Philosophical Colloquium of the Institute of Philosophy
Table of contents
Lectures in the summer semester 2026
Start: Wednesdays 17:00, Room: BZW/A418
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22.04. 2026 |
Daniel Minkin (Giessen / Stuttgart) | "Diseases of the mind? The errors of therapeutic philosophical criticism" |
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Abstract: Ever since philosophy has existed, there has also been philosophical criticism. This does not refer to criticism of specific philosophical positions, but to a fundamental skepticism of philosophy or the part of philosophy that dominates it. In my lecture, I would first like to develop a proposal for a general characterization of philosophical criticism, which should include the identification of the opponent as well as the various forms of this criticism. In the second step, I would like to discuss a specific form that can be called "therapeutic philosophical criticism". This variety treats philosophical problems and theories as disorders or even as "diseases of the mind" - as Wittgenstein used to say. The philosopher must heal these "diseases" within herself in order to get through to "common sense". After an overview of the variants of this form, I will attempt to show that this skepticism is irrelevant. Finally, I will suggest an understanding of philosophy that is also capable of rejecting other forms of philosophical criticism. |
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| 13.05. 2026 | Adam Lalák & Matěj Král (Prague) | "Role-play in the didactics of philosophy" |
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Abstract: Role-play is a teaching method that allows students to step into somebody else's shoes and view philosophical problems from outside of their usual perspective. It can help them break their habitual patterns of thinking and gain unexpected insights. In this talk, we will discuss various ways in which role-play can be used in the philosophy classroom: from relatively simple role-based discussions to more performative LARP-like approaches. We will compare them and outline their respective benefits and drawbacks. We will also discuss the general significance of role play in pedagogy. |
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| 20.05. 2026 | Hilkje Hänel (Potsdam / Dresden) | "Epistemic Wellbeing: A Lesson from Philosophy of Disability" |
| Abstract: While there is an ever-growing debate on questions of epistemic injustice and how such injustices can be both detrimental and beneficial for some forms of epistemic agency, few have made a serious effort to understand epistemic wellbeing. This paper aims to shed light on the notion of epistemic wellbeing by turning to an obvious - but often neglected - field of research: what philosophers of disability have to say about wellbeing and the ways in which the social world impacts the wellbeing of those with disabilities; both by keeping them from full political and social participation and by making problematic judgements about lives with disabilities. The paper shows that while our wellbeing can in fact be constrained by material and social injustices, our epistemic wellbeing might at the same time flourish. | ||
| 03.06. 2026 | Annika v. Lüpke (Koblenz) | "Teaching the sexism of Aristotle: Limits and opportunities" |
| Abstract: It is well known that Aristotle excludes women from acquiring perfect virtue and thus from achieving human happiness. Yet the question of whether this fate in Aristotle is due to nature or nurture - or rather, how the relationship between these two forces can be determined - still does not seem to be fully resolved in scholarship. In my talk, I argue that and to what extent this openness can and should be made productive for the teaching of Aristotelian practical philosophy. | ||
| 01.07. 2026 | Vera Hoffmann-Kolss (Bern) |
"Causation as a Graded Notion" |
| Abstract: to follow |