Course description
Social ontology – that is, ontological questions about the social realm – has become a central area of contemporary philosophical inquiry. This PhD-level course offers a survey of recent debates on the methodology of social ontology, with a focus on questions in the meta-metaphysics (i.e., what metaphysical debates are about) and the meta-semantics (i.e., what determines the semantic values of representational resources) concerning social kinds such as gender, race, and sexual orientation.
The course will concentrate on a meta-metaphysical approach to these questions known as metaphysical deflationism, and will explore the roles of amelioration and conceptual engineering in both metaphysics and semantics. It will address foundational questions in conceptual engineering, such as whether it is feasible to change the meaning of terms and the contents of our concepts, and if so, how such changes can be achieved and whether they should be pursued. The focus will be on accounts of conceptual revision that can be useful with respect to emancipatory projects in social ontology.
Finally, the course will address questions about the mechanisms through which terms achieve reference to social constructions.
By the end of the course, students will have gained a comprehensive understanding of recent debates in the social ontology, as well as selected topics in socially and politically engaged philosophy of language. These skills will enable them to contribute to current discussions on the role of concepts and conceptual revisions in advancing social justice.
Lecturer
Esa Díaz-León is an associate professor in philosophy at the University of Barcelona. She received her doctorate from the University of Sheffield and has taught at the University of Manitoba (Canada). She specializes in philosophy of mind and language, and philosophy of gender, race and sexuality. She has written articles and volume chapters on a variety of topics, including the nature of consciousness and phenomenal concepts, the meaning of ‘woman’, the nature of social construction, methodological issues in social ontology and in conceptual engineering, and the nature of sexual orientation. Her first book, “The Metaphysics of Gender” is forthcoming in the Cambridge Elements in Metaphysics series in Cambridge University Press.
Course format
The course will be held in person at the University of Oslo, it offers 3 ECTS and will be taught in English. It is a three-day PhD course comprising of lectures, discussions, and presentations by students. There are four lectures:
- Lecture 1: The methodology of social ontology. Meta-metaphysics, metaphysical deflationism, and amelioration.
- Lecture 2: Descriptive vs. ameliorative projects in semantics and metaphysics of the social. Semantic externalism and the role of normative considerations.
- Lecture 3: Conceptual engineering and the targets of semantic amelioration. Which concept of concept?
- Lecture 4: Social constructionism, semantic externalism and reference to social constructions.
Each student will give a presentation on a topic related to the course, proposed by the student in advance. Presentations should be approximately 15 minutes long, followed by 10 minutes of discussion. Ideally, the presentations should also relate to the students’ PhD projects, providing an opportunity to receive feedback on their work. Around three weeks after the course, in order to accrue the course credits, the students will be asked to submit a ca. 2.000 words essay on a topic relevant to the course.
Compulsory readings
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Díaz-León, E. The Metaphysics of Gender. Cambridge Elements in Metaphysics, Cambridge University Press, forthcoming.
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Díaz-León, E. "Substantive Metaphysical Debates on Gender and Race: Verbal Disputes and Metaphysical Deflationism", Journal of Social Philosophy, 53(4), pp. 556-74, 2022.
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Díaz-León, E. "On the Conceptual Mismatch Argument: Descriptions, Disagreement, and Amelioration", in Shifting Concepts: The Philosophy and Psychology of Conceptual Variability, edited by Teresa Marques and Åsa Wikforrs, Oxford University Press, pp. 190-212, 2020.
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Díaz-León, E. "Descriptive vs Ameliorative Projects: The Role of Normative Considerations", in Conceptual Engineering and Conceptual Ethics, edited by A. Burgess, H. Cappelen and D. Plunkett, Oxford University Press, pp. 170-186, 2020.
A syllabus with the suggested readings will be sent to the students prior to the course.
Target audience
The course is primarily aimed at PhD-level students in philosophy, both at UiO and internationally. It is suitable for students with an interest in social ontology, feminist philosophy, philosophy of language, metaphysics, conceptual engineering and philosophy of mind. Furthermore, PhD students from other areas of the Humanities with an interest in gender studies are also welcome. Interested master’s students from the University of Oslo may apply and/or attend, but priority will be given to PhD students. Women and minorities are encouraged to attend.
Practical information
- To apply, send a description of yourself and your research interests/projects (between 200 and 300 words) to Isabella Bartoli by March 9, 2025, at 23:59 CET.
- The course is free of charge and includes lunch for three days. Transportation, accommodation, and other meals have to be arranged and financed by the participants themselves.
- For any questions, please write to Isabella Bartoli.