Spinoza’s Cogitata metaphysica

Masterclass with Prof. Yitzhak Melamed (Johns Hopkins University)

6-9 June
École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
Site Descartes, Salle F004

This intensive four-day masterclass will be taught in English by one of the most prominent Anglo-American Spinoza scholars today, Professor Yitzhak Melamed from Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with Mogens Lærke, researcher at the CNRS (IHRIM, UMR 5317, ENS de Lyon). The class will be entirely dedicated to the reading of Spinoza’s Cogitata metaphysica. The Cogitata Metaphysica, the appendix to Spinoza’s 1663 book on Descartes’ Principles of Philosophy is a text whose precise nature is still unclear after more than 350 years of scholarship. The nature of this text and specifically the question whether it represents Spinoza’s views at the time of its composition will stand at the center of this course. We will read closely the text in three languages (Latin, English, and French) and attempt to reconstruct Spinoza’s arguments and the philosophical conversations exhibited in the text.

The masterclass is open to doctoral students and post-docs, up to a maximum of 10. We accept applicants from both ENS de Lyon and other institutions, including abroad. . Some prior knowledge of Spinoza’s philosophy is desirable. Active command of English is indispensable.

Applicants should send a one-page letter of motivation to Mogens Lærke (mogens.laerke ens-lyon.fr) by April 1st 2016. Attendance is free, but inscription and/or acceptance of proposal is mandatory. Please note that there are no funds available to cover cost of travel or lodging for non-local participants.

The event is organized as a collaboration between the Institut d’histoire des représentations et des idées dans les modernités (IHRIM, UMR 5317) at the ENS de Lyon, and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.