Russia to host international philosophy conference

6 Sep, 2023 06:07 / Updated 1 year ago
Philosophers from all over the world will gather in Kaliningrad in spring 2024 for a special International Kant Congress

The International Kant Congress will be held in Kaliningrad, the birthplace of Immanuel Kant, from 22 to 24 April 2024. Dozens of leading scientists from many countries have expressed their interest in being part of it.

Russia is organizing this remarkable event to mark what would have been the 300th birthday of the great philosopher, who took Russian citizenship in January 1758 and, legend has it, never renounced it until the end of his life. Kant's teachings in the field of epistemology and moral philosophy have a timeless significance, occupying an important place in the intellectual treasury of mankind. Some of his conclusions in political philosophy are also contemporary. For example, the thesis of the illegitimacy of colonial rule or the extra-legal nature of the slave-owning order established in the New World after the discovery of America by Europeans.

"By Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the year 2024 marks the 300th anniversary of Immanuel Kant's birth. A core event is the International Kant Congress. We invite representatives of the broad scientific community to participate. Russia has been and remains a hospitable country capable of carrying out an international event at the highest level," said the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Kant-300 events, Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Chernyshenko added that demand for philosophy is particularly high today, as evidenced by the emergence of new educational platforms, courses and communities that address fundamental questions of cognition.

Submission of applications for the International Kant Congress next April will be accepted from the first of October. The event is organized by Russia's Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Government of Kaliningrad Region. The Congress is directed by the Kant Baltic Federal University (BFU).

"Today in many Western countries Kant's work, as well as many other philosophical achievements, is denied under invented pretexts – in favor of political conjuncture, [of a] radical 'agenda.' At the same time, our country remains a defender of the true values of civilization, and this position is supported by the world majority. Let me remind you that philosophy was born out of the desire to find the truth [through] free and honest discussion. Russia is ready for such a discussion and is always open to the thinking part of humanity," Konstantin Mogilevsky, Russia's Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, said.

Kant's intellectual quest, bearing the imprint of his time, turned to the defense of traditional values, classical ethics, morality and Christian faith.

"We have a deep respect for the legacy left by the founder of our university, Professor Kant. His ideas influenced science, culture and pedagogy, and became the basis of international law. Over the last few years, the university has been shaping the international trend of attention to the philosophy of the future, which is very important for Russia and its partners - to comprehend its new image, its life, its life and educational route, its contribution to the development of the country and world civilization. The preparation and holding of anniversary events will strengthen the authority of Russian science, as well as increase the interest of foreign scientists in working in Russia. The year 2024 will truly be a triumph of philosophical thought," said Rector of BFU Alexander Fedorov.

The work of the International Kant Congress will be devoted to the discussion of ideas and principles of the Kantian philosophical system in the following thematic areas:

- Theoretical and cognitive issues in Kant's philosophy
- Kantian epistemology in the perspective of modern science
- Kantian metaphysics: problems and perspectives
- Kantian ethics in the light of modern moral philosophy
- Kant's philosophical and religious ideas in theology
- Kant's philosophy of law in its influence on modern legal theories and practices
- Kant's political philosophy and its relevance in the modern world
- Kantian aesthetics and the problems of modern art
- Kantian anthropology and psychology
- Kant's philosophy of education and pedagogy
- Kant and Kantianism in Russia: history, discussions, influence
- Kantian philosophy in the non-Western world: reception, polemics, new meanings
- Historical and philosophical aspects of the study of Kantian philosophy
- Ideas of Ancient Philosophy in Kant's Philosophical System
- Medieval Philosophy and Kantian Criticism
- Science and philosophical ideas of the New Age in the Kantian system
- Kant's Ideas in the Philosophical Systems of the Nineteenth Century
- The Fate of Kantian Philosophy in the Twentieth Century
- The 21st century in the light of Kantian ideas
- Kant and Ancient Philosophy

Submission of papers starts from the October 1 and ends on December 15, 2023. To submit your paper please use the personal account on the official website of the event https://kant300.kantiana.ru. Authors will be informed of the selection results no later than January 15, 2024.