THE BURMAN LECTURES IN PHILOSOPHY
The Burman Lectures started in 1996, on the initiative of Prof. Inge-Bert Täljedal, the Mayor of Umeå and later Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University. The lectures commemorate Eric Olof Burman (1845-1929), who was born and raised in Umeå and later became professor of practical philosophy in Uppsala 1896-1919. Burman is nowadays mostly remembered as the teacher of Axel Hägerström. A presentation of Erik Olof Burman (in Swedish), written by Inge-Bert Täljedal, is available online at
http://textobild.taljedal.se/filosofen_erik_olof_burman.pdf.
THE BURMAN LECTURES IN 2010
September 27-29
PROBLEMS OF BEING AND EXISTENCE
Tim Crane, Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy
University of Cambridge
Lecture 1: Existence, Being and Being-So
September 27, 15.15-17, Hörsal E, Humanities Building
Lecture 2: Existence and Quantification Reconsidered
September 28, 13.15-15, Hörsal F, Humanities Building
Lecture 3: The Singularity of Singular Thought
September 29, 12.15-14, Hörsal E, Humanities Building
The Philosophical Society: Discussion with Tim Crane
September 28, 19.15-, Room C 204, Humanities Building
All interested are invited to participate in this discussion, where one can raise
issues that concerns the Burman Lectures, and/or aspects of Prof. Crane's work.
Abstract
What is it for something to exist, or have being? Contemporary analytic philosophy has not had much to say about this question, on the basis either that 'exists' has a straightforward logical analysis, or that it is too simple or fundamental to be further explained or analysed. These lectures will argue that consideration of the representation of the non-existent shows that more needs to be said about existence itself. The lectures will discuss the following questions: what is the relationship between existence and having properties ('being-so')? What is the relationship between our talk about existence and our talk about quantity (quantification)? What is it for a thought to be 'singular' and can there be singular thoughts about things that do not exist? It will be argued that some things do not exist, but these things do not have a nature, and that it is possible to have singular thoughts about things that do not exist.
Arranged by:
The Department of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, Umeå University
http://www.idesam.umu.se/om/personal/filosofi/sten-lindstrom/