[Wittrs] Wittgenstein on Scientism

[Sean Wilson]

"I may find scientific questions interesting, but they never really grip me. Only CONCEPTUAL and AESTHETIC questions do that. At bottom I am indifferent to the solution of scientific problems; but not the other sort." Culture and Value, 1949, p. 79 (allcaps in place of italics)

Regards and thanks.

Dr. Sean Wilson, Esq.
[spoiler]Assistant Professor
Wright State University
Personal Website: http://seanwilson.org
SSRN papers: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=596860
Wittgenstein Discussion: http://seanwilson.org/wittgenstein.discussion.html [/spoiler] 

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Subject: [Wittrs] Wittgenstein on Scientism

Wittgenstein on Scientism

Department of Philosophy, Durham University
Date: Tuesday 3rd July 2012
Time: 09.15 - 16.30.
Venue: The Bailey Room, St John's College, 3 South Bailey, Durham University
Organiser: Ian James Kidd Sponsors:

The British Society for the History of Philosophy, the British Society for the Philosophy of Science, the Mind Association, and the Department of Philosophy, Durham University. Speakers:

- Jonathan Beale (Reading and Harvard) - 'Scientism and Language-Games'
- Bill Child (Oxford) - 'Scientism and Anti-scientism in the Philosophy of Mind'
- Professor David E. Cooper (Durham) - 'Naturalism and Superstition'
- Dr Andy Hamilton (Durham) - 'Is There a Logical Space for a Non-scientistic Naturalism? The Case of Wittgenstein'
- Dr Ian James Kidd (Durham) - 'Wittgenstein, Feyerabend, and Scientism'
- Dr John Preston (Reading) - 'Wittgenstein: Mystery, Wonder, and Scientism'
- Dr Genia Schönbaumsfeld (Southampton) - ''Making it a Question of Science': Wittgenstein and Father O'Hara'
- Dr Benedict Smith (Durham) - 'Wittgenstein, Naturalism, and Scientism' Aims and description

A striking feature of Wittgenstein's later writings is his criticisms of various aspects of prevailing cultural attitudes towards the sciences - of how our 'disgusting, soapy-water science' is 'putting man to sleep', of the role of science in the atrophy of our sense of 'wonder', and the remarkable warning that our 'age of science and technology' may be the 'beginning of the end' for humanity. Although such remarks are clearly central to the later Wittgenstein's thoughts about science and its relationship to philosophy, it is less clear just what they amount to and how they can be articulated in relation to his wider body of thought. The aim of this workshop is to try to explore and articulate Wittgenstein's anti-scientism and locate it within the context of his thought and the wider history of twentieth century philosophy. Registration

The registration fee is ten pounds which includes teas and coffees and lunch. Discounted rates are available for postgraduate students. Those requiring accommodation should contact Sue Hobson of St John's College (S.L.Hobson at Durham.ac.uk) directly. Please email Ian Kidd (i.j.kidd at durham.ac.uk) for a registration form. Ian James Kidd Postdoctoral Research Assistant 
Department of Philosophy 
Durham University 
www.dur.ac.uk/i.j.kidd 

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