News

Damon Young is this year's winner of the AAP Media Prize more>>

ABC Radio National and the Australasian Association of Philosophyinvite you to be part of a studio audience for the inaugural Alan Saunders Memorial Lecture.more>>

ANNOUNCEMENT RE: EXTENSION FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS / EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION PAYMENT DUE UPON THE SUBMISSION OF YOUR ON-LINE APPLICATION (CLOSES 1ST JUNE)

We are pleased to announce that the date for submission of abstracts has been extended until Sunday 9 June. Please ensure that you have submitted your abstract online by the deadline as late submissions will not be accepted (see instructions below).

Please note that Early bird registration will still close on 1st June. To be eligible, payment is due upon the submission of your on-line application or higher rates for after 1 June will apply. So, take advantage of the discount and register and make your payment now!

It is recommended that non-members become members of the AAP before commencing the registration process. Membership is open to all. The membership fee is equivalent to the difference between the non-member and the member full-conference registration rates. To become a member or to learn more about member benefits, please go to: www.aap.org.au/membership.

If you are presenting a paper at the conference please take a moment to read 'Instructions for Presentations'. Go to: www.aap-conferences.org.au/instructions-for-presentations/

2013 AAP Annual Conference
4Th Call for papers & Registration

The 2013 Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) Conference is being hosted by the University of Queensland and Bond University. It will be held at the University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus, Queensland, Australia, 7th - 12th July. Registration for the conference is now open!

The keynote speakers for this year's conference are:

Simon Blackburn (Cambridge)
Mark Colyvan (Sydney)
Lisa Guenther (Vanderbilt)
Jeanette Kennett (Macquarie)

To register or register and submit an abstract (max. 200 words), visit the conference website at:

www.aap-conferences.org.au (Go to Fees and Registration | Submit and Abstract)

Papers in all areas of philosophy are welcome. Alongside the regular sessions, we will be announcing a small number of special streams on more focused topics as suggestions arise. So far we have:

*         Advances in philosophy of the cognitive sciences
*         Jack Smart
*           Continental Philosophy

These streams are open to all conference delegates.

Abstracts received after 9th June will not be considered.

Please register by no later that 1st June to take advantage of the early registration discount! Note: payment is due upon the submission of your on-line application or higher rates for after 1st June rates will apply.

In addition to the conference dinner and opening night reception, there will be a commemorative event: Alan Saunders Memorial Lecture, held on Monday 8th July, at 7pm, ABC studios, Southbank.

For more information, visit the conference website: www.aap-conferences.org.au or contact the organizers at:

AAP 2013 Organizing Committee
Gilbert Burgh (UQ) and Damian Cox (Bond

Email: aap-2013@uq.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 3365 6348

2013 AAP Annual Conference
REMINDER: Call for papers & Registration

NOTE: Please register before June 1st to take advantage of the early registration discount. Abstracts received after 1st June will not be considered.

The 2013 Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) Conference is being hosted by the University of Queensland and Bond University. It will be held at the University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus, Queensland, Australia, 7th - 12th July. Registration for the conference is now open!

The keynote speakers for this year's conference are:

Simon Blackburn (Cambridge)
Mark Colyvan (Sydney)
Lisa Guenther (Vanderbilt)
Jeanette Kennett (Macquarie)

To register or register and submit an abstract (max. 200 words), visit the conference website at:

http://www.aap-conferences.org.au/ (Go to: Fees and Registration | Submit and Abstract)

Papers in all areas of philosophy are welcome. Alongside the regular sessions, we will be announcing a small number of special streams on more focused topics as suggestions arise. So far we have:

*         Advances in philosophy of the cognitive sciences
*         Jack Smart

These streams are open to all conference delegates.

Abstracts received after 1st June will not be considered.

Please register before June 1st to take advantage of the early registration discount!

In addition to the conference dinner and opening night reception, there will be a commemorative event: Alan Saunders Memorial Lecture, held on Monday 8th July, at 7pm, ABC studios, Southbank.

For more information, visit the conference website at http://www.aap-conference.org.au or contact the organizers at:

AAP 2013 Organizing Committee
Gilbert Burgh (UQ) and Damian Cox (Bond

2013 New Zealand Philosophy Conference
(hitherto 'AAP NZ Division Conference')
8-12 December, The University of Auckland

This is an early notice that this year's New Zealand Philosophy Conference
will be held at The University of Auckland (New Zealand) from the evening
of Sunday 8th December to the afternoon of Thursday 12th December 2013.

Due to legal/structural changes of the AAP, a number of formal details of
the conference are yet to be finalised (including its title). Details of
the event will be posted on our departmental website in late July, once the
2013 AAP Conference hosted by The University of Queensland and Bond
University has ended. We will also send a call for papers at that time.

In the meantime, if you would like further details on arrangements, please
feel free to contact the organisers at the following addresses:

Denis Robinson: dj.robinson@auckland.ac.nz
Marco Grix: m.grix@auckland.ac.nz

Department of Philosophy
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142
New Zealand

(http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/philosophy)

The 2013 Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) Conference is being hosted by the University of Queensland and Bond University. It will be held at the University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus, Queensland, Australia, 7th – 12th July.

The keynote speakers for this year’s conference are:

•       Simon Blackburn (Cambridge)
•       Mark Colyvan (Sydney)
•       Lisa Guenther (Vanderbilt)
•       Jeanette Kennett (Macquarie)

Registration for the conference will be open soon through the 2013 AAP conference website.

