IPS Newsletter – International Plato Society

Newsletter Feb. 2025

INTERNATIONAL PLATO SOCIETY XIV SYMPOSIUM PLATONICUM In person Sessions MADRID Venue: FACULTAD DE FILOSOFÍA Y FILOLOGÍA EDIFICIO A UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID CAMPUS DE MONCLOA PLAZA MENÉNDEZ PELAYO SIN NÚMERO Confirmed Plenary Speakers: Christopher Rowe (Durham University) (De Vogel Lecturer online) Ronald Polansky (Duquesne University) (De Vogel Lecturer in person) Mary Margaret McCabe (King’s College, London) Franco Ferrari (Università di Pavia) Marcelo Boeri (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) Franco Trabattoni (Università di Milano) Mi-Kyoung (Mitzi) Lee (Colorado University at Boulder) Anne Balansard (Aix-Marseille Université) Barbara Sattler (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) Harold Tarrant (University of Newcastle, Australia) Laura Marongiu (Università di Milano) We kindly encourage you to post your full paper in English by April 25(or at least your main hypotheses and arguments). Upload it to https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HxsEvTdh1iGQm97QbvbDKTHagkyToryt?usp=sharing indicating your surname in the filename or send it to symposiumplatonicum14@gmail.com so that everyone can follow your presentation even if the language of your [...]

aristippus2025-02-19T16:09:47+00:00Categories: Announcements, Event Announcements, IPS Newsletter, Just published, Symposium Platonicum|

CALL FOR PAPERS: INDETERMINACY IN ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY

CALL FOR PAPERS INDETERMINACY IN ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY Convenors: Ugo Zilioli (Oxford University) and Refik Güremen (Middle East Technical U., Ankara) Literature on indeterminacy and vagueness has expanded rapidly, especially since the late twentieth century. In recent decades, the debate has intensified, driven by a growing interest in metaphysical and ontic indeterminacy. Philosophers are exploring various models and methods to investigate indeterminacy and vagueness across multiple fields, including the metaphysics of ordinary objects, personal identity, mereology, states of affairs, truth-making, philosophy of physics, and time, alongside traditional sorites paradoxes. The discussion is largely shaped by a trichotomy of semantic, epistemological, and metaphysical approaches (J. Robert G. Williams, Philosophy Compass, 2008), with recent advancements in modality and hyperintensionality also contributing to the discourse. It is reasonable to hope that these contemporary developments will inform, illuminate, and motivate fresh interpretations in the history of philosophy, particularly regarding ancient Greek and Latin thought. Epistemic [...]

aristippus2024-07-19T20:57:37+00:00Categories: Announcements, Call for papers, Events, IPS Newsletter, Just published|

Conrado Eggers Lan Prize (4rd Ed.) for Best Dissertation on Plato: Call for Submissions

Conrado Eggers Lan was Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the Universities of Buenos Aires, Heidelberg and Autónoma de México (UNAM). He was the co-founder of the International Plato Society and the host of the First Symposium Platonicum held in Mexico City in 1986. In accordance with its mission to promote the study of Plato’s works throughout the world, to enhance communication between scholars of diverse disciplines working on Plato, and to foster the publication of books and series on Plato, the International Plato Society is pleased to announce the 4nd edition of the Conrado Eggers Lan Prize for the best dissertation in Platonic studies. Although we understand “Platonic Studies“ very broadly, we are particularly interested in dissertations that contribute to our understanding of Plato’s works. We invite submissions of dissertations that resulted in the award of the Ph.D. degree having been successfully defended between July 31, 2021, and July 31, 2024. The submissions [...]

aristippus2024-07-19T20:43:22+00:00Categories: Announcements, Conrado Eggers Lan Prize, IPS Newsletter, Just published, Other Announcements [Sticky Posts]|

VIIIth Platonic Summer Seminar on Plato’s Parmenides (23.06–30.06.2024)

The eighth edition of the Platonic Summer Seminar in Lanckorona (Poland) on Plato’s Parmenides will take place on 23.06–30.06.2024. We will attempt to interpret the dialogue as an exposition of the theory of principles. We are also going to discuss the implied meaning of the Parmenidean One and its dialectical relation to the Many, as well as the multifarious interpretations of the One. A close reading of the text in conjunction with classical Neoplatonist commentaries (Plotinus, Proclus, Damascius) and modern studies (Hegel, Natorp, Heidegger, Colli, Benardete) will be complemented with lectures by contemporary scholars: Claudia Baracchi, Massimo Cacciari, Lloyd Gerson, Francisco Gonzalez, Edward Halper, Claudio Moreschini, Carlos Steel. For further information please consult the website https://platon.up.krakow.pl/

aristippus2024-05-01T20:35:38+00:00Categories: Announcements, Call for papers, Event Announcements, IPS Newsletter, Just published|

The 4th Asia Regional Meeting of the International Plato Society “Plato and Gods” 11-13 September 2024, Nagoya University, Japan

