Sixth Conference of the Dutch-Flemish Association for Analytic Philosophy
VAF 2014
January 29-31, 2014, University of Groningen
Conference venue:
Rooms BL0205 and BL0108-0110-0112
University of Groningen
Bloemstraat 36
9712 LE Groningen
The Netherlands
Keynote speakers:
Rosanna Keefe (Sheffield), “Validity, normativity and degrees of belief”
Can we illuminate the nature of validity or the choice between alternative logics by
appealing to the distinctive normative role of valid arguments? How should we
characterize that normative role once we acknowledge that many of our beliefs are
merely partial? I will show that Hartry Field’s principles fail. I will argue that the
problems identified will carry over to alternative principles and that normativity
cannot provide the key to understanding validity.
F.A. Muller (Rotterdam/Utrecht), “What is an elementary particle? Between physics
and metaphysics”
The theoretical framework of the Standard Model of Elementary Particles and their
Interactions, which comprises three of the four known physical interactions
(bracketing dark matter and dark energy), is that of relativistic quantum field
theory. The prima facie ontology of such a theory is that of quantum fields. What are
quantum fields? How are they related to elementary particles? Are there elementary
particles? What are they, if there are any? These questions occupy some
philosophers of physics and do not occupy metaphysicians. We shall delve into the
questions what elementary particles are and whether there are any. We shall
answer in the negative. This makes the question what quantum fields are more
urgent. We shall come up empty. The way is then paved for a novel and shining
ontology of structures.
Benjamin Schnieder (Hamburg), “Grounding and Dependence”
According to Quine, the goal of ontology is simply to determine what entities there
are. But philosophers in a broadly Aristotelian tradition would think that there is
more to ontology. In particular, a further crucial goal is to understand how certain
entities depend for their existence and/or identity on other entities. Apart from the
notion of existence, a notion of ontological dependence then plays a crucial role for
an understanding of what ontology is about. Similarly, while the goal of science in
general might simply be taken to determine what truths there are, philosophers in a
broadly Aristotelian tradition would think that there is more to science. In
particular, a further crucial goal is to understand how certain true propositions
depend for their truth on other true propositions. Apart from the notion of truth, a
notion of dependence between truths (in recent terminology: grounding) then plays
a crucial role for an understanding of what science in general is about. To many
philosophers, the ideas of ontological dependence and grounding seem to be related.
But how exactly they might be related is a matter of dispute – and the main topic of
my talk.
Wednesday 29 January
Opening (BL0205)
Keynote: Rosanna Keefe, Validity,
normativity and degrees of belief
(BL0205)
Break
Parallel Sessions
09.00-09.15
09.15-10.15
10.15-10.30
10.30-12.00
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
10.30-11.00
10.30-11.00
A. Marra (Tilburg)
B. Dunnaway (Oxford)
How ought and know interact: a dynamic
semantics solution to the Miners Paradox
Horizontal relative fundamentality
(CANCELLED)
11.00-11.30
11.00-11.30
D. Kretz (Berlin)
M. Eronen (Leuven)
Why queerness is not enough: against moral
eliminativism
Robustness, models, and reality
11.30-12.00
11.30-12.00
T. Gkouvas (Antwerp)
A. Hertroys (Utrecht)
Legal truth without legal facts: between
quantification and truthmaking
Constructive empiricism and actuality
Lunch
Parallel Sessions
12.00-13.30
13.30-15.00
BL0205
13.30-14.00
BL0108-0110-0112
13.30-14.00
G. Feis (Milan)
A. de Jong (Utrecht)
The type/token distinction: social ontology
and analytic metaphysics
A refutation of Putnam’s antirealism
14.00-14.30
14.00-14.30
A. Kaufmann (Antwerp)
G. Leegwater (Rotterdam)
Animal social ontology
On the Colbeck-Renner claim: is quantum
mechanics complete?
14.30-15.00
14.30-15.00
J. Kloeg (Rotterdam)
S. Verhaegh (Groningen)
Community rules: a response to Kripkenstein
against metaphysics
An apparent inconsistency in Quine’s
metaphysics
Break
Parallel Sessions
15.00-15.15
15.15-16.45
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
15.15-15.45
15.15-15.45
S. Van Tongerloo (Leuven)
M. Campdelacreu (Barcelona)
Borders as institutions: a modular analysis
Supplementing Sutton’s answer to the
grounding problem
15.45-16.15
15.45-16.15
B. Bewersdorf (Groningen)
N. Conolly (Dublin)
Conceptual learning
Against ontological permissiveness
16.15-16.45
16.15-16.45
F. van Caspel (Nijmegen)
J. van der Herik (Rotterdam)
On the nature of mental properties
Is information out there?
18.30
Conference dinner
EUR 16 (drinks excluded)
To be paid in cash!
Indian restaurant “Kleine Moghul”
Nieuwe Boteringestraat 62
050-3188905
Thursday 30 January
Keynote: F.A. Muller (BL0205)
What is an elementary particle?
