Nov
14
Thu
Aristotle’s concept of matter and the generation of animals. Anna Schriefl @ Wolff Conference Room, D1106
Nov 14 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

There is a broad consensus that Aristotle introduced the concept of matter in order to develop a consistent account of substantial change. However, it is disputed which role matter fulfills in substantial change. According to the traditional interpretation, matter persists while taking on or losing a substantial form. According to a rival interpretation, matter does not persist in substantial change; instead, it is an entity from which a new substance can emerge and which ceases to exist in this process. In my view, both interpretations are problematic in the light of Aristotle’s broader ontological project and are at odds with the way Aristotle describes the substantial generation of living beings. On the basis of Aristotle’s biological theory, I will suggest that Aristotelian matter is a continuant in substantial generation, but does not satisfy the common criteria for persistence that apply to individual substances.

Anna Schriefl
Anna Schriefl is Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin (assistant professor) at the University of Bonn, and currently a visiting scholar at the New School. She has published a book about Plato’s criticism of money and wealth, and most recently an introduction into Stoicism (both in German).

Nov
21
Thu
The Power of Art. Markus Gabriel @ Wolff Conference Room, D1106
Nov 21 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

We live in an era of aesthetics. Art has become both pervasive and powerful – it is displayed not only in museums and galleries but also on the walls of corporations and it is increasingly fused with design. But what makes art so powerful, and in what does its power consist?

According to a widespread view, the power of art – its beauty – lies in the eye of the beholder. What counts as art appears to be a function of individual acts of evaluation supported by powerful institutions. On this account, the power of art stems from a force that is not itself aesthetic, such as the art market and the financial power of speculators.  Art expresses, in a disguised form, the power of something else – like money – that lies behind it. In one word, art has lost its autonomy.

In his talk, Markus Gabriel rejects this view.  He argues that art is essentially uncontrollable. It is in the nature of the work of art to be autonomous to such a degree that the art world will never manage to overpower it. Ever since the cave paintings of Lascaux, art has taken hold of the human mind and implemented itself in our very being.   Thanks to the emergence of art we became human beings, that is, beings who lead their lives in light of an image of the human being and its position in the world and in relation to other species. Due to its structural, ontological power, art itself is and remains radically autonomous. Yet, this power is highly ambiguous, as we cannot control its unfolding.

Markus Gabriel holds the chair for Epistemology, Modern and Contemporary Philosophy at the University of Bonn and is also the Director of the International Center for Philosophy in Bonn as well as the director of the Center for Science at Thought at Bonn.

Presented by The New School for Social Research and Philosophy Department and it is co-sponsored with the Liberal Studies Department.

Mar
24
Fri
Visual Philosophy Conference @ B500
Mar 24 all-day

This conference aims to initiate dialogues between philosophy and the arts. Philosophers and thinkers/ scholars across disciplines of humanities and social sciences will meet with artists and scholars from a wide variety of visual and visual artistic disciplines, including painting, photography, and literature, as well as travel, dance, and fashion. Rather than taking art as a mere object of philosophical study, this conference will explore the manifold confluences and intersections of philosophy and art, exploring how each can become the object of the other and how the boundary between the philosophical and the artistic can be sharpened or blurred. The motive is specifically to explore the “visual” and “movement” element in art of, and in everyday life and theorize it – both philosophically and critically.

Co-sponsored by: Office of Deans: New School for Social Research and School of Art & Design History & Theory; University Student Senate and Graduate Faculty Student Senate

Schedule and Location

The conference will meet on The New School campus in New York City.

On March 24th, we will meet in room B500 at 65 W 11 Street.

On March 25th, we will meet in Starr Foundation Hall UL105 at University Center (63 Fifth Avenue).

Following is the schedule for both days, (please see the website for details on panels and speakers):

11:00 am Panel 1 Speaker presentations.

12:00 pm Panel 1 roundtable and audience Q&A.

1:15 pm Lunch break.

2:15 pm Panel 2 Speaker presentations.

3:15 pm Panel 2 roundtable and audience Q&A.

4:30 pm Evening reception with free food and drinks for attendees!

Mar
25
Sat
Visual Philosophy Conference @ Starr Foundation Hall UL105 at University Center
Mar 25 all-day

This conference aims to initiate dialogues between philosophy and the arts. Philosophers and thinkers/ scholars across disciplines of humanities and social sciences will meet with artists and scholars from a wide variety of visual and visual artistic disciplines, including painting, photography, and literature, as well as travel, dance, and fashion. Rather than taking art as a mere object of philosophical study, this conference will explore the manifold confluences and intersections of philosophy and art, exploring how each can become the object of the other and how the boundary between the philosophical and the artistic can be sharpened or blurred. The motive is specifically to explore the “visual” and “movement” element in art of, and in everyday life and theorize it – both philosophically and critically.

