Photo: W.F. Herrick, Democracy (1990), Public sculpture in Burlington, VT.
Event: Philosophy Research Seminar on Experimental Democracy
Date: 27 April 2023
Time: 17:30
Venue: Lecture Centre (LC), Room 118, University of Malta
Speaker: Prof. M.G. Festl, University of St Gallen, Switzerland
The Department of Philosophy will be hosting a research seminar by Prof. Michael G. Festl (University of St Gallen, Switzerland) on Thursday 27 April 2023 at 17:30. Professor Festl will speak about Experimental Democracy: An Approximation via John Dewey’s Liberalisms.
In political philosophy, John Dewey is most famous for his concept of experimental democracy. Dewey, however, does not elaborate on what he means by experiment, let alone how this concept would translate into politics. Therefore, what are the major elements of an experimental democracy along Deweyan lines? The seminar will argue that that best way to answer this question is to look at how Dewey’s own political positions – his liberalisms – changed over his long career. And that the notion of experimental democracy that thus results provides lessons for our stressed democracy.
Michael G. Festl is a permanent member of the Department of Philosophy at the University of St Gallen, Switzerland. He has been a guest researcher at Salzburg, Chicago and Melbourne. His major field of research is political philosophy, and he has published two monographs, five anthologies and numerous papers.
The seminar will be held in the Lecture Centre (LC), Room 118. It is open to staff, students and the interested public.
For further information, visit the event page or contact the Department of Philosophy Research Seminars convenor.