Yet Another Conference!

We interrupt this interruption to our usual, if somewhat irregular, service to bring you this Very Important Announcement. 

Just in case there are any readers out there -- that is, just in case. And on the off-chance that, there should in fact be any, one or two might be interested to know that the 13th International Conference on Persons is this year being held at Boston University from the 3rd to 7th August.

     Anyone who read my report on the last one in Lund (August 2013) will be aware that I am strongly in favour of these events. If it were up to me, they would be made a compulsory part of all philosophy and theology courses at every level, anywhere. Psychology courses too, for reasons that will become clear in a later post.

     Should any of you choose to attend, you will find the most interesting philosophy being done anywhere, and at the very highest levels too. It is, I am convinced, almost as exciting as our very own BPF Oxford Conference -- almost. And if the prospect of encountering exceptional ideas proves insufficient to tempt you, the conference-goer would also meet some of the finest and best people in this or any other business. 

     I readily confess a bias in this matter. As well as knowing a number of the key-players such as Jan Olof Bengtsson, Phil Cronce, and Randy Auxier (who really ought to arrive at every lecture on horseback) -- excellent fellows, all -- I also know the local organiser. It is, if you can believe it, the now legendary James “snake-hips” Beauregard, philosopher, neuropsychologist, wine connoisseur, pizza maker. He’s worth the price of the ticket alone.

     Besides these bums, I am also fortunate enough to know the founders of the ICP: Tom Buford and Charles Conti. Two finer men, better teachers, and more exciting philosophers, one could not wish to meet. Tom always attends; Charles hasn’t done for many years, which is a great shame. In his absence, however, Tom, when called upon to talk about the founding of the ICP, tells the tale of the plate of tacos over which he and Charles dreamt up the idea and so brought us all together in the first place. God bless those tacos. 

     Exactly what Charles Conti -- alleged Italian-American and most definite hater of alliums large and small -- was doing eating tacos, I cannot begin to imagine. 

     Nevertheless, here is the Call for Papers for this year’s conference. I strongly recommend going if at all possible. If it was within my power to force you all to go, I would do so without the slightest hesitation; for your own good, naturally. It will, without a doubt, be the best thing anyone will have been to all year. 

     With, of course, the single, vital, exception of our own BPF Conference in Oxford. 

     So, for anyone thinking that they might attend, stop thinking and, like the chicken that crossed the road, just do it.

13th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PERSONS

Aug. 3rd to Aug. 7th, 2015

Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

CALL FOR PAPERS

Papers in any area or discipline are welcome, so long as their themes are of concern to the ideas and concepts of persons, personhood, and personality as a philosophical, theological, psychological, social, political, historical, creative or linguistic concern.

Papers must not exceed a length of 3000 words and should be prepared for blind review. In the e-mail sent with the submission, we require the following eight items:
1. word count -3000 words maximum
2. author’s name
3. academic status (professor, unaffiliated, graduate student)
4. institutional affiliation (if any)
5. mailing address
6. e-mail address
7. the paper s title
8. an abstract -200 words maximum

Submission deadline for abstracts is MAY 25th, 2015. Abstracts will be accepted on that date, with full texts of paper due by July 1.

Submissions which do not include items 2-8 (if only abstract is being submitted) will be disqualified. Word count is due when full paper is submitted. No more than one submission by the same author will be considered.

Email as an attachment a copy of your paper and/or abstract in rich text format to: PersonsConference2015@gmail.com

Papers and/or abstracts will be reviewed by a committee. Notification of acceptance will be made via email in early June.

COMMENTATORS: Each paper will have a commentator. Those interested in commenting should send a note to PersonsConference2015@gmail.com by May 25th detailing availability and areas of interest. Persons whose papers are accepted will be expected to serve as commentators, if asked.

Copies of papers will be available by July 1st. Emails of authors will also be available for purposes of sending your commentary in advance of the conference.

CONFERENCE WEBSITE: For updates and information, visit our website: http://bostonicp2015.com/.

REGISTRATION: from noon on Mon. August 3rd. Further details about meals, schedules, and conference fees will be provided as they become available.

That concludes this Very Important Announcement. . We return you now to the previous interruption of normal service. Interruption resuming in 5… 4… 3…