If you are planning to submit an abstract, these can also be submitted soon through the website. Abstracts must be a max of 250 words. We will try to accommodate all suitable abstracts received by 1st June, after which no more submissions will be considered (no exceptions).

Website: www.aap-conferences.org.au

Papers in all areas of philosophy are welcome. Alongside the regular sessions, we will be announcing a small number of special streams on more focused topics as suggestions arise. These streams are open to all conference delegates. So far we have:

•       ‘Advances in philosophy of the cognitive sciences’

In addition to the conference dinner and opening night reception, there will be a commemorative event: Alan Saunders Memorial Lecture, held on Monday 8th July, at 7pm, ABC studios, Southbank.

For more information, visit the conference website or contact the organizers at:

AAP 2013 Organizing Committee
Gilbert Burgh (UQ) and Damian Cox (Bond

Email: aap-2013@uq.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 3365 6348

AAP Media Prize 

The Australasian Association of Philosophy offers an annual prize of $500 for the best philosophical piece(s) published by a professional philosopher in the popular media in Australasia. First awarded in 1999, the main criterion for the award of the prize is the ability of the piece(s) to engage the interest of the general public in philosophy or some philosophical issue. Consideration is also given to the quality of the philosophical discussion and to the size of the audience reached. Previous winners of the AAP Media Prize include Paul Biegler (2012) Peter Slezak (2011), Caroline West (2010), John Armstrong (2009) and Geoffrey Levey (2008). 

The AAP invites entries/nominations for media work from professional philosophers (including postgraduates and also retired academic philosophers) published in 2012. Entries/nominations may come from the author or from others. Entries may be submitted in either electronic or hard copy via email to elizagoddard@aap.org.au or post to GPO BOX 1978, Hobart, 7001, Australia. If providing hard copy, please provide 3 copies of your nominated piece(s). The closing date for entries is 30th March 2013. 

Further information about the AAP Media Prize, including conditions of entry, can be found at: http://www.aap.org.au/AAPmediaprize

AAP Media Professionals' Award 

The Australasian Association of Philosophy offers an occasional award of $500 to journalists and other media professionals for excellence in the presentation of philosophy or philosophical issues in the media. The main criterion for the award of the prize is the ability of the piece to engage the interest of the general public in philosophy or some philosophical issue. Consideration is also given to the quality of the philosophical discussion and to the size of the audience reached. Previous winners of the AAP Media Professionals' Award are Natasha Mitchell (All in the Mind) and Alan Saunders (Philosopher's Zone). 

The AAP invites entries/nominations for media work from journalists and other media professionals. Entries/nominations may come from the author or from others. The AAP Media Professionals' Award is offered no more than once each year, and may not be made every year. Entries may be submitted in either electronic or hard copy via email to elizagoddard@aap.org.au or post to GPO BOX 1978, Hobart, 7001, Australia. If providing hard copy, please provide 3 copies of your nominated piece(s). The closing date for entries is 30th March 2013. 

Further information about the AAP Media Professionals' Award , including conditions of entry, can be found at: http://www.aap.org.au/mediaprofessionalsaward

We are now welcoming all proposals by postgraduates to organize and host the 2012 Australasian Philosophy Postgraduate Conference (APPC)

The APPC provides the opportunity for postgraduate students studying all over Australasia to present their work, debate their ideas, and meet others around our region.

For over two decades, we have sought to provide postgraduate attendees with programming suited to their needs, including public forums, discussions with graduates, philosophy 'superstars', and a publishing workshop with the editor of the Australasian Journal of Philosophy. Recent conferences have been in Christchurch, Sydney, Auckland and Melbourne, and we definitely welcome bids from anywhere in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore that teaches postgraduate Philosophy.

Our comprehensive guide to hosting the APPC can be sent upon request, and we are happy to assist organisers with any further questions that they might have.

Bids close on January 15th, with the successful bidder notified by January 30th.

Successful bids will likely contain a budget, brief details of local facilities and local accommodation, and a conference planning timeline. Further details concerning bid evaluation criteria are available upon request. Bidders are encouraged to be both realistic and creative with their bids!

If you are interested in hosting the 2013 conference, or would like further information, then please contact Tad Davis at tdav105@aucklanduni.ac.nz

For any general comments about the PGSC please contact the new Postgraduate Committee Chair, Paul Daniels at paul.daniels@gmail.com

The philosophical community will be saddened to hear that Jack Smart died on Saturday (October 6). He was a figure of huge influence over many years in Australasian philosophy, and indeed in philosophy world-wide. In addition, Professor Smart's constant curiosity about, and interest in all manner of scientific and philosophical matters, and his open, cheerful and friendly disposition, made him much liked by all those who were fortunate enough to know him personally. There will be a full obituary published in a forthcoming issue of the Australasian Journal of Philosophy. The Australasian Association of Philosophy expresses its sadness at Professor Smart's death, and offers its condolences to his wife, Elizabeth and his family.

Photo: Steven Morton

Victoria University of Wellington will host the annual New Zealand AAP conference later this year. The conference will run from the evening of Sunday December 2 until the afternoon of Thursday December 6.   Details of the conference can be found on the following webpage: http://aapnzconference.yolasite.com/.