Death: What It Is and Why It Matters

University of York: 17-18 July 2008

A two-day conference on the nature and significance of death, organised by the philosophy departments of the Open University and the University of York, is to be held on the Heslington campus of the latter on 17-18 July 2009.

Questions about death include the ethical (Is killing wrong? Should abortion and euthanasia be permitted?); the axiological (Is it bad to die? Which deaths are worse?); and the metaphysical (What is death? Do the dead exist?) Although the ethical questions have, in recent years, been very much discussed, the underlying issues in value and theory have received considerably less attention. Yet these issues are far from settled. Scientific advances are continuing to raise questions about what constitutes death, while both science and science fiction suggest novel possibilities for postponing it. Evolving theories of personhood and personal identity are prompting new questions about the importance of death, while recent work on emotion offers to throw fresh light on our responses to bereavement and to the prospect of death. This conference aims to draw together philosophers working in metaphysics, philosophy of mind and ethics to address a range of fundamental issues about the nature and significance of death.

The invited speakers are Lisa Bortolotti, Matthew Hanser, Jens Johansson, Steven Luper, Eric Olson, and David Pugmire. Paired session participants include Chris Belshaw and Steve Holland on what death is; Kathy Behrendt and Tom Cochrane on the fear of death; Havi Carel and Chris Wareham on death’s badness; Tim Chappell and Mikel Burley on immortality; Patrick Stokes and Carolyn Price on grief and mourning. A small number of student bursaries are available. The closing date for registration is 20 June 2008.