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Is God Being itself?
Classic metaphysics and analytical metaphysics
The doctrine of God as “Subsistent Being itself” (Ipsum Esse Subsistens) has been considered the heart of Thomas Aquinas’ thought and in general the distinguishing mark of every Christian metaphysics for many years.
After some philosophical vicissitudes, the doctrine is to be found in Hegel’s philosophy, where it has been criticized but, at the same time, taken to the extreme.
Within the contemporary philosophy, after neo-Kantian criticism of Hegel’s Absolute, and then, above all after Heidegger’s criticism of the so called “onto-theology”, the metaphysical discourse on God as Subsistent Being itself, with the exception of “existentialist Thomism” and some of its exponents like E. Gilson or J.B. Lotz, has been put on the back burner, so much so that J. L. Marion could write a book such as God Without Being.
On the other hand, in the range of analytical philosophy, thanks to some essays by P. Geach, which established a fruitful comparison between the Thomistic ontology and the philosophy of mathematics of G. Frege, the philosophical reflection on God as Being itself has become a subject of renewed interest (B. Miller, A. Llano, S. Brock, E. Berti a.o.) and of lively debates (A. Kenny, C. Hughes a.o.).
An International Conference, organized by the Institute of Philosophical Studies of the Faculty of Theology Lugano, together with the “Giornale di Metafisica”, aims to analyse such issue, comparing and possibly bringing together philosophical areas usually far apart from each other, such as the continental perspective and the analytical one.
Examples of issues that will be taken into account include: Does Heidegger’s criticism of the so called onto-theology still have something interesting to tell us on the metaphysical investigation on God?
Does Frege’s distinction between “there is sense” (Es-Gibt-Existenz) and “present actuality sense” (Wirklichkeit) have something philosophically new and relevant to tell us on the nature and the existence of God?
Are the answers to the questions “Does God exist?” and “What is God” truly the same?
How can we avoid conceiving God as an idea subsistent on its own, being at the same time individual and common?
How to avoid to reduce God to a being amongst other beings, the very first cause of the whole and, at the same time within it and part of it?
Finally, last but not least, is it philosophically possible, without confusing theism and deism (S. Vanni Rovighi), to give a name to God and, furthermore, give Him the proper name of “Being”?
Languages of the conference: Italian, English, French, German
The debates after each lecture will be mainly in Italian, therefore it is required at least a passive knowledge of this language.
Dates: 15th and 16th May 2015
Speakers: C. Marabelli (Lugano), E. Berti (Padova), L. Samonà (Palermo), M. Krienke (Lugano), J.-F. Courtine (Paris), A. Fabris (Pisa), C. Hughes (Londra), A. Kenny (Oxford)
Organized by: Prof. Giovanni Ventimiglia, Prof. Giuseppe Nicolaci
Patronage: Dipartimento di Scienze umanistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Palermo, Istituto di Studi Filosofici della Facoltà di Teologia di Lugano
With the support of: Facoltà di Teologia di Lugano, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Fondazione Reginaldus Lugano, Facoltà di Teologia di Lugano, Hotel City Lugano.
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