis great Pat Cash, and our own A/Prof. Matthew Sharpe.
The final lineup for the forthcoming Philosophy and the Rise of Fascism online event is now available. Register here, or contact A/Prof Matthew Sharpe for further details.
Deakin Philosophy’s Dr Petra Brown and A/Prof. Matthew Sharpe will be among the participants in a two-part roundtable session on the role of hope in the contemporary political and social context.For details, please contact A/Prof Sharpe.
In their conversation they discussed the ways Albert Camus engaged himself politically during his life; how Camus justified his aesthetic work in relation to his political activity; how he responded to critiques of his focus on contemplation rather than political engagement; and how he understood the relationship between aesthetic contemplation and philosophical contemplation.
February 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 2022, 5 – 8 pm EST (via Zoom)
Join us for a three-day symposium centered around discussion of the legacy and importance of György Lukács’s 1954 work, The Destruction of Reason, one of the most important twentieth century works of philosophy, hosted by Study Groups on Psychoanalysis and Politics, Deakin University, and Verso Books
Presenters
Mariana Teixeira, Freie Universität Berlin
Vanessa Wills, George Washington University
Dirk Moses, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Adrian Johnston, University of New Mexico
Carl Sachs, Marymount University
Daniel Lopez, Jacobin Magazine
Ishay Landa, Open University of Israel
Margit Köves, Delhi University
Tijana Okić, Scuola Normale Superiore
Organizers
Daniel Tutt, Study Groups on Psychoanalysis and Politics
Philosophical Perspectives on Artistic Agency: A day-long workshop
Friday, November 19th, 2021
Judith Leyster, Self-Portrait (c.1630), National Gallery of Art, Washington
(All sessions will be held online via zoom, all session times AEDT)
What do artists “do” when they make art? Where does the artist end and her work begin? How might accounts of the agency at work in artistic creation help us to think agency more generally? Does artistic agency have political implications? These questions and more will animate our discussions during this day-long virtual workshop, hosted by the Philosophy and History of Ideas Research Group (PHI) at Deakin University. The workshop will bring together scholars working on themes related to artistic agency for a series of short presentations and informal discussions. All are welcome.
Zoom Details
Topic: Philosophical Perspectives on Artistic Agency
If we are to combat recruitment into the ranks of the far right, even among the well-educated in our communities, we need to face the uncomfortable fact that forms of right-wing libertarianism, misogyny, ethnonationalism, neo-Nazism, and accelerationism (the desire to “speed up” the purportedly inevitable collapse of the liberal democracies) have powerful appeal among certain groups — especially in periods of distress and social, political, and economic alienation like we face in the era of the global financial crisis, debt and immigration crises in Europe, and now the global pandemic.
The possibility of a contemplative way of life was widely recognised in ancient Greek and Roman thought. Aristotle conceives of the bios theoretikos as the highest form of life, on grounds of its pleasures, its objects, and its independence. Even the Stoics and Cicero, who valorise the active life of public service, each recognise that humans have a distinct contemplative capacity whose fulfilment will be part of the best life. Yet, to the extent that we presently identify philosophy with rational argumentation, this dimension of ancient philosophy has often been overlooked. This seminar will explore conceptions of contemplation (theoria), the contemplative life (bios theoretikos), as well as specific contemplative practices, across different philosophical schools, including Aristotle, the Stoics, and Epicureans.
