HPhil Seminar: April 27, 2023

The HPhil (History of Philosophy) Research Group of the Centre of Philosophy of the University of Lisbon announces the 2022/23 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, Véronique Decaix (Université Paris 1 – Panthéon-Sorbonne) will present a paper entitled “Doomed to forget? Olivi on Memory, Forgetfulness and Personhood” (abstract below).

The session will take place on April 27, 2023 at 5PM, in the Room C201.J (Room Mattos Romão, Department of Philosophy). The entrance is free.

Abstract

This talk investigates on the nature personal memory. At stake is whether separated souls are able to remember their temporal life in the afterlife and reappropriate their past actions. This question raises the issue of the definition of the subject through its reflexivity, as well as the problem of the basis of morality, the possibility of punishment of sins through the ascription of the fault. The focus will be on the question 44 of the second book of John Olivi’s Commentary on the Sentences of Peter: “Can demons learn or forget anything?” (“Queritur an demones possint aliquid addiscere et oblivisci”) [1] Olivi proposes a radical conception of oblivion by showing its necessary and salvific function for the psychic life of intellectual creatures. Memory is explained as a force of reflection that allows one to revive one’s own past acts and to reattribute them to oneself in the first person. In this respect, we will establish a comparison with Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure to highlight the originality of his account.

[1] Peter of John Olivi, Summa quaestionum in Secundum librum Sententiarum, qu. 44, ed. B. Jansen, Roma, Quaracchi, 1922, pp. 683-763.