Topic and Aim:
Over the centuries, philosophy has made important contributions to the Abrahamic religions. For example, medieval philosophers such as Avicenna, Averroes, Maimonides, or Thomas Aquinas made extensive use of received Greek philosophy to explain and defend the coherence and rationality of the beliefs of their religious traditions. This intensive engagement was not only beneficial to the religious traditions, but also to philosophy. Theological problems within the traditions, conflicts arising from their encounter, and external challenges in the form of cultural and political changes also forced scholars in the Abrahamic religions to develop their received philosophical resources.
The conference, organised by the Abrahamic Family House and the Munich School of Philosophy, aims to explore two interrelated questions. First, what can the Abrahamic religions contribute to contemporary philosophical debates? Are there forgotten philosophical resources to be rediscovered or new developments within Jewish, Christian, or Islamic theology that might help to advance contemporary philosophical controversies?
Second, what can philosophy contribute to solving problems arising from the contemporary internal and external challenges facing the Abrahamic traditions? For example, can philosophy help to (re-)create the conditions necessary for meaningful dialogue across different cultures and faiths? Could philosophy help to find and formulate common ground on which a peaceful coexistence of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds could be based? Does an Abrahamic religion without philosophy lack the resources not only to ward off irrational and fundementalist tendencies from within, but also to develop critically in response to external cultural and political changes and technological progress?
Confirmed Participants:
Suf Amichay (University of Cambridge)
Samuel Lebens (University of Haifa)
David Paternostro (Saint Louis University)
Christian Rutishauser (University of Lucerne)
Thomas Schärtl-Trendel (LMU Munich)
Mira Sievers (University of Hamburg)
Richard Taylor (Marquette University)
Giovanni Ventimiglia (University of Lucerne)
Patrick Zoll (Munich School of Philosophy)
Conference program:
8th September: Arrival, Welcome, and Start of the Program
9th September: First Conference Day
10th September: Second Conference Day
11th September: Departure (after lunch)
Venue:
Abrahamic Family House, United Arab Emirates https://www.abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae
Organizing institutions:
- Abrahamic Family House https://www.abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae
- Munich School of Philosophy https://hfph.de
Organizers:
- Prof. Dr. William Gueraiche
- Prof. Dr. Patrick Zoll
Attendance is free but registration required by 31 July: WGueraiche@Abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae