Lecture
LTP Colloquium: "Against Neutrality Arguments: a plea for metaphysical sectarianism"
- Date
- Thursday 16 October 2025
- Time
- Location
-
P.J. Veth
Nonnensteeg 1-3
2311 VJ Leiden - Room
- 0.06
The Leiden University Centre Theoretical Philosophy is pleased to announce a lecture by Dr. Nathan Wildman, Associate Professor at the Tilburg University, and a member of TiLPS – the Tilburg Center for Logic, Ethics, and Philosophy of Sciences.
Neutrality arguments in (meta)metaphysics have recently been employed to try and settle debates about the nature of central (meta)metaphysical concepts and notions. The idea is that these notions ought to be as neutral or “ecumenical” as possible: these (meta)metaphysical notions are not meant to be characterized or governed by principles that block any first-order metaphysical view on the market. Here, we investigate such neutrality arguments. Specifically, we contend that they are deeply problematic. This is because it is difficult, if not outright impossible, to precisely formulate any sensible reading of the Ecumenicality Maxim. One upshot is that the demand for metaphysical neutrality of these (meta)metaphysical notions cannot be upheld. Instead, we should embrace a form of (metaphysical) sectarianism.
All are welcome!