Powerful Qualities: A Workshop with John Heil

 

26 – 27 April 2012

Rainolds Room

Corpus Christi College

Oxford

This two day workshop will explore the metaphysics of powers by engaging with the recent work of John Heil on this topic. Heil's theory of powerful qualities will be investigated with particular attention to understanding how it compares with Power Structuralism, and what is distinctive in each theory.

Schedule

Thurs 26th

4-5pm Q&A session with John Heil about his own work and that of C.B. Martin

5-6:30pm David Yates (King's College London)

`Pure Powers and Powerful Qualities'

Commentator:  Alastair Wilson; Chair:  Alexander Kelly

6:30pm drinks

Friday 27th

9:30-11am Anna Marmodoro (University of Oxford)

`Aristotelian Powers at Work:  Reciprocity without Symmetry in Causation'

Commentator:  Erasmus Mayer; Chair:  Donnchadh O Conaill

11-11:30 coffee break

11:30am-1pm Jonathan Lowe (Durham University)

`Powers:  Single- or Multi- Track?'

Commentator:  Nick Jones; Chair:  Sam Coleman

1-2pm lunch (free sandwich lunch in college)

2-3:30pm John Heil (Washington University in St. Louis)

`Real Modalities'

Commentator:  Valdi Ingthorsson; Chair:  Josh Parsons

3:30 tea/coffee

Note:  Participation in the workshop is free.  But it will be helpful to know in advance if you are planning to attend, for the purpose of arranging catering.  Please notify us at powers@philosophy.ox.ac.uk if you plan to attend.

(This workshop is organised by Anna Marmodoro, Alexander Kelly, and Brian Prince.)

John Heil

 

John Heil

 

John Heil currently works primarily in metaphysics and philosophy of mind and has teaching interests in metaphysics, logic, philosophy of mind, and early modern philosophy. His most recent book, The Universe as We Find It, will be published by Oxford University Press in 2012.