Workshop „Our Animal Capacities“

28-29 March 2022 (Mon/Tue), 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM.

Organiser: Lucian Ionel (Freie Universität Berlin)

Speakers: David Bartha, Elise Frketich, Lucian Ionel, Karen Koch, Agnese Di Riccio, Isabell Sickenberger, Maximilian Tegtmeyer, Martijn Wallage, Lilja Walliser, Alexey Weißmüller

Abstract: In recent years, there has been a major controversy about the relationship between our rationality and our animality. Against the conventional view that sensory and desiderative capacities are alike in human and non-human animals, it has been argued that human sensation and desire are shaped by rational capacities. However, this view appears to leave open the question whether human beings start with the same sensory and desiderative capacities as non-human animals, which are later transformed into rational capacities; or whether our animal capacities are from the outset of a distinctive, rational kind. Moreover, is our animality or our sensibility supposed to be shaped by rationality? To what extent do we identify the notion of animal capacities with the notion of sensory and desiderative capacities? Are rational capacities less animal? In addressing these questions, the workshop aims to take stock of the current debate and to develop novel contributions to the understanding of our rational animality. It does this by facilitating a dialogue between contemporary approaches and early modern and classical German philosophy.

The Workshop will take place in person at the Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities "Human Abilities". For registration or questions, please feel free to contact us at lucian-ionel@outlook.com

You can download the full program here (pdf).