Conference announcement: “Know Thyself” (Prometheus Trust)

The famed exhortation of the Sanctuary at Delphi, know thyself, was embraced by the Platonic tradition as an essential first step in the philosophic life. Indeed, given the view that there is nothing in the great cosmos which is not reproduced microcosmically in the human self, the precept might, in this sense, be considered as the whole of the philosophic path.

This conference invites contributions from those inspired by the Delphic exhortation and by the long history of the varied human responses to it. The Prometheus Trust hopes that contributors will not only consider past responses, but also the prospect before us: for the need for a quiet discovery of the self may be lost in the noise of a world in which information is available in ever increasing quantity and speed. What is the prize that awaits the self-knower? How are we to transform information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom? How can we carry forward the philosophic tradition of true self-knowledge in the rapidly changing world in which we live? 

We especially value a mix of participants and presenters – academic and non-academic, specialist and non-specialist – and encourage all those who are attempting the noble task of discovering the self to contribute.

Abstracts should be no more than 300 words and should be with us at the latest by Saturday, 29 March.  Acceptance of these will be confirmed as quickly as possible.

Papers should be around 2500-3000 words or 20 minutes’ presentation (we usually allow a further 20 minutes for a question and answer session after each presentation).