INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BRITISH IDEALISM
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BRITISH IDEALISM
Strengthening the intellectual ties between Cyprus and Oxford
Dr. Stamatoula Panagakou of the University of Cyprus and Dr. W. J. Mander of the University of Oxford recently co-organised an international conference on ‘British Idealism and the Concept of the Self’ at Harris Manchester College, Oxford.
Lading scholars from Britain, the US, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Israel, Finland, China, Venezuela, Sweden, Poland, Nigeria, the Netherlands and Taiwan presented their papers and exchanged ideas about their research in the inspiring environment of Oxford.
The philosophers shared unforgettable moments of socialisation and friendship at the majestic Harris Manchester College which has a strong ‘idealist connection’. Key figures of the British Idealist movement (B. Bosanquet, H. Jones, J. S. Mackenzie, J. H. Muirhead, J. Seth, A. Seth Pringle-Pattison, J. Royce, J. A. Smith, and W. R. Sorley) lectured there. From 1884 to 1887, J. H. Muirhead was a student of philosophy and theology at Harris Manchester College. Edward Caird – the celebrated Scottish Idealist philosopher and Master of Balliol – was one of the College Visitors from 1902 to 1908.
The scholars who participated in the conference explored the concept of the self in the philosophical discourse of Anglo-American idealism, and showed the enduring relevance of idealism to issues of ethics, logic, metaphysics, religion, politics, psychology, history, aesthetics, and hermeneutics. Revisiting the work of such philosophers as J. F. Ferrier, J. Grote, J. Caird, E. Caird, T. H. Green, F. H. Bradley, B. Bosanquet, A. Seth Pringle-Pattison, J. M. E. McTaggart, J. Watson, R. G. Collingwood, J. Ward, J. Royce, and M. Oakeshott can be both an enlightening and rewarding experience. The British Idealists promoted an ethical vision of life that focused on the realisation of the moral self and the attainment of the common good in the context of the social whole. Their efforts to heighten the tone of their society and to empower the individual are reflected in their analyses of the concept of the self. British Idealism has a moral view of politics and the state which is instructive and timeless.
The conference provided a forum for intellectual collaboration and dialogue, and showed the benefits of interdisciplinary research, as well as the vigour and vitality of the Idealist movement. It was also a great gathering of the members of the various philosophical associations which are devoted to the revival and continuation of the philosophy of Anglo-American idealism: the Bradley Society, the British Idealism Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association of the United Kingdom, the Collingwood Society, the Collingwood and British Idealism Centre, and the Centre for Idealism and New Liberalism.
The conference delegates were: Prof. James W. Allard, Dr. Dina Babushkina, Prof. Alastair Beattie, Dr. Jan Olof Bengtsson, Prof. David Boucher, Dr. Thom Brooks, Mr. Steve Buckel, Prof. Gary L. Cesarz, Prof. James Connelly, Prof. Susan Daniel, Dr. Maria Dimova-Cookson, Prof. Karim Dharamsi, Dr. Giuseppina D’Oro, Dr. Jeremy Dunham, Dr. Owen Fellows, Prof. Phil Ferreira, Dr. John Gibbins, Dr. Lucan Gregory, Dr. Janusz Grygienc, Mr. Matt Hann, Dr. Damian Ilodigwe, Mr. James Jia-Hau Liu, Dr. Jenny Keefe, Prof. Douglas McDermid, Prof. Joseph McGinn, Dr. W. J. Mander, Prof. Rex Martin, Mr. Peter P. Nicholson, Mr. Davide Orsi, Dr. Stamatoula Panagakou, Dr. Robert Sibley, Prof. Avital Simhony, Mr. Keith Sutherland, Prof. William Sweet, Dr. Emily Thomas, Prof. Elizabeth Trott, Prof. Roy Tseng, Prof. Colin Tyler, Prof. Andrew Vincent, Dr. Ben Wempe, Dr. Sverre Wide and Prof. Ian Winchester.
The conference organisers would like to thank the Principal and Fellows of the College, the Samuel and Daniel Jones Trust, and the University of Cyprus.
