"Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy" to Meet

Certain public events in the history of a field have a way of representing milestones. In philosophy, such an event will take place in Boston, Massachusetts during August 10-16, 1998, when the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy will be held. The last such gathering in the Twentieth Century, this World Congress promises to provide something of a barometer of the state of philosophy in the world at century's end, both as a scholarly field and as an academic discipline.

This World Congress in the first to be convened in the United States since 1926. Its theme, Paideia: Philosophy Educating Humanity, emphasizes the broad scope of a gathering the organizers, writing at the official World Congress Web site, are hoping will be "large and rich beyond any precedent." The stated goal is a meeting "open to the full diversity that characterizes our discipline across regions and traditions."

Indeed, over one thousand attendees are expected at the meeting's opening session. And the century-ending occasion seems to be fostering a broad and reflective mood, as evidenced by the opening session's panel discussion, which will consider the topic "What have we learned from philosophy in the 20th century?" Writing about the Congress and reflecting with optimism on the current state of philosophy, Scott Heller, in the Chronicle of Higher Education, observes, "The field of philosophy ends the century in robust shape, less internally divided and more connected to the public than in recent memory . . ."

Like any meeting of academics, the massive gathering at the Marriott Hotel at Copley Place will be full of contributed papers (covering some fifty different philosophical branches and fields), round-table discussions, special sessions, meetings of such organizations as the I A P H International Association of Women Philosophers, and debate--lots of debate.

To listen to an audio welcome message (106k .au) about the conference click here. For more information about the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, contact:

American Organizing Committee, Inc.
Boston University
745 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
USA
Tel: 617/353-3904
Fax: 617/353-5441
E-mail: paideia@bu.edu

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