[SydPhil] Diego Bubbio - "Kant's Sacrificial Turns" at UWS Philosophy Seminars

[Dimitris Vardoulakis]

Philosophy Seminars 2012
Research Centre for Writing and Society and Philosophy @ UWS
http://uws.edu.au/philosophy/philosophy@uws/events/research_seminars_2012

Diego Bubbio
Senior Lecturer / ARC Future Fellow
School of Humanities and Communication Arts
University of Western Sydney

TITLE: Kant's Sacrificial Turns

TIME: October 24, 2-4pm
PLACE: UWS Bankstown Campus, 3.G.55

ABSTRACT: This paper addresses the role of the notion of sacrifice in Kant's theoretical philosophy, practical philosophy, and in his account of religion.  First, I argue that kenotic sacrifice, or sacrifice as 'withdrawal', plays a hidden and yet important role in the development of Kant's transcendental philosophy. Second, I focus on Kant's practical philosophy, arguing that the notion of sacrifice that is both implied and explicitly analyzed by Kant is mainly suppressive sacrifice. However, Kant's account is fundamentally ambiguous, as sometimes the kenotic meaning of sacrifice seems to resurface, especially in the context of Kant's discussion of the happiness of others as an end in itself. Because religious notions are regarded by Kant as necessary transitional forms (Darstellungen) to be used to make moral ideas applicable to the world, I then scrutinise Kant's view of sacrifice as an improper symbol, and I analyse Kant's arguments for such a dismissal and discuss the subject matter in recent literature. Finally, I examine the role of sacrifice in Kant's account of Christ as the prototype of pure moral disposition. I conclude by arguing that Kant indeedgrasped the importance of including kenotic dynamics in practical philosophy but was somehow unable or unwilling to integrate it into the formal grounding of his ethics. This tension, however, effectively provides an entry point for features that can be found in the post-Kantians.

BIO: Diego Bubbio has a PhD from the University of Turin (Italy). Before coming to UWS, Diego Bubbio was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Philosophy at The University of Sydney, where he co-directed (with Paul Redding) the Religion and Post-Kantian Philosophy Research Cluster. He also taught Kant and Modern philosophy at the University of Aberdeen. Hecurrently is an ARC Future Fellow in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts. Diego Bubbio's research is mainly in the area of post-Kantian philosophy. In particular he is interested in the relationship of the post-Kantian tradition (from Kant to Nietzsche) to the later movements of European philosophy, such as existentialism and hermeneutics, and in issues in philosophy of religion. His key publications consider the notion of sacrifice. Along with two monographs in Italian and a number of chapters in books, he has articles published in academic journals such as The British Journal for the History of Philosophy, International Journal of Philosophical Studies, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, and Heythrop Journal. He has edited, with Philip Quadrio, the collection The Relationship of Philosophy to Religion Today (Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011<http://www.c-s-p.org/flyers/The-Relationship-of-Philosophy-to-Religion-Today1-4438-2664-2.htm>) and, with Paul Redding, Religion After Kant: God and Culture in the Idealist Era (Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2012<http://www.c-s-p.org/flyers/Religion-After-Kant--God-and-Culture-in-the-Idealist-Era1-4438-3518-8.htm>). He is also the editor of Luigi Pareyson's Existence, Interpretation, Freedom. Selected Writings (The Davies Group Publishers 2009<http://www.thedaviesgrouppublishers.com/Pareyson,%20Existence.html>). His current ARC-funded project is an analysis of the notion of the 'I' in Hegel and Heidegger.
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