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Thilde Wolf: On the Presumed Conflict between Substantive and Social Metaphysics, and Why We Should Care at All

Research

On Wednesday, 2 Oct., Thilde Wolf presents work in progress titled "On the Presumed Conflict between Substantive and Social Metaphysics, and Why We Should Care at All." Abstract below.

Seminar
Date
2 Oct 2024
Time
13:00 - 15:00
Location
Renströmsgatan 6, sal C562

Organizer
Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science

Abstract

There has been a resurgence of interest in metametaphysics, the branch of metaphysics that investigates the nature of metaphysics itself. At the same time, there has been a surge of interest in social metaphysics. These two areas of inquiry intersect in important ways.

Recently, various philosophers have voiced the worry that prominent metametaphysical frameworks fail to classify social metaphysics as metaphysics proper. The argument, roughly, is that so-called substantive metaphysics excludes social metaphysics because the latter is not taken to be about real entities.

In this presentation, I scrutinise whether the critique is sound. My tentative conclusion is that the bulk of the critique misses the mark. The critique still reveals a problem for encompassing social metaphysics in substantive metaphysics. However, this is a different problem than the one the sceptics tend to focus on. In light of this, I suggest a way forward for encompassing social metaphysics in substantive metaphysics.

In addition, in my overarching project, I accept that we ought to do substantive metaphysics. It seems to me that doing substantive metaphysics has value. The question, then, is what this value is. I end by suggesting some possible answers to this question.

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Do you want to join the seminar (online or in person)? See the contact card above. You can also request a text to read in advance, if you are interested. Welcome!

 

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