Fourth International Colloquium on the Philosophy of Technology
Nature and artificiality
Tensions, continuities and ruptures.
26, 27 and 28 September 2013
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
----- CALL FOR PAPERS ----The philosophy of technology encompasses a complex set of objects and
problems that traverse metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and philosophical
anthropology, as well as encompassing cultural and social dimensions. Certain
recent debates in the philosophy of technology have focused on investigating
ontological and epistemological issues around the the dichotomy between
nature and artificiality.
Does the artificial deserve its own epistemology? What kind of thing is an
artificial thing? Are there artificial kinds distinct from natural kinds? Is it
legitimate to use biological analogies to understand the technical world and its
processes of development? What are the differences between biological
evolution and the production of artifactual lineages? When is a technological
novelty a genuine novelty? How can we know the artificial world? Does it have a
different means of access than the natural world, assuming we can make this
distinction? Questions like these form the backbone of numerous research
programs in contemporary philosophy of technology, both in the analytic
tradition and continental traditions.
The IV International Colloquium on the Philosophy of Technology seeks to
address these and other issues, and establish itself as an area of contact
between different traditions and programs. The heading for this year’s meeting,
Nature and Artificiality: tensions, continuities and ruptures, aims to bring
together papers that debate and analyze key concepts in contemporary debates
concerning technology, thus opening new avenues of inquiry within the
discipline, and strengthening the growth and collaboration between researchers
with similar preoccupations.
We call for 30-minute presentations. Papers will be accepted on the following
topics, although any proposal within the field of philosophy of technology will be
considered:
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Metaphysics of the artificial world
Epistemology of the technical phenomenon.
Normativity and technology
Phenomenology of the technical world
Technology and posthumanism
Technology and politics
Proposals for papers should be sent to the following email address:
coloquiofdt@gmail.com
with two attachments (doc. pdf, or rtf) containing:
(1) An extended abstract of about 1000 words, including the title of the paper
and clearly indicating the argumentative scheme of the work (this should
include specifying the problem addressed, the thesis and bibliography).
(2) Author's details: name, institutional affiliation, and email address.
* The name and institutional affiliation of the author must appear only in the
second document. Abstracts received will undergo a blind referee process
by specialists appointed by the organizing committee. The latter reserves
the right to request the full paper if necessary.
* Deadline for receipt of abstracts: 20th August, 2013.
* Date of notification of acceptance / rejection: 30th August, 2013.
We can confirm acceptance before that date, in certain special
circumstances (such as funding deadlines and to make time for travel
arrangements)
Academic Committee:
Diego Lawler (CONICET-SADAF); Jesus Vega Encabo (Autonomous
University Madrid, Spain), Diego Parente (CONICET-UNMdP); Andrés
Vaccari (Macquarie University, Australia / Fundación Bariloche), Andrés
Crelier (CONICET-UNMdP); Javier Blanco (National University of Córdoba);
Mario Osella (National University of Rio Cuarto).
For more information, see the website:
www.coloquiofdt.blogspot.com
or contact us at the following address:
coloquiofdt@gmail.com
Sponsored by
Epistemology of Artifacts: Affordances, practical knowledge and epistemic
artifacts. Project funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain).
Technical objects and technified organisms: Philosophical, aesthetic and
political reflections on technology. Research Center of the Faculty of Philosophy
and Humanities, University of Córdoba (Argentina).
Philosophy of Technology Program. Department of Philosophy, Bariloche
Foundation (Argentina).