invites everybody to the ninth of its interdisciplinary seminars in the series "Foundations". In this series CLEA invites scholars that are actively engaged in the research on the foundations of a particular discipline. Their lectures will always be directed
to an interdisciplinary audience, and the discussions aim at confronting
the foundations of the different disciplines.
University for Humanist Studies, Utrecht, the Netherlands.)
Tuesday October 15 at 5 p.m. in room L210 (buildingL/HILOK)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Campus Oefenplein.
Reflections on space and time, if carried out in an intuitive, clear and personal way, could be an entrance to the pre-reflexive sources and domains of human experience. These sources and domains are at the beginning of the mental organization of human reality which subsequently becomes the reality "tout court". The process of uncovering thse sources and domains along conceptual-philosophical roads, is identical with entering a battlefield. The goal of the speaker/ author is to explore this battlefield while trying to survive. The guide in this enterprise is Musashi (1584-1645) who killed all his opponents, once even only with a stick, until he withdrew to the mountains. His technique was based upon an insight into the relativity of all our judgments, including the principle of excluded third and even the principle of contradiction.
The difference between sources and domains is the difference between Musashi and his opponents. A source refers to the origin of life. A source can be used but not controlled. A source is a space-unit that reflects the time of nature in stead of the time of humans. Musashi trusted and relied upon his source. His opponents trusted and relied upon their domain.
Reflecting on the human experiences or the human consciousness in terms of body and mind is not fundamental enough. Once we approach ourselves from the body and mind angles, we have introduced a conceptual dualism which will make it difficult to understand what Musashi meant by saying "yes" and "no" at the "same" time on the "same" spot.
About the speaker:
Prof. Dr. Fons Elders studied philosophy and history at the Universities of Amsterdam and Leyden and studied international relations at the Sorbonne in Paris. He was formerly associated with the Academy of Film and TV, with the Theater Academy and with the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam. He has also been associated with the Academy of Physical Education. Professor Elders collaborated on several projects a.o. the Forum 2001 Foundation, the Elders Special Productions inc. (ESP), the International Philosophers project for the Dutch Television (as chairman) and the Theater Festival of Jerusalem. Professor Elders published several books on contemporary and systematic philosophy, on the relationship of art and science, on universalism, humanism and world views.
The presentation with questions will last about an hour. Afterwards, an hour or more is reserved for an in-depth, group discussion of the topic.
More info at the CLEA office: phone 02-644 26 77 (afternoon) or via the Web-page: http://cleamc11.vub.ac.be/CLEA/