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The Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism

 

Cambridge

McGill

Seminar leaders:

Torrance Kirby, Professor of Ecclesiastical History, School of Religious Studies, McGill University torrance.kirby@mcgill.ca
Douglas Hedley, Professor of Hermeneutics and Metaphysics, Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge rdh26@cam.ac.uk

 

Sponsored by The Early Modern Conversions Project, McGill University, and funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Metaphysics of Conversion from Late Antiquity to Early Modernity” is a monthlong summer research seminar that will address conversion by focusing on the theme of the anagogy of soul and cosmos in the western intellectual tradition. The seminar will explore conversion not only as a philosophical and religious phenomenon, but also as an approach to early modern thinking about hermeneutics, psychology, and cosmology. In particular we will seek to examine the sources of Renaissance and Early Modern thought (e.g. of Nicholas Cusanus, Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, Desiderius Erasmus, Descartes, and the Cambridge Platonists) in the philosophia perennis of Antiquity (Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Iamblichus, Pseudo-Dionysius, and Proclus). The key premise of the seminar is that the western intellectual tradition constitutes a continuous unfolding conversation within which ‘conversion’ provides an underlying concept of critical significance.

Usually meeting on weekday afternoons, the seminar will include discussions of readings and analysis of various philosophical and literary sources as participants work on refining their own projects. Participants will be invited to make presentations of their research. Fieldtrips during the seminar will include a visit to the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Benoit-du-Lac.

Seminars will be held at the School of Religious Studies in the Birks Building. McGill offers helpful resources for research and study including the McLennan Library and the Birks Reading Room. There are additional accessible research facilities at Concordia University, Université de Montréal, and the Jesuit Archives at Collège Ste-Marie.

SSHRC

Date: 
Saturday, 28 July, 2018 - 09:30 to Saturday, 25 August, 2018 - 17:15
Subject: 
Event location: 
Birks Building, McGill University

Latest news

Talk | Andrea Frost, 'On the Philosophy of Wine' | 13th March 2024

11 March 2024

On Wednesday 13th March 2024, the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism will host Andrea Frost, who will deliver a talk 'On the Philosophy of Wine'. This event will take place in the Runcie Room of the Faculty of Divinity, beginning at 5pm (UK time).

Call for Papers | Platonism and Neoplatonism Unit, American Academy of Religion | 2024 Conference, 23rd-26th November, San Diego

25 January 2024

Call for Papers Platonism and Neoplatonism Unit, American Academy of Religion 2024 Conference, 23-26 November, San Diego Nature and the Platonic Tradition The Platonic tradition has, throughout history, offered a radically alternative understanding of the relationship between humans and nature and between humans and non-...

Talk | Richard Temple, 'Symbolic Images of Cosmic Descent in Icons' | 4th March 2024

16 January 2024

On Monday 4th March 2024, the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism will host Dr Richard Temple, who will deliver a talk 'Symbolic Images of Cosmic Descent in Icons'. This event will take place in the Runcie Room of the Faculty of Divinity, beginning at 5pm (UK time). The Zoom link can be found below: https://us06web...

Talk | Johannes Niederhauser, 'Plato's Mythologia: On the Relationship between Mythos and Logos in Plato' | 19th February 2024

16 January 2024

On Monday 19th February 2024, the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism will host Dr Johannes Niederhauser, who will deliver a talk, 'Plato's Mythologia: On the Relationship between Mythos and Logos in Plato'. This event will take place in the Runcie Room of the Faculty of Divinity, beginning at 5pm (UK time). To...

Talk | Jon Thompson, 'The Metaphysical Possibility of Resurrection' | 18th January 2024

16 January 2024

On Thursday 18th January 2024, the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism will host Dr Jon Thompson, who will deliver a talk 'The Metaphysical Possibility of Resurrection'. This event will take place in the Runcie Room of the Faculty of Divinity, beginning at 5pm (UK time). The Zoom link can be found below: https://...