The Conference will have the following aims:

1. To examine the role of aesthetics in the expression of the various aspects of classical Greek culture (poetry, festivals, drama, rhetoric, music, dance, sculpture, painting, architecture etc.).
2. To identify ways in which artistic phenomena are addressed in Greek philosophical works.
3. To investigate the interrelations of metaphysical (the true), ethical (the good) and aesthetic (the beautiful) in Greek philosophy.
4. To discern ways in which Greek thought is relevant to contemporary art.

The aims of the conference, which include historical, theoretical, critical, and practical issues, lend themselves to several topics, including the following:

1. Aesthetic approaches in early Greek cosmology.
2. Plato's view of beauty and his criticism of the arts.
3. Aristotle's concept of art and poetry.
4. Hellenistic philosophy and the concept of beauty.
5. Neoplatonic approaches to art and beauty.
6. Byzantine conceptions of art and aesthetics.
7. Modern and contemporary Greek aesthetic thought and its relation to classical and later Greek Philosophy.
8. Aesthetic elements in various philosophical approaches (rationalism, naturalism, pragmatism, empiricism etc. ) as extensions, elaborations, criticisms or applications of relevant Greek ideas and aesthetic categories.
9. The sources of, and obstacles to, artistic inspiration and practice in Greek and contemporary thought.
10. the relationship between aesthetics, ethics and politics.
11. The uses of aesthetic resources of language in poetry, literature and rhetoric.
12. The role of beauty as a value in everyday life.
13. The issue of "autonomy" of art.
14. Standards for the critical judgment of art.

Category a: The presentation of (approx. ten) original academic Papers by Invited Speakers of 30 mins. duration (i.e. a maximum of ten typed pages double-spaced, and page coverage 16 x 20). Category b: The presentation of original academic Papers of 20 mins. duration (i.e. a maximum of seven typed pages, double-spaced, and page coverage 16 x 20).

The Papers in Category A will take the form of a penetrating outline of the problems, an evaluation of the research undertaken in connection with the subject and the systematic examination of current philosophical problems concerning aesthetics and the philosophy of arts.

Participants who wish to be considered for Category A should express their interest promptly and state their preferences concerning the topic they wish to deal with, sending all the necessary information ( a detailed curriculum Vitae and an Abstract of their paper) to the Organising Committee.

The Organising Committee hopes to cover the cost of board and accommodation for Invited Speakers during the Conference. However, the Organizing Committee reserves the right to provide up to 30 min. of speaking time to members of the Conference whose expenses will not be covered as Invited Speakers. Moreover, in keeping with a standard principle of the IAGP, every endeavour will be made to ease the financial burden of Speakers at the Conference.

All participants will be notified by mail regarding the category to which they have been assigned in March 1999.

The texts to be read at the Conference in their final form should be saved on 3.5 diskette and on an Apple computer (Software MS Word 4.0 and upward (6.0)and in GR Times font or equivalent) or in Word 6.0 and upwards for Windows using Times New Roman fonts (and saved as Rich Format Text [RFT] ) with page coverage 18 x 12.

Fuller texts of Papers (15-20 pages) in both categories (a and b) will be published in the Conference Proceedings. Texts in their final form for publication must be on diskette in accordance with the specifications above[see also FORM No 7] .The diskettes (3.5) should be sent, together with one printed hard copy of the Paper, to the IAGP.

Texts in their final form for publication must be submitted no later than the end of September 1999.

The Conference is, of course, open to anyone (Greek or not) who wishes to attend, provided that he or she contacts the Organising Committee and completes the necessary forms (Nos 1, 2 and 3 ) and pays the Conference fee. Persons accompanying participants should also complete the forms and pay the Conference fee specified in PARTICIPATION form No 3.

The official languages at the Conference will be Greek, English, French and German.

Greeks who present Papers are kindly asked to submit an acceptable English translation of the latest version of their Papers which will be read at the Conference. This should be submitted to the Conference Secretary two months before the opening of the Conference.

Applications for all kinds of participation must be received by: 30 December 98.

Applications should be made on PARTICIPATION FORM No 1.

PARTICIPATION FORM No. 2 should be sent no later than : 28 February 1999.

PARTICIPATION FORM No. 2 should be accompanied by an Abstract of the Paper to be presented together with an English translation in the case of Greek scholars. The Abstract should be written in such a way as to give a clear indication of ideas and the line of argument that the finished paper will be pursuing.

The full texts of the Papers (two copies) should be sent to the Organising committee by: 30 May 1999.

During the Conference, there will be an EXHIBITION OF BOOKS ON PHILOSOPHY. Authors of books, particularly those connected with the topic of the Conference, are kindly requested to send copies of their books so these may be included in the exhibition (FORM No. 5 ).

Conference participants who are coming to the Conference for the first time are advised that cancellations cause major logistical, scheduling and economic problems for the organization of an international conference of this scope. Outings, receptions and other activities are seriously disrupted by cancellations and schedule changes. We ask that only those who are certain of their attendance submit the forms for participation.

The Conference attempts to achieve the spirit of Hellenic philosophy as a way of life and consequently tries to include many activities whose purpose is to enrich participants with exposure to Greek culture, both ancient and modern, and to an environment where discourse may occur with the warmth of hospitality, friendship and intervals of relaxation and feasts.

The Conference includes simultaneous translation to facilitate communication among the participants.

Conference sessions are scheduled for 8:30 - 13:30 (morning session) and 17:00-20:00 (afternoon / evening session). This allows participants plenty of free time to enjoy swimming in the beautiful waters of the Aegean, or to enjoy the wonderful Mediterranean atmosphere and hospitality that the conference locale offers.

Further details concerning the organisation of the Conference will be given in the Second Circular, which will be sent to all those expressing a wish to participate in the Conference and who have already sent their PARTICIPATION FORM No1.

Correspondence relating to the Conference should be sent to the following address:

Professor Konstantine Boudouris
President of the Organising Committee
Eleventh International Conference of Greek Philosophy
5 Simonidou Str., 174 56 ALIMOS - GREECE
TEL. 01- 9923281, 01-727.7545, FAX. 01-7248979, E.M.:[email protected]

1. Professor Thomas M. Robinson
   Honorary President of IAGP
   Department of Philosophy
   University of Toronto
   215 Huron St. 9th Floor
   Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1
   Tel. 416-978-2824. Fax: 416-978-8703. E-mail: [email protected]. ca

2. Professor Alexander Nehamas
   Department of Philosophy
   University of Princeton
   1879 Hall
   Princeton, NJ 08544-1006, USA
   Tel. 609 - 258-6125. FAX: 609 - 258 - 2137, E.- mail:[email protected]

3. Professor John Poulakos
   Communication Department
   University of Pittsburgh
   1117 Cathedral of Learning
   Pittsburgh, PA15260, USA. FAX: 412-624-1878. E-mail: [email protected]

4. Professor Joanne Waugh
   Department of Philosophy, CPR 107
   University of South Florida
   Tampa, Florida 33620, USA .
   FAX. 813-974-5918. E- mail: [email protected]

FIRST CIRCULAR
SEPTEMBER 1998