Between physics and metaphysics
Break
Parallel Sessions
09.15-10.15
10.15-10.30
10.30-12.00
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
10.30-11.00
10.30-11.00
L. Decock (Amsterdam) and I. Douven
(Groningen)
Cognitive metaphysics
K. Egerton (London)
Knowledge, explanation, and
fundamentalism in metaontology
11.00-11.30
11.00-11.30
A. Ramos Díaz (Leuven)
R. Knowles (Manchester)
An argument for the impossibility of
naturalizing thought
Heavy duty platonism
11.30-12.00
11.30-12.00
V. Triviño (Murcia) and M. Cerezo
(Murcia)
Species as individuals and the thesis of 3D4D equivalence
M. Lipman (St Andrews)
Making sense of perspectival facts
Lunch
Parallel Sessions
12.00-13.30
13.30-15.00
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
13.30-14.00
13.30-14.00
P. Fazekas (Antwerp) and G. Kertesz
(Durham)
J. Miller (Durham)
A Hamiltonian account of causation
Failing better: in defence of metaphysics
14.00-14.30
R. Mátyási (Budapest)
14.00-14.30
M.P. Seevinck (Nijmegen)
An argument against causal eliminativism of
ordinary objects
The promise of Whitehead’s metaphysics:
lessons for 21st century thought
14.30-15.00
14.30-15.00
M. Simionato (Venice)
An argument for metaphysical nihilism
Break
Parallel Sessions
15.00-15.15
15.15-16.45
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
15.15-15.45
15.15-15.45
S. Siriwardena (Cambridge)
N. Wildmann (Hamburg)
On absence causation: an examination of the
predominant theories of token-level absence
causation
Load bare-ing particulars
15.45-16.15
15.45-16.15
N. Kitamura (Tokyo)
L. Azzano (Pisa)
The world among other truthmakers
Dispositions, manifestations, possibilities: for
a safe and sane (actualist) ontology of
modality
16.15-16.45
16.15-16.45
S. Wintein (Rotterdam)
J. Reinert (Tilburg)
On the strict-tolerant conception of truth
Hybrid approaches to possible and
impossible worlds: the irrelevance of
ontological (dis-)parity
Friday 31 January
Keynote: Benjamin Schnieder
(BL0205)
Grounding and Dependence
Parallel Sessions
09.15-10.15
10.15-11.15
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
10.15-10.45
10.15-10.45
T. Kuipers (Groningen)
S. Greve (Oxford)
Concretizations of two-sided nomic truth
approximation
Reality through modality: what conceivability
can teach us
10.45-11.15
10.45-11.15
F. Nappo (St Andrews)
K. Łacina (Cracow)
Vagueness in reality and the problem of the
many
Can predicating the ‘present’ of an event
have a truth value?
Break
Parallel Sessions
11.15-11.30
11.30-12.30
BL0205
BL0108-0110-0112
11.30-12.00
11.30-12.00
R. van Woudenberg (Amsterdam)
T. De Mey (Rotterdam)
The metaphysics of degrees
Thought experiments in analytic metaphysics
12.00-12.30
12.00-12.30
C. Engelsma (Groningen)
J. de Grefte (Groningen)
The ontology of reasons and the epistemic
regress problem
The material theory of induction: three
worries
Speakers:
Lorenzo Azzano (Pisa)
Benjamin Bewersdorf (Groningen)
Marta Campdelacreu (Barcelona)
Frank van Caspel (Nijmegen)
María Cerezo (Murcia)
Niall Conolly (Dublin)
Lieven Decock (Amsterdam)
Igor Douven (Groningen)
Karl Egerton (London)
Coos Engelsma (Groningen)
Markus Eronen (Leuven)
Peter Fazekas (Antwerp)
Guglielmo Feis (Milan)
Triantafylos Gkouvas (Antwerp)
Job de Grefte (Groningen)
Sebastian Greve (Oxford)
Jasper van den Herik (Rotterdam)
Abram Hertroys (Utrecht)
Andries de Jong (Utrecht)
Angelica Kaufmann (Antwerp)
Gergely Kertész (Durham)
Naoaki Kitamura (Tokyo)
Julien Kloeg (Rotterdam)
Jens van ’t Klooster (Antwerp)
Robert Knowles (Manchester)
David Kretz (Berlin)
Theo Kuipers (Groningen)
Kamil Łacina (Cracow)
Gijs Leegwater (Rotterdam)
Martin Lipman (St Andrews)
Alessandra Marra (Tilburg)
Róbert Mátyási (Budapest)
Tim De Mey (Rotterdam)
James Miller (Durham)
Franceso Nappo (St Andrews)
Antonio Ramos Díaz (Leuven)
Janine Reinert (Tilburg)
M.P. Seevinck (Nijmegen)
Marco Simionato (Venice)
Shyane Siriwardena (Cambridge)
Stijn Van Tongerloo (Leuven)
Vanesa Triviño (Murcia)
Sander Verhaegh (Groningen)
Nathan Wildmann (Hamburg)
Stefan Wintein (Rotterdam)
René van Woudenberg (Amsterdam)