HPhil Seminar: April 16, 2026

The HPhil (History of Philosophy) Research Group of the Centre of Philosophy of the University of Lisbon announces the 2025/26 edition of its permanent seminar on the history of philosophy, devoted to the presentation of conferences by renowned specialists while also creating opportunities to emerging scholars, aiming to promote advanced studies in groundbreaking debates and the permanent training of its academic community.

In this session of the seminar, Tinca Prunea-Bretonnet (Romanian Academy) will present a paper, entitled “How to Choose the Good and the True: Thomasius, Wolff, and the Berlin Academy on Philosophical Method”. (Abstract below)

The session will take place on April 16, 2026 at 5 p.m., in the Room 201.J (Room Mattos Romão, Department of Philosophy). Admission is free.

Streaming available here.

 

Abstract

In this talk, I examine the art of philosophizing elaborated at the Berlin Academy from the 1760s onward and argue for its autonomy among contemporary movements (such as the Popularphilosophie), as well as for its indebtedness to two earlier central figures of the German Enlightenment, namely Christian Thomasius and Christian Wolff. The talk starts by analysing the methodological standpoints of Thomasius and Wolff. It then considers the academic standpoint and shows that it combines empiricist and metaphysical theses charting a “middle-path” between sceptical and dogmatical doctrines. It contends that the academic art of philosophizing, articulated in an exemplary way in J.-B. Mérian’s thought, builds a set of eclectic methodological principles on metaphysical foundations, and remains indebted to both Thomasius’s treatment of eclectic philosophy and Wolff’s metaphysical project and methodological revisions.

 

This activity is funded by Portuguese national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the project UID/00310/2025, Centro de Filosofia da Universidade de Lisboa (https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/00310/2025).