Emotions, Empathy, and Normativity Workshop

The workshop’s main aim is to explore the different possible relations between emotions, empathy, and normativity. As of late, there has been a growing literature on the relation between emotions and morality, with a particular focus on emotional reasons and motivational aspects of morality. However, the focus on the possible connections between emotions and different forms of normativity (being it in what regards practical reasons, practical reasoning, epistemic reasons, epistemic reasons for practical reasoning, normative beliefs, value, etc.) have not received nearly as much attention. And while the literature does address the relevance of emotions to a certain extent, the possible relevance of empathy and its relation to normativity has received almost no attention. The possible connections between empathy and normativity are due a proper exploration given the obvious relation between empathy and emotions, and the arguments more recently put forward that empathy can help us understand/know others better.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Carla Bagnoli, William FitzPatrick, Karsten Stueber

Programme

Thursday, December 14

9:45–10:00 Welcome and initial remarks

10:00–11:10 Carla Bagnoli (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia), “Rational Hope and Moral Disorientation”

11:10–11:20 Coffee Break

11:20–12:30 John Eriksson (University of Gothenburg), “Explaining Normativity: Emotions and Emotional Presentationalism”

12:30–14:00 Lunch Break

14:00–15:10 Sarah Vernallis (University of California, Berkeley), “To Value Understanding and Respect, Limit Empathy”

15:10–15:20 Coffee Break

15:20–16:30 William FitzPatrick (University of Rochester), “A Central Epistemic Role for Emotions in Metaphysically-Grounded Non-Naturalist Realism” (Online)

Friday, December 15

10:00–11:10 Monika Betzler (LMU Munich), “Affective Empathy as a Normative Capacity” (Online)

11:10–11:20 Coffee Break

11:20–12:30 Eli Pitcovski (Tel-Hai College), “The Toothless Bark of Hate (and Other Attitudes)”

12:30–14:00 Lunch Break

14:00–15:10 Diogo Carneiro (NOVA University Lisbon), “Evaluating reasons of justice: the normative relevance of imaginative perspective-taking”

15:10–15:20 Coffee Break

15:20–16:30 Karsten Stueber (College of the Holy Cross), “Social Cooperation, Our Moralizing Nature, and the Moral Stance”

To join the session on Zoom, please register in advance here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Those interested in attending the Workshop dinner on Thursday, should contact Diogo Carneiro at diogocarneiro@fcsh.unl.pt as soon as possible.