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Kadish Workshop in Law, Philosophy, and Political Theory: Andreja Novakovic, UC Berkeley

Friday, September 8, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Kadish Workshop in Law, Philosophy, and Political Theory welcomes Andreja Novakovic, UC Berkeley, who will be discussing her paper “Hegel’s Answer to the ‘Academy’ Question: Is it Permissible to Deceive a People?”

Andreja Novakovic is an Associate Professor in Philosophy at UC Berkeley, is affiliated with the Program in Critical Theory, and serves as a section editor of Philosophy Compass and as a member of the board of directors of the Internationale Hegelvereinigung.  She is currently working on a book about Hegel’s concept of experience.

Paper Abstract:
In 1780, the Prussian Academy of the Sciences put forward a controversial question for a public essay contest: “Is it useful for a people to be deceived, be it by leading it into new errors or by confirming it in those which it upholds?”  Although Hegel would have been too young to participate in the contest, he took two later opportunities to provide what would have been his answer.  In both versions of his answer, Hegel argues that it is impossible to deceive a people about its essence.  I investigate the two passages, as well their textual and historical contexts, in order to clarify what Hegel means by essence and why he thinks it impossible to deceive a people about it.  In the first passage, his argument for this conclusion emerges from his discussion of the Enlightenment project and its charge against religious faith.  In the second passage, his argument for this conclusion emerges from his reflections on the role of public opinion in political life.

About the Workshop:

This course is a workshop for discussing works in progress in moral, political, and legal theory. The workshop creates a space for students to engage directly with philosophers, political theorists, and legal scholars working on normative questions toward the goal of fostering critical thinking about concepts of value and developing analytical thinking and writing skills. Another aim is to bring together people from different disciplines and perspectives who have strong normative interests or who speak to issues philosophers and theorists should know something about.

The theme for the Fall 2023 workshop is “Current Work on the History of Political, Legal, and Moral Philosophy.”

Venue

141 Law Building

Organizer

Kadish Center for Morality, Law & Public Affairs
Website:
https://www.law.berkeley.edu/research/kadish-center-for-morality-law-public-affairs/

Events are wheelchair accessible. For disability-related accommodations, contact the organizer of the event. Advance notice is kindly requested.

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