Philosophy » Calendar

30/04 2pm-4pm: WMA Talk - Carol Rovane (Columbia University) 'Some Perplexities about Consciousness'

Sarah Taylor — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:33:13 GMT

When: 2pm - 4pm, Thu, 30 Apr '26

Where: S0.20

WMA Seminar
Carol Rovane (Columbia University): 'Some Perplexities about Consciousness'

Abstract:

Some decades ago, I offered novel interpretation and defense of Locke’s distinction between personal identity and human (animal) identity. Locke himself had equated personal identity with “sameness of consciousness”, and then argued that sameness of human (animal) life is neither necessary nor sufficient for sameness of consciousness. I granted for the sake of argument that Locke was wrong about this, but then argued for a version of his distinction anyway, on the ground that a person is a rational agent, and there can be single group agents that span many human lives as well as multiple agents within a single human life. Each such individual agent has its own first person point of view, which is the rational point of view from which it deliberates and acts and engages in interpersonal relations with others. Yet this is not the same as the phenomenological point of view from which a subject of experience has access to phenomena in consciousness, by virtue of what they are like. This distinction between two different kinds of point of view forces us to look harder at what role consciousness might play in mental life. We may no longer be sure whether consciousness is an essential and defining feature of mental phenomena, or if so, why; but secondly, even if we retain that conviction, we should find it curious that the unity of consciousness is neither necessary nor sufficient for the sort of rational unity that defines what it is for an individual agent to be fully, or ideally, rational. I want to emphasize that my arguments do not proceed from standard sorts of functionalist considerations, but from purely normative considerations to do with agency.

04/06 4pm-7pm: WMA Talk: Dorit Bar-On (University of Connecticut): 'Four Milestones in the Evolution of Human Pragmatic Communication’.

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:47:08 GMT

When: 4pm - 7pm, Thu, 04 Jun '26

Where: S0.20

Dorit Bar-On (University of Connecticut): 'Four Milestones in the Evolution of Human Pragmatic Communication’.

Abstract:

So-called Protolanguage is a theoretical construct designed to help explain the phylogenetic emergence of human language from animal communication systems. In Expression, Communication, and Origins of Meaning (forthcoming, OUP), I argue that Protolanguage ought to be conceived as pragmatically (and therefore psychologically) intermediate, and this places certain substantive constraints on the psychological capacities with which we can credit our nonlinguistic ancestors. In particular, we should not credit them with a capacity for Gricean mindreading and the ability to entertain language-like thoughts.

In this talk, I describe four proposed hypothetical milestones on our ancestors’ path toward a pragmatically intermediate Protolanguage (“PIP”), relying on a combination of empirical and theoretical considerations. These milestones can be used to describe a phylogenetic trajectory leading from an ancestral communication system that resembled existing forms of animal communication to PIP. Clarifying the character of – the fourth milestone – and of the preceding three milestones, should, I believe, also shed some light on our ancestor’s progression from PIP to human linguistic pragmatic communication.

07/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 07 May '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

14/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 14 May '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

21/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 21 May '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

28/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 28 May '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

04/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 04 Jun '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

11/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 11 Jun '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

18/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 18 Jun '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

25/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 25 Jun '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

02/07 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 02 Jul '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

09/07 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 09 Jul '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

16/07 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:11:47 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Thu, 16 Jul '26

Where: C1.11/15

Week 2: Thursday 7^th May 12noon–2pm – Introduction + Chapter 1 Mind

Week 3: Thursday 14^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 2 Mind and Body

Week 4: Thursday 21^st May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 3 The Objective Self

Week 5: Thursday 28^th May 12noon–2pm – Chapter 4 Knowledge

Week 6: Thursday 4^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 5 Thought and Reality

Week 7: Thursday 11^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 6 Freedom

Week 8: Thursday 18^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 7 Value

Week 9: Thursday 25^th June 12noon–2pm – Chapter 8 Ethics

Week 10: Thursday 2^nd July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 9 Living Right and Living Well

Week 11: Thursday 9^th July 12noon–2pm – Chapter 10 Birth, Death, and the Meaning of Life

01/06-02/06: “Ontological failure in Heidegger and beyond”

Sarah Taylor — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:37:42 GMT

When: Mon, 01 Jun - Tue, 02 Jun '26

Where: OC0.05

“Ontological failure in Heidegger and beyond”, 1-2 June 2025, Room: OC0.05

29/06-30/06: WCPC Conference

Sarah Taylor — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:52:40 GMT

When: Mon, 29 Jun - Tue, 30 Jun '26

The WCPC is an annual event within The Centre for Research in Post-Kantian European Philosophy (University of ��TV). For further information and detailed instructions, please visit our website:
/fac/soc/philosophy/research/activities/postkantian/events/wcpc/.

24/06 1pm-4pm: End-of-Year Celebration BBQ

Sarah Taylor — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:05:27 GMT

When: 1pm - 4pm, Wed, 24 Jun '26

Where: Social Sciences Courtyard

18/06-19/06: Hold the date - Andrew Cooper memorial event @ ��TV

Sarah Taylor — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:59:47 GMT

When: Thu, 18 Jun - Fri, 19 Jun '26

The Life and Work of Andrew Cooper: Reflections and Conversations

On 18-19 June 2026, the Philosophy Department at ��TV will be hosting a commemorative event for Andrew.

The event will run for 1 ½ days and will involve a special guest presentation about Andrew’s most recent work in Tasmania, three roundtable sessions (each devoted to a broad theme in Andrew’s research), and time for personal reminiscences by students and staff.

All are welcome. If you're able to join us, it would be very helpful for planning if you could please register for the event. We will share more details as the planning develops.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the organisers:

Curie Virág curie.virag@warwick.ac.uk.

