Common Good
Seminar
The “Common Good” project under the auspices of the "Independent Institute of Philosophy" is launching a series of online seminars, which will be held twice a month on Fridays at 8:00 PM CET, starting from March 15, 2024. The seminars are open to the public and are not limited in number, while representing a form of work on a concept in progress that includes individual papers and their discussion. The seminars are recorded and can later be viewed at any time. Participants are also encouraged to contribute questions and comments on the chat. We’d like to think of the seminar as a form of practical “common good” in itself that recreates its own object.
Schedule:
You can join the meetings through this link.
You can join the meetings through this link.
- March 15, 8:00 PM CET - "Paradoxes of the Common Good in Plato's Republic," by Konstantin Bandurovsky.
- March 29, 8:00 PM CET - "The Crisis of Trust in Politics as a Crisis of the Concept of the Common Good," by Andrey Zheleznov.
- April 12, 8:00 PM CET - "The Flickering Common: Paradoxes of Constitutionalism," by Petr Safronov.
- April 26, 8:00 PM CET - "Ethics of Disagreement," by Galina Pokhmelkina.
Is it possible for people to construct a society where individual interests and definitions of personal benefit not only avoid conflict but also support the development of a vibrant, inclusive, and multifaceted community? Essentially, this involves exploring the feasibility of "common good," a concept traditionally tied to the notion that individual fulfillment can be attained through collective harmony. A significant contributor to the political unrest of the 2020s has been the dwindling faith in this concept of the common good. This period has been marked by diminishing confidence in political systems and democratic institutions, escalating social divides, and a surge in the appeal of authoritarian and extreme approaches to address societal issues. At the heart of this turmoil is a profound skepticism about the feasibility of even deliberating on societal models that would enable individuals to optimally achieve their personal objectives, signifying a deep-seated crisis of confidence in the notion of the common good. A potential remedy for this predicament might involve facilitating a broad-based dialogue aimed at identifying and addressing the underlying conflicts that have fueled this disillusionment with the common good.
To initiate this dialogue, our group proposes the following measures:
We extend an invitation to scholars from a broad spectrum of social sciences and humanities, including but not limited to philosophy, sociology, political science, psychology, economics, anthropology, urban studies, and conflict resolution, to contribute to this endeavor.
Our project is inclusive of various methodologies and perspectives. We are seeking contributions on a wide range of topics:
We are open to novel ideas that leverage the concept of the "common good" and welcome any additional insights, critiques, or suggestions regarding our call for participation, research directions, and themes for reports. Should you have any inquiries or proposals, please reach out to Konstantin Vladimirovich Bandurovsky at albutius@gmail.com.
Additionally, we encourage everyone to join our project's Telegram channel at https://t.me/bonum_commune.
To initiate this dialogue, our group proposes the following measures:
- Arranging ongoing public seminars to deliberate on findings and forge unified methodologies.
- Hosting a conference to facilitate a dialogue among divergent perspectives.
- Compiling a special issue (or segment) of the Palladium journal that encapsulates the insights gathered from both the seminars and the conference.
We extend an invitation to scholars from a broad spectrum of social sciences and humanities, including but not limited to philosophy, sociology, political science, psychology, economics, anthropology, urban studies, and conflict resolution, to contribute to this endeavor.
Our project is inclusive of various methodologies and perspectives. We are seeking contributions on a wide range of topics:
- exploring the concept of the common good and its historical and socio-political implementations;
- examining contemporary debates and efforts to establish communities and practices aimed at realizing the common good;
- evaluating political initiatives purportedly designed to achieve a form of the common good;
- investigating theories of antagonistic competition that negate the feasibility of attaining the common good;
- implementing the principle of the common good in educational settings to foster dialogue, consensus, collaboration, and mutual respect;
- exploring how the notion of the common good can be extended beyond human communities to include animals and the environment;
- and considering the application of the common good in relation to non-human entities like technology, the technosphere, and artificial intelligence.
We are open to novel ideas that leverage the concept of the "common good" and welcome any additional insights, critiques, or suggestions regarding our call for participation, research directions, and themes for reports. Should you have any inquiries or proposals, please reach out to Konstantin Vladimirovich Bandurovsky at albutius@gmail.com.
Additionally, we encourage everyone to join our project's Telegram channel at https://t.me/bonum_commune.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
No, we do not have a political agenda, or engage in political campaigning. The objectives of our professional, non-profit association are to assist our emigrated colleagues and to conduct joint research with scholars around the world.
As you can see from the list of the projects of our association, the scope of our research is quite broad: from historical studies that shed light on the origins of current events to interdisciplinary research in political philosophy and political theory, epistemology and sociology, bioethics and medical humanities, philosophy of science and many others.
There are no restrictions. We welcome the participation of colleagues from any country.
We conduct our activities in various languages, mainly French, Russian and English.
No, IPHI was created as an international association with the objective of cooperation between researchers from different countries. IPHI will carry out projects that touch on all areas of humanities and social sciences. The association brings together researchers from different countries. The main languages of IPHI research projects are French, Russian, English and German, but other languages are also possible.
No, it is not obligatory. Everyone is free to choose whether or not to make information about themselves public. However, for those planning to publish descriptions of their projects on our website, their name is required, as our projects are not anonymous.
We welcome participation in our events and projects and are always open to new proposals. At the same time, we do not oblige members to participate; it is their voluntary decision.
We will be delighted to hear from Ukrainian colleagues who wish to join our projects and events. We treasure the cooperation and the opportunity to look at topical issues from different angles.
We cooperate with colleagues in Russia. However, we do not publish information about them on our website to avoid exposing them to additional risks.
In the future, we will prepare separate pages in the respective languages for projects concerning Ukraine, Belarus and other countries.
Join the association
We welcome you to join the Independent Institute of Philosophy Association if you share our values of liberty, oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are eager to promote the development of critical philosophical thought, and are open to international collaboration in the social sciences and humanities.
