The von Wright-Wittgenstein seminar is inspired by the legacy of the Finnish philosopher Georg Henrik von Wright (1916 - 2003) and his wide-ranging contributions to many areas of specialisation in philosophy, to inter- and trans-disciplinary research and to the diagnosis of our times. Hence, the programme will during each academic year typically include sessions on current issues in Wittgenstein scholarship, analytic philosophy and critical theory as well as on more general themes. Some sessions of the seminar are dedicated to issues related to archival research and development and to issues in digital humanities. In this field the seminar often addresses questions pertaining especially to Wittgenstein and von Wright scholarship and to the development of e-resources in cooperation with like-minded research units in Finland and globally.
During the autumn the usual time for the seminar will be on Tuesdays 16.15-17.45 (4-6 pm) and the venue lecture hall 20 (B424) in Metsätalo (the Forest House, Unioninkatu 40 A, fourth floor), Most sessions will be in English. For possible exceptions see details below. The regular sessions start September 15th but there is already a meeting on Friday September 11th.
Friday, September 11th
A hybrid session on location in Helsinki and on zoom celebrating the 120th anniversary of "'satyagraha' - force of truth" (the satyagraha movement and concept date back to a meeting held at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg on 11th September 1906). Contributions by Rajni Bakshi (Mumbai), Guy Feugap (Yaoundee), Olga Karach (Vilnius / Minsk), Tord Björk (Stockholm, International Peace Bureau), and Timo Virtala (Helsinki) . The planned local time is 4 pm (18:30 Indian time, 9:00 am New York).
(physical) venue: hall C325 (sr. 17 - ”Humina”) in the Forest House (Metsätalo), Unioninkatu 40, Helsinki.
zoom-link:
Tuesday, September 15th
Didier Eribon (University of Amiens). A presentation of an expanded edition of Eribon's acclaimed biography of Michel Foucault, on the occasion of its publication in Finnish translation. Dr. Markku Koivusalo will interview Eribon and there will be an open discussion. (Main language English).
Time: regular meeting time.
Venue: Auditorium 116, Unioninkatu 35.
Tuesday, September 22nd
Pauliina Remes (University of Uppsala): "Alcibiades I on Comparison, Evaluation and Self-Evaluation".
Tuesday, September 29th
Timo Kaartinen (University of Helsinki). A presentation of work in progress, with reference to Kaartinen's article ”Boundaries of humanity: Non-human others and animist ontology in Eastern Indonesia.”
Time: 15.15-16.45 (3-5 pm).
Venue: lecture hall 18 (room B402).
Tuesday, October 27th
Jan von Plato (Research director, University of Helsinki): "The challenges of AI in academic research: a case study in understanding Gödel's enigmatic shorthand notes"
Regular venue and time.
Wednesday, November 11th
Jaakko Hirvelä (Academy Research Fellow, Helsinki): "The Epistemic Continuum: Knowledge, justification, and certainty".
Venue: TBC
Time: 16.15-17.45 (4-6 pm)
Tuesday, November 17th
Jussi Backman (Kone Foundation Senior Research Fellow, Helsinki): Title TBC
Regular venue and time.
Monday, November 23rd
Arto Laitinen (Tampere). Title TBC.
Venue: TBC.
Time: 14:15 - 15:45 (2-4 pm)
Thursday, November 26th
Hans Ruin (Södertörns högskola): "Om Lars Norén och Heidegger - ett samtal om dramatik och filosofi" (presentation in Swedish).
Time: 16.15-17.45 (4-6 pm)
Venue: TBC.