CfP: Special Issue: Forms, Kinds, Essences (LAHP 23.2, Extended Deadline: November 30, 2019)
Submitted by Petter Sandstad (University of Rostock).
Volume 23.2 of Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy will explore the history of the closely related concepts of form, kind, and essence. These concepts are currently the objects of much study, in particular within metaphysics and philosophy of science. Yet much of the historical background remains under-researched.
Possible topics for papers are any historical treatment of these concepts within philosophy. Naturally, Aristotle remains the locus classicus, and papers on Aristotle and form (eidos, morphē), kind (genos), and essence (to ti ēn einai) are very welcome. However, other figures are also highly relevant. Platonic ideas are without a doubt an important precursor to Aristotle’s notions. And later treatments of these issues in ancient or medieval philosophy would also fit well into the volume. All three concepts later received much criticism during the early modern period, among others from Descartes, Locke, and Giordano Bruno, to such a degree that these concepts more or less fell out of favour – although, they were also defended or used by philosophers such as Leibniz, Bacon, and Spinoza. Papers dealing with the criticism of forms, kinds, and essences in early modern philosophy, as well as their defence, would likewise be of interest. Despite the early modern critique, forms, kinds, and essences remained parts of philosophy, although they were occasionally seen as eccentric and peripheral. Things changed again in the early 20th century: especially the concept of essence (Wesen) resurfaced in Husserl, as well as Jean Hering and Roman Ingarden. Further, Peter Geach’s essentialism and his thesis of sortal-relative identity have been more or less forgotten, while Saul Kripke’s modal rehabilitation of essentiality has become part of the mainstream.
According to the current publication plans of Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy, our issue will appear in print in late 2020. Since Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy is a peer-reviewed journal, we will need to receive submissions by 30 November 2019.
Ludger Jansen (Bochum/Rostock) and Petter Sandstad (Rostock) will serve as Guest-Editors for this volume. For further inquiries, please contact
Ludger Jansen (ludger.jansen@uni-rostock.de)
Petter Sandstad (petter.sandstad@uni-rostock.de)
https://dbs-lin.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/philosophy/pla/?q=home-call#forms
