This may be of interest to some scholars. Sorry for the late notice, but I just received it.
> -------------------------------------- > CALL FOR PAPERS > -------------------------------------- > > GOD AND CONSCIOUSNESS IN INDIAN TRADITIONS > Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies > Worcester College, University of Oxford, UK > May 15-17, 2024 > > Deadline: March 1, 2024 > Website: https://www.god-and-consciousness.com/oxford-conference > Submission of abstract: [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > > -------------------------------------- > KEYNOTE SPEAKERS > > - Timothy O'Connor, Indiana University, USA > - Amit Chaturvedi, University of Hong Kong, China > - Gavin Flood, University of Oxford, UK > - Benedikt Paul Göcke, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany > - Joanna Leidenhag, University of Leeds, UK > - Anand Jayprakash Vaidya, San Jose State University, USA > > -------------------------------------- > THEORETICAL BACKGROUND > > Divinity in some theistic (or theistically inclined) Indian religions is > often conceived monotheistically, as a supreme OmniGod (much like in Western > accounts of God). Monotheistic conceptions of God occur in Śaivism, Śaktism, > Vaiṣṇavism, Sikhism as well as Indian reiterations of Islam, Christianity and > Zoroastrianism. There are also arguably monotheistic concepts of God given by > the Indian philosophical schools (darṣanas), such as Vedānta, Nyāya, Mīmāṃsā, > and Yoga. > > Despite the evidence for a general Indian religious disposition towards > monotheism, Indian concepts of God can exhibit certain peculiarities that > distance them from the traditional idea of monotheism. For example, some > Indian conceptions of God revolve around God’s being united with the world > and finite conscious beings in various ways. This is the heart of the famous > Vedānta debate about the relationship between Brahman - the ultimate > conscious reality - and the rest of existence, and of a wide variety of > theistic views on the relation between ultimate conscious reality and the > world. Interpretations range through idealism, qualified monism, dualism, and > a mixture of monism and dualism (as in the different theories of bhedābheda, > or difference and non-difference). > > The reference to consciousness (in the expressions “conscious beings” and > “ultimate conscious reality”) is not gratuitous. Philosophical Indian > traditions such as Vedānta and Sāṅkhya have developed sophisticated > ontological views on consciousness. These views have strongly influenced and > been influenced by Indian theistic traditions. For example, in the Bhavagad > Gītā - a key Vedānta text strongly informed by Sāṅkhya (or proto-Sāṅkhya) > thought - matter is seemingly given a cognitive aspect that somehow > intermediates the conscious experience of ordinary living beings. But the > Gītā also says that God is the source (prabhava) of consciousness and matter. > While matter and consciousness are fundamental aspects of reality, in God > they have a common ontological ground. Depending on how a specific theistic > tradition interprets this, its concept of God might imply some kind of theory > of consciousness. > > Against this background, two sets of questions arise, which in current > debates are often overlooked or are only partially addressed. The first > relates to the nature and tenability of concepts of God; the second concerns > the nature of consciousness. On the first set of questions, one might ask: > > - Can certain concepts of God in Indian traditions really be regarded > monotheistic in the Western sense of the term? > - Or are they closer to panentheism, theistic pantheism, henotheism or > polytheism? > - What divine properties do the traditions ascribe to their respective > divinity or sets of divinity? > - Can the corresponding concepts of God be described in a consistent way? > - Is it sensible to presuppose that they should be describable in such a way? > - Do any of these concepts of God possess an advantage over Western > philosophical accounts of God? > > On the second set of questions, it could be asked: > > - Which views on consciousness are presupposed by Indian concepts of God? > - How can these views be philosophically articulated? > - What are their advantages and disadvantages compared to standard accounts > of consciousness found in Western analytical philosophy? > - Furthermore, are these accounts compatible with a scientific worldview? > - Can the concept of God contribute to a scientifically consistent theory of > consciousness? > > -------------------------------------- > SUBMISSION > > We invite submissions of contributed papers that address the above questions > in relation to specific Indian traditions. Abstracts must have a maximum of > 3000 characters and be written in English. They must be submitted by March 1, > 2024, through the e-mail [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>, with the subject “Submission to the > Oxford Conference”. In the body of the message, the author should state > whether the paper will be presented in-person or online (preference will be > given to in-person presentations). Notification of acceptance will be > released on March 11, 2024. > > -------------------------------------- > THE CONFERENCE > > This the first conference of the project “Concepts of God and the Variety of > Theisms in Indian Traditions: Towards a Theistic Theory of Consciousness”, > hosted by the Brazilian Association for the Philosophy of Religion and > supported by funding totaling $260,000 from the John Templeton Foundation. > > https://www.god-and-consciousness.com <https://www.god-and-consciousness.com/> > > It is hosted by the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, and will take place in > Worcester College, University of Oxford. > > -------------------------------------- > PUBLICATIONS > > Selected papers presented at the conference will be published in one of the > publications of the project, including the journal special issue on “Indian > Theistic Traditions and the Philosophical Debate on Consciousness” which is > being edited by Benedikt Paul Göcke (Ruhr University Bochum) and Swami > Medhananda (UCLA and University of Southern California). > > https://www.god-and-consciousness.com/publications > > -------------------------------------- > ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITEE > > - Alan Herbert, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, UK (chair) > - Gabriel Reis de Oliveira, Saint Louis University, USA > > -------------------------------------- > SCIENTIFIC COMMITEE > > - Ricardo Sousa Silvestre, Federal University of Campina Grande, Brazil > - Yujin Nagasawa, University of Birmingham, UK > - Monima Chadha, Monash University, Australia > - Swami Medhananda, UCLA and University of Southern California, USA > - Ananya Barua, University of Delhi, India > - Dilip Loundo, University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VAST" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/VASTscholars/2041577800.23178.1707742246786.JavaMail.zimbra%40ufcg.edu.br > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/VASTscholars/2041577800.23178.1707742246786.JavaMail.zimbra%40ufcg.edu.br?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
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