The Dynamical Ontologies of A.N. Whitehead and N. Hartmann

Last Call for papers

The Dynamical Ontologies of A.N. Whitehead and N. Hartmann

5-7 May 2011, Katowice, Poland

Conference Venue: Franciscan Seminary, Katowice, Panewnicka 76, Poland

The conference is jointly organized by The Whitehead Metaphysical Society and Nicolai Hartmann Society, it is supported by the Ancient and Medieval Philosophy Department of the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Krakow and enjoys the invaluable help of The Franciscan Seminary in Katowice.

Whitehead and Hartmann have elaborated two of the most sophisticated categorical frameworks of Twentieth century ontology. Both understood reality as essentially dynamic, and both placed the category of process at the core of their frameworks. This conference aims at discussing, comparing, and critically evaluating the ontological frameworks of Hartmann and Whitehead. In particular, we would like to encourage fresh approaches and independent thinking on the ontological understanding of science.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to

• The differences and connections between ontology and metaphysics
• The differences and connections between ontology and epistemology
• The nature of ontological categories
• The structure of an ontological framework
• The category of process
• Times and spaces
• Levels of reality
• Sciences and their ontological clarification or interpretation
• The Platonism of Hartmann and Whitehead
• Ontological categories and ethical categories
• Comparison with other process thinkers

May 5 will be dedicated to a series of tutorials on Hartmann’s and Whitehead’s ontologies. The provisional schedule includes the following tutorials:

• N. Hartmann 1 (spheres and modes of being, the nature of an ontological category) – Alicja Pietras
• N. Hartmann 2 (general categories, level categories, categorical laws) – Roberto Poli
• A.N. Whitehead 1 (quantized process, actual entity and its bipolar nature, interconnectedness) – Bogdan Ogrodnik
• A.N. Whitehead 2 (categoreal scheme, modes of existence, types of orders, nexus) – Helmut Maassen

Accepted papers will be presented May, 6-7.

To participate please send an abstract to [email protected] up to 28 February 2011.

Conference fee: 25 € paid after acceptance. The fee includes participation in all tutorials and conference lectures, conference materials, 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and a bus from Katowice downtown to the Franciscan Seminary in Katowice-Panewniki. The fee does NOT include accommodation. A list of recommended hotels and further information are available at the conference website:http://bit.ly/whitehead2011-PL.

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Relevant dates:

• Abstracts: February 28
• Acceptance/rejection: March, 15
• Conference: May, 5-7
• Conference Chairs: Bogdan Ogrodnik and Roberto Poli Conference secretary: Jakub Dziadkowiec