Workshop: Plato on Change

The workshop takes place on September 15-17, 2023 on the USI West Campus (via Buffi 13, Lugano). 

What is Plato’s account of change? Which kinds of change does he accept? Are all changes ultimately spatial? Is any change relational? Do Forms change? Why is change one of the greatest kinds? Is there an instant of change? What could it mean that everything is change and nothing further? Which lesson can be learnt from the puzzle of the dice? The workshop ‘Plato on Change’ is a unique chance to discuss these and related questions on the metaphysics of change in Plato’s dialogues, to present scientific results on the topic in a friendly, stimulating, and international environment, and to boost further research on the topic.

B. Lienemann Forms-copies and qualitative change in Plato. Phaedo 102 following. Chaired by D. Costa

A. Giordani Persistence in Plato. Chaired by M. Berti

M. Duncombe Relative change and Theaetetus 155a-155c. Chaired by M. Pedroni

T. Irani Beyond Being. Chaired by M. Pecorari

M. L. Gill Being, Change and Rest in Plato's Sophist. Chaired by C. S. Astorino

P. Sabrier A tale of two dialogues. Two readings of Change and Rest in Plato's Sophist and their ontological consequences. Chaired by L. Giovannetti

Z. Wang γένεσις in Laws X. Chaired by P. Crivelli

S. Feldman The soul's moving numbers: Anthypairesis and the metrology of pleasures and pains. Chaired by P. Natali

B. Sattler Thinking makes the world go round - intellection and astronomy in Plato's Timaeus. Chaired by C. Vieira 

F. Ademollo Thises and suches in Timaeus 48e-51b. Chaired by Y. Lu

Panel discussion session coordinated by P. Crivelli and P. Natali. 

This workshop is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Swiss National Science Foundation and of the Paul Schmitt Foundation. The workshop is in presence. No online streaming is made. The audio recordings of the sessions are available upon request. For any query, please send an email to the organisers (Paolo Gigli and Damiano Costa).