Conference Website: http://theologyphilosophycentre.co.uk/Krakow2011/

Call for papers:

What is Life?:
Theology, Science, and Philosophy

Kraków, Poland
24-28 June 2011

In partnership with: Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, DePaul University; Pontical University of John Paul II, Kraków; Copernicus Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Kraków; Institute for Faith and Learning, Baylor University

‘During those days men will seek death but they will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.’ —Revelation 9:6

‘Biologists no longer study life.’ —François Jacob

‘If we ask the question when did human life begin? The answer is never.’ —Michael Ghiselin

‘No such things as selves exist in the world: Nobody ever was or had a self.’ —Thomas Metzinger

‘In the depth of its night, our flesh is God.’ —Michel Henry

As philosophy unfolded during the last century many of our most cherished goods were seemingly lost: ethics became an illusion fobbed off on us by our genes, formal thought gave way to adaptation, and thus was merely functional, objects were fictions, more akin to Homer’s gods than real things, life and death no longer appeared to be viable or real terms, and lastly, the self was revealed to be non-existent. This great wave of nihilism presented us with a palpable nightmare, ripping asunder the realities we inhabited – gently tapping our lives with a hammer, the hollow sound exposing the emptiness. The choices are, therefore, starker for the idea that one could simply abandon God and retain a meaningful, common sense existence was shown to be a farce. The cultural refrain of ‘no I don’t believe in God but I do believe in being good to people’ – collapsed, the fullness of its decadence exposed. In this way, that which came as a foe did the work of a friend, for once again, it was a question of God or the abyss.

This year in Kraków, we seek to examine, confront and explore all the major questions that surround the notion of life.

We are especially interested in papers in the following areas:

• Phenomenology
• Metaphysics
• Systematic Theology
• Patristics
• Philosophy of Science
• Biblical Studies
• Politics and Life
• Vitalism
• Speculative Materialism
• Resisting Violence
• Economics and Life

Please go to the official conference website to see the full list of speakers, information on location, booking information, and where you will also be able to submit a paper abstract.