Masterclasses

27-28 April 2012

Institute of Philosophy (London)

The British Postgraduate Philosophy Association is pleased to announce the 10th instalment in its unique series of philosophy masterclasses, to be led by Prof. Timothy Williamson and cover the twin topics of modality and the a priori / a posteriori distinction.

The masterclass is an opportunity for a small group of research postgraduate students to study these topics over the course of two full days under the guidance of one of the leading experts on them.

Participants will have a passion for both topics of the masterclass. They will be expected to prepare by reading texts assigned by Prof. Williamson and to arrive full of questions and ideas from the reading and beyond.

To apply, please send (i) a brief description of your research and (ii) a cover letter explaining how you hope to benefit from attending. Please also have your supervisor send (iii) a letter explaining how you would contribute to and benefit from the masterclass. If you wish, you may also submit (iv) a writing sample on any topic. All materials should be sent to masterclass@bppa-online.org by March 1. Successful applicants will be notified by March 15.

Thanks to the generous support of the Institute of Philosophy and the Analysis Trust, we are able to cover meals and accommodation for all participants. Some travel bursaries may also be available, but participants are encouraged to seek funding from their departments.

Organisers: Simona Aimar (Oxford University) & Grant Reaber (Northern Institute of Philosophy, Aberdeen University)

The British Postgraduate Philosophy Association puts on Masterclasses each year and are looking for postgraduate students to organise this year’s. Past Masterclasses have involved 10-12 postgraduate philosophers working and presenting in small groups on a particular subject area under the direction of one or two highly regarded philosophers in that area. In previous years Masterclasses have take place on The Emotions, Early Analytic Philosophy, Wittgenstein’s Methods, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Religion, Naturalism and Epistemology, and Normative Ethics. The BPPA is open to proposals along similar lines.

This year’s first Masterclass is due to take place in April at the Institute of Philosophy in London. Masterclass organisers will choose a topic for the Masterclass, gain the support and agreement of a suitable academic philosopher or philosophers to convene the Masterclass, secure funding and budget for the Masterclass, as well as assess the applications of potential attendee’s, and attend to the logistics of the Masterclass.

The successful committee will get the advice and support of the BPPA committee, the resources at the BPPAs disposal, the advantage of the reputation of the BPPA, and the resources that are passed on from the experience of previous organisation teams.

This opportunity is not only a way of gaining valuable CV boosting experience at the same time as providing an invaluable resource for the fellow postgradute students who attend the event, but it is also a brilliant way of meeting lots of like minded postgraduates and can be a lot of fun.

If you would like to form an organisation committee to put together this year’s Masterclass please email joanne.lovesey@heythropcollege.ac.uk as soon as possible with the names and affiliations of your proposed team, and any questions you might have. We will then ask for a brief proposal.