CONFERENCE
Women in the History of Philosophy: Methodological Reflections on Women´s Contributions and Influence
Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (HCAS), Seminar Room 136
June 15–16, 2015
Research demonstrates that many more women than commonly acknowledged have participated in the development of philosophical thought throughout the ages. This conference contributes to an ongoing reconstruction of the canon of philosophy by addressing methodological questions. The aim is to study women thinkers as inventors and developers of ideas and as initiators of new modes of asking philosophical questions. The conference will also ask how the disappearance of female contributions has affected philosophy, and how its reemergence may influence today’s field of academic philosophy, where women are underrepresented.
Organization committee: Professor Sigridur Thorgeirsdottir (chair) (Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (HCAS), University of Iceland), Professor Research Leader Sara Heinämaa (University of Jyväskylä, University of Helsinki), and University Lecturer Martina Reuter (University of Jyväskylä) and Dr. Virpi Lehtinen.
Conference website: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/shc-helsinki/2015/03/27/women-in-the-history-of-philosophy-june-15-16-2015
PROGRAMME
Monday June, 15: Canon and Methodologies
9:00-9:15 Opening of the Conference by Sigridur Thorgeirsdottir
9:15-10:30 Ruth Hagengruber (University of Paderborn): "Women Rewrite the History of Philosophy - Two Paradoxes to Overcome"
10:30-11:45 Miira Tuominen (University of Jyväskylä): “On the (Methodological) Problems in Studying Women Philosophers in Antiquity”
11:45-12:45 Lunch
12:45-14:00 Lisa Shapiro (Simon Fraser University): "What is a Philosophical Canon?"
14:00-15:45 Karen Detlefsen (University of Pennsylvania): “The Limits of Contextualist History of Philosophy: Female Friendship and Education in Cavendish’s Plays”
15:45-16:00 Coffee
16:00-17:15 Sarah Hutton (University of Aberystwyth): ”Context and ‘Fortuna’ in the History of Women Philosophers: a Diachronic Perspective”
Tuesday June, 16: Contributions and Influence
9:00-10:15 Nora Hämäläinen (Helsinki Collegium for advanced studies): "Iris Murdoch on Pure Consciousness - or "An Exercise of Oneself in the Activity of Thought"
10:15-11:30 Robin Wang (Loyola Marymount University): “Kundao: Women Thinkers and Practitioners of Dao in Eleventh Century of China”
11:30-12:30 Lunch
12:30-13:45 Robin May Schott (Danish Institute for International Studies): “Arendt, Natality and Vulnerability”.
13:45-15:00 Naoko Saito (Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies/Kyoto University): “Feminism of the father tongue: Replacing the subject of philosophy”
15:00-15:15 Coffee
15:15-16:00 Panel of the Association of Women and Feminist Philosophers in Finland: "Where Are We Now? Recent Perspectives on Rewriting the Canon of Philosophy" with Martina Reuter (moderator, University of Jyväskylä), Aino Lahdenranta (University of Jyväskylä), Erla Karlsdóttir (University of Iceland) and Hanna Lukkari (University of Helsinki)
16.00-16.30 General discussion