“There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers,” American philosopher William James famously wrote. The history of philosophy, with its high degree of conflict and individualism, seems to back up James’s claim. On the other hand, in recent years, philosophers – and humanists in general – have moved towards a more collaborative way of thinking about the world. Technological advancements and changes in research policy are equally responsible for these developments – although one may claim that collaboration in philosophy is as old as philosophy itself. Once the prerogative of natural sciences, research teams and labs have now colonized the humanities too, including philosophy. At the same time, as philosophy has grown more and more networked, networks have become the subject of philosophical investigation.

Networks of Philosophy, Philosophy of Networks is a virtual seminar that explores these dynamics. Furthermore, it is an introductory event for philosophers with an interest in network analysis. Networks experts Randall Collins and Kevin Zollman will discuss how collaboration has shaped the history of philosophy (and related disciplines) and how social epistemology can help us understand the functioning of networks.

Recordings