Conference: ‘Persons as Animals’, Leeds, 6th-7th July 2016

We are delighted to send this reminder about the forthcoming conference organised by the ‘Persons as Animals’ project based at Leeds University, and would like to invite submissions of extended abstracts on topics falling within the project’s themes.

The conference is linked to an AHRC Fellowship held by Professor Helen Steward, entitled ‘Persons as Animals: Understanding the Animal Bases of Agency, Perceptual Knowledge and Thought’. The project aims to investigate ways in which a proper understanding of human beings as animals might help in resolving a range of philosophical problems which have traditionally been considered with little or no reference to our animal nature – in particular, the free will problem, epistemological scepticism about the external world, and the question of meaning (how anything can come to stand for something else). The project is being carried out in collaboration with the new ‘Islands project’ at Chester Zoo.

We welcome submissions on any topic or topics of central relevance to an area of enquiry which falls within the project area, and that connects with the overall animalist orientation of the project. Examples might include: animal agency; motor intentionality; the role played by human habits and skills in an accurate account of human action; embodiment; non-visual forms of perception; embodied cognition; extended mind; but this list is by no means exhaustive.

Conference details

Dates 6th-7th July 2016

Location Weetwood Hall, Leeds

Confirmed speakers (Keynote) Shaun Gallagher (University of Memphis)

Helen Steward (University of Leeds)

Matthew Rattcliffe (University of Vienna)

Rory Madden (University College London)

Léa Salje (University of Leeds)

Andrew Moss (Chester Zoo)

Submission details

Submission date 6th November 2015

Submission format Please send an extended abstract prepared for blind review of no longer than 1000 words to personsasanimals.

Unfortunately we have only a limited number of spaces for invited speakers, but will undertake to cover reasonable travel and accommodation expenses for those speakers.

Please direct any enquiries to Léa Salje at l.c.salje.

For more information about the project, please visit our website: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/arts/persons_as_animals