Phenomenology Symposium Explores Philosophy through Literature, Sports

The Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center’s upcoming 35^th annual symposium will take a look at philosophy through Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the game of soccer.

Life, Death and Play: Philosophy in Literature, Sport and Psychoanalysis, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 17, and Friday, Nov. 18, will feature Simon Critchley, the Hans Jonas Professor of Philosophy at The New School and moderator of The New York Times’ philosophy blog The Stone.

Critchley, whose work will be the centerpiece for discussion during the symposium, is known for utilizing poetry, theatre, rock music, sport, psychoanalysis, phenomenology and politics to engage aspects of human existence, such as the meaning of life and death, the nature of wisdom, political life, play, art and humor.

Critchley will lead the following events during the symposium:

• A seminar on his book on Wallace Stevens Things Merely Are on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Phenomenology Center in Gumberg Library. Registration is required.
• A seminar on his co-authored book Stay! Illusion!: The Hamlet Doctrine on Friday at 9 a.m. at the Phenomenology Center in Gumberg Library. Registration is required.
• A public lecture on the philosophy of soccer titled Working-Class Ballet—A Poetics of Football on Friday at 2 p.m. in the Genesius Theater.

To apply for registration for the first two seminars, send a letter of interest and a current CV or resume to Dr. Jeffrey McCurry, director of the Phenomenology Center, at mccurryj@duq.edu.

The Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center promotes and facilitates original phenomenological research that adds to the corpus of literature in all disciplines, especially in continental philosophy and psychology as a human science. The center also serves as a campus hub for numerous intellectual activities that complement graduate programs in philosophy, psychology, theology and communication and rhetorical studies.

Visit the symposium website for more information.