According to a middle Platonist, Alcinous, the aim of life is to become as godlike as possible, a theme that Plato addresses in various ways. Indeed, in Republic X, it is said that those who live a life of justice become like god as far as possible for a human being. Famously, in the Theaetetus, Plato argues that to escape from earth is to become like god so far as possible, and this likeness is to be just and pious with wisdom. The concept of godlikeness appears to be intricately connected not just to Plato's ethics, but also to his epistemological views. In Republic VI, philosophers are depicted as gazing upon and imitating the Forms, thus attaining a divine state. Similarly, in the Phaedrus, the philosopher's soul is portrayed as following the divine circular motions, beholding the Forms. Do these descriptions represent various approaches to explaining the same philosophical concept, [...]

aristippus2024-04-08T22:58:54+00:00Categories: Announcements, IPS Newsletter, Just published, Regional meetings|

In Memoriam Giovanni Casertano (1941-2023)

Giovanni Casertano was a founding member of the IPS, was born in Santa Maria Capua Vetere on 6 March 1941. A pupil of Giuseppe Martano, the first holder of the History of Ancient Philosophy chair at the University of Naples, he was full professor of History of Ancient Philosophy at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Naples from 1980 to 2009. A member of the College of Honorary Citizens of the ancient city of Elea and Doctor honoris causa at the University of Brasilia, a refined scholar of the pre-Socratics, the Sophists and, above all, of his beloved Plato, he taught generations of students to think katà philosophian. With Gabriele Giannantoni, Mario Vegetti and Giovanni Cerri, as well as with many other scholars, both Italian and foreign, now deceased, he collaborated in the construction of the best international philosophical historiography on antiquity. Among his many important books, we [...]

aristippus2024-04-08T22:59:44+00:00Categories: Announcements, IPS Newsletter, Just published, Other Announcements|

XIVth Symposium Platonicum Pragense on Plato’s Theory of Soul

The Czech Plato Society is pleased to announce the XIVth Symposium Platonicum Pragense on Plato's Theory of Soul. The conference will be held in Prague, Czech Republic, from 19 to 21 October 2023, both in person and online. The conference programme and the link for online access can be found here: https://www.platonskaspolecnost.cz/en/.

aristippus2023-10-11T15:01:07+00:00Categories: Announcements, Events, IPS Newsletter|

IPS Newsletter Paris – 2 – April 2018

Newsletter, 14 Avril 2018 (see English version below) Chères et chers sociétaires, En ce mois de mars 2018, nous avons appris la disparition de Mario Vegetti. Nous n'entreprendrons pas, dans le cadre de cette Newsletter, de dire l'ampleur de son apport aux études platoniciennes. Un récent volume, auquel notre Société est associée, propose de découvrir des morceaux choisis, traduits en langue anglaise, de la somme qu'il a dirigée autour de la République. Il ne fait pas de doute que nous verrons croître le cercle des lectrices et des lecteurs de Platon qui bénéficieront de l'intelligence et de l'érudition que Mario Vegetti a mis au service du texte des dialogues. Mais aujourd'hui, que l'on nous permette seulement de nous arrêter pour saluer l'homme, le collègue, l'ami, avec émotion. Nous voudrions partager avec vous plusieurs informations sur les activités de notre société d'ici au XII Symposium Platonicum. Celui-ci aura lieu à [...]

Olivier RENAUT2018-04-14T13:53:47+00:00Categories: IPS Newsletter|

IPS Newsletter Paris – 1 – April 2017

Dear society members, We are delighted to start working towards our next Symposium in Paris 2019, keeping the momentum of our first Symposium in the Southern hemisphere. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Gabriele Cornelli for his unfailing commitment to the Society during his presidency, especially for the promotion of new talent in Platonic studies. We thank him and his whole team for a Symposium which brought new colours to Plato. We also want to have a thought for Francisco Bravo, whose health did not allow him to serve as co-president to the degree he would have, despite his longstanding dedication to Plato in South America. You will find the minutes of the General Assembly held in Brasilia published on the website. Let us gather here for you the main news. XI Symposium Platonicum Selected Papers The Editorial Committee has now received the submission of more [...]

Olivier RENAUT2017-04-09T09:11:06+00:00Categories: IPS Newsletter|

Minutes of the General Assembly – University of Brasilia, July 7th, 4:30pm – 6:30pm

General Assembly - University of Brasilia, July 7th, 4:30pm – 6:30pm Meeting called to order at 4.30 by the President of the IPS, Professor Gabriele Cornelli In memoriam Prof. Cornelli mentioned the death, during the last 3 years, of “three of our best guys” in the Plato community: S. Scolnicov, G. Reale and A. Havlíček. The Brazilian Organizing Committee decided to dedicate the Ph. D. sessions of the XIth Symposium to S. Scolnicov, a former President of the IPS, who was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Triennial Report There has been an increase in new memberships of around 27%. We now have 213 full members (a 13% increase) and 57 associate members (a 90% increase); 144 of these are new members, so we are flourishing, and at the same time a little younger in average age than we were. Probably this first meeting in the Southern hemisphere, and the [...]

Olivier RENAUT2017-04-09T09:03:30+00:00Categories: IPS Newsletter|