Co-sponsored by: Office of Deans: New School for Social Research and School of Art & Design History & Theory; University Student Senate and Graduate Faculty Student Senate

Schedule and Location

The conference will meet on The New School campus in New York City.

On March 24th, we will meet in room B500 at 65 W 11 Street.

On March 25th, we will meet in Starr Foundation Hall UL105 at University Center (63 Fifth Avenue).

Following is the schedule for both days, (please see the website for details on panels and speakers):

11:00 am Panel 1 Speaker presentations.

12:00 pm Panel 1 roundtable and audience Q&A.

1:15 pm Lunch break.

2:15 pm Panel 2 Speaker presentations.

3:15 pm Panel 2 roundtable and audience Q&A.

4:30 pm Evening reception with free food and drinks for attendees!

Nov
2
Thu
Hell Dialogues: Adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” with elements of Plato’s Dialogues @ Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Nov 2 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

We are embarking on an innovative adaptation of J.P. Sartre’s timeless masterpiece, “No Exit.” Infused with elements inspired by Plato’s Dialogues, our play aims to explore the depths of existentialism, dark absurdity, and musical comedy while delving into the realms of speech and movement improvisation.

Through this innovative production, we aim to challenge and provoke audiences, encouraging deep introspection and dialogue about our existence and the choices we make. We believe that the combination of Sartre’s piercing insights and Plato’s philosophical foundations will create a unique theatrical experience that will resonate with both enthusiasts of classic literature and fans of contemporary performance art.

Nov
3
Fri
Hell Dialogues: Adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” with elements of Plato’s Dialogues @ Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Nov 3 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

We are embarking on an innovative adaptation of J.P. Sartre’s timeless masterpiece, “No Exit.” Infused with elements inspired by Plato’s Dialogues, our play aims to explore the depths of existentialism, dark absurdity, and musical comedy while delving into the realms of speech and movement improvisation.

Through this innovative production, we aim to challenge and provoke audiences, encouraging deep introspection and dialogue about our existence and the choices we make. We believe that the combination of Sartre’s piercing insights and Plato’s philosophical foundations will create a unique theatrical experience that will resonate with both enthusiasts of classic literature and fans of contemporary performance art.

Nov
4
Sat
Hell Dialogues: Adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” with elements of Plato’s Dialogues @ Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Nov 4 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

We are embarking on an innovative adaptation of J.P. Sartre’s timeless masterpiece, “No Exit.” Infused with elements inspired by Plato’s Dialogues, our play aims to explore the depths of existentialism, dark absurdity, and musical comedy while delving into the realms of speech and movement improvisation.

Through this innovative production, we aim to challenge and provoke audiences, encouraging deep introspection and dialogue about our existence and the choices we make. We believe that the combination of Sartre’s piercing insights and Plato’s philosophical foundations will create a unique theatrical experience that will resonate with both enthusiasts of classic literature and fans of contemporary performance art.

Nov
5
Sun
Hell Dialogues: Adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” with elements of Plato’s Dialogues @ Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Nov 5 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

We are embarking on an innovative adaptation of J.P. Sartre’s timeless masterpiece, “No Exit.” Infused with elements inspired by Plato’s Dialogues, our play aims to explore the depths of existentialism, dark absurdity, and musical comedy while delving into the realms of speech and movement improvisation.

Through this innovative production, we aim to challenge and provoke audiences, encouraging deep introspection and dialogue about our existence and the choices we make. We believe that the combination of Sartre’s piercing insights and Plato’s philosophical foundations will create a unique theatrical experience that will resonate with both enthusiasts of classic literature and fans of contemporary performance art.

Nov
7
Tue
Hell Dialogues: Adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” with elements of Plato’s Dialogues @ Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Nov 7 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

We are embarking on an innovative adaptation of J.P. Sartre’s timeless masterpiece, “No Exit.” Infused with elements inspired by Plato’s Dialogues, our play aims to explore the depths of existentialism, dark absurdity, and musical comedy while delving into the realms of speech and movement improvisation.

Through this innovative production, we aim to challenge and provoke audiences, encouraging deep introspection and dialogue about our existence and the choices we make. We believe that the combination of Sartre’s piercing insights and Plato’s philosophical foundations will create a unique theatrical experience that will resonate with both enthusiasts of classic literature and fans of contemporary performance art.

Nov
8
Wed
Hell Dialogues: Adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” with elements of Plato’s Dialogues @ Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Nov 8 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

We are embarking on an innovative adaptation of J.P. Sartre’s timeless masterpiece, “No Exit.” Infused with elements inspired by Plato’s Dialogues, our play aims to explore the depths of existentialism, dark absurdity, and musical comedy while delving into the realms of speech and movement improvisation.

Through this innovative production, we aim to challenge and provoke audiences, encouraging deep introspection and dialogue about our existence and the choices we make. We believe that the combination of Sartre’s piercing insights and Plato’s philosophical foundations will create a unique theatrical experience that will resonate with both enthusiasts of classic literature and fans of contemporary performance art.