Karen Simecek k.d.simecek@warwick.ac.uk

08/05: Workshop: 'The mathematical turn in philosophy'

Sarah Taylor — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:24:43 GMT

When: Fri, 08 May '26

Where: R0.21

Hold the date - further details to follow.

07/05: Workshop: 'The mathematical turn in philosophy'

Sarah Taylor — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:24:05 GMT

When: Thu, 07 May '26

Where: B2.04

Hold the date - further details to follow.

21/04: British Society for the History of Philosophy Graduate Workshop

Sarah Taylor — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:29:18 GMT

When: Wed, 21 Apr '27

Where: ��TV campus - venue TBC

22/04-24/04: British Society for the History of Philosophy Annual Conference

Sarah Taylor — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:27:22 GMT

When: Thu, 22 Apr - Sat, 24 Apr '27

Where: ��TV Campus - venue TBC

02/07-03/07: Hold the date - Andrew Cooper memorial event @ London

Sarah Taylor — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:17:06 GMT

When: Thu, 02 Jul - Fri, 03 Jul '26

13/05 4pm-5:45pm: CRPLA talk: 'Appreciation as a Process, and Well-being' with Daniel Star (Boston University)

Sarah Taylor — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:26:03 GMT

When: 4pm - 5:45pm, Wed, 13 May '26

Where: S0.17

CRPLA Talk Wed 13 May, 4pm S0.17

Daniel Star (Boston University)

Appreciation as a Process, and Well-being (from a coauthored project with Joel Van Fossen)

Aesthetic appreciation is here understood to be an at least partly conscious process, with respect to which agents exercise a significant degree of intentional control, that involves attending to objects and their aesthetic properties, where such are objects are taken to be worth appreciating aesthetically, and cognitively and affectively engaging with them. There are significant differences between this process and two other mental processes about which more has been written: practical deliberation and epistemic inquiry. Some of the similarities and differences between these processes concern the metaphysics of them, but some concern the value and role of the processes. One important conclusion reached is that appreciation, unlike the other two processes, is primarily to be valued in itself as a process, rather than merely instrumentally in relation to the value of its outcomes. And the fact that this is how appreciation is to be properly valued is closely related to what appreciation does for us, so far as our well-being is concerned. A key alternative for what might be thought to be of primary value as a product of appreciation — correct aesthetic judgment — is considered and rejected.

29/04: Offer Holder Open Day

Sarah Taylor — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:52:41 GMT

When: Wed, 29 Apr '26

03/06 10am-1pm: WMA & PKEP Collab - "Agency" Workshop

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:04:50 GMT

When: 10am - 1pm, Wed, 03 Jun '26

Where: TBC

03/06 2pm-5pm: WMA & PKEP Collab - "Letting Be" Workshop

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:04:37 GMT

When: 2pm - 5pm, Wed, 03 Jun '26

Where: TBC

10/06 1pm-2pm: Philosophy Teaching Exchange (online)

Sarah Taylor — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:06:21 GMT

When: 1pm - 2pm, Wed, 10 Jun '26

Where: Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting nowLink opens in a new window

17/06 4pm-5:45pm: Departmental Colloquium - Paul Faulkner (Sheffield)

Sarah Taylor — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:41:04 GMT

When: 4pm - 5:45pm, Wed, 17 Jun '26

Where: S0.18

06/05 4pm-5:45pm: Departmental Colloquium - Lea Cantor (Cambridge)

Sarah Taylor — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:40:36 GMT

When: 4pm - 5:45pm, Wed, 06 May '26

Where: S0.18

13/05 12pm-2pm: Undergraduate Module Fair

Sarah Taylor — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 08:46:30 GMT

When: 12pm - 2pm, Wed, 13 May '26

Where: R0.12 & R0.14

Philosophy » Calendar

30/04 2pm-4pm: WMA Talk - Carol Rovane (Columbia University) 'Some Perplexities about Consciousness'

04/06 4pm-7pm: WMA Talk: Dorit Bar-On (University of Connecticut): 'Four Milestones in the Evolution of Human Pragmatic Communication’.

07/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

14/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

21/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

28/05 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

04/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

11/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

18/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

25/06 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

02/07 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

09/07 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

16/07 12pm-2pm: Summer Seminar 2026: Thomas Nagel, The View from Nowhere

01/06-02/06: “Ontological failure in Heidegger and beyond”

29/06-30/06: WCPC Conference

24/06 1pm-4pm: End-of-Year Celebration BBQ

18/06-19/06: Hold the date - Andrew Cooper memorial event @ ����TV

08/05: Workshop: 'The mathematical turn in philosophy'

07/05: Workshop: 'The mathematical turn in philosophy'

21/04: British Society for the History of Philosophy Graduate Workshop

22/04-24/04: British Society for the History of Philosophy Annual Conference

02/07-03/07: Hold the date - Andrew Cooper memorial event @ London

13/05 4pm-5:45pm: CRPLA talk: 'Appreciation as a Process, and Well-being' with Daniel Star (Boston University)

29/04: Offer Holder Open Day

03/06 10am-1pm: WMA & PKEP Collab - "Agency" Workshop

03/06 2pm-5pm: WMA & PKEP Collab - "Letting Be" Workshop

10/06 1pm-2pm: Philosophy Teaching Exchange (online)

17/06 4pm-5:45pm: Departmental Colloquium - Paul Faulkner (Sheffield)

06/05 4pm-5:45pm: Departmental Colloquium - Lea Cantor (Cambridge)

13/05 12pm-2pm: Undergraduate Module Fair

18/06-19/06: Hold the date - Andrew Cooper memorial event @ ��TV