[Commlist] CFA: Philosophy and Science Fiction Conference

*CFA: Philosophy and Science Fiction Conference*

*Dates: * 2^nd  and 3^rd  July 2026, Durban, UKZN, South Africa.


Science Fiction as a literary, cinematic, and televisual genre has long 
served as a gateway to speculation about the possible course and 
consequences of scientific and technological progress. At its best, it 
presents us with a series of thought experiments about the social, 
behavioural, and existential implications of technologies of the future. 
Or it holds up a critical mirror to features of present-day society 
whilst provoking reflection on the sort of future society in which one 
would wish to live. It is unsurprising, then, that science fiction has 
long featured themes and concepts of philosophical interest. To this 
end, we invite abstracts that celebrate and explore science fiction as a 
medium for philosophical reflection (broadly construed).

Possible topics:

·      Artificial Intelligence

·      Robotics and Automation

·      Extended and/or Enhanced Cognition

·      Alien minds

·      Bodily modification

·      Afrofuturism

·      Feminist SciFi

·      Interspecies relations/communication

·      Time Travel

·      Dystopias and Utopias

·      Pandemics

·      Alternate dimensions

·      Instrumentalism and Technological Determinism

·      Science Fiction and/as Thought Experiments

·      Immortality

We welcome abstracts broadly related to Philosophy and Science Fiction. 
We will consider submissions from any school of thought, including but 
not limited to African Philosophy, Analytic Philosophy, and Continental 
Philosophy.


The conference venue will be located on or near the Howard College 
campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is open to all scholars, 
including graduate students.

The conference fee (including tea and lunches) is _R1500_. The fee for 
graduate students is _R1000_.

If you wish to be considered for inclusion in the programme, please send 
a title and abstract (between 250 and 500 words) to 
(kayleightimmer /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(kayleightimmer /at/ gmail.com)> on or before 
*Friday, 30^th  January 2026*. Notifications of acceptance will be sent 
out by Friday, 27^th  February 2026. If you have any queries at all, 
then please send them along to (gregswer /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(gregswer /at/ gmail.com)> or (kayleightimmer /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(kayleightimmer /at/ gmail.com)>.


---------------
The COMMLIST
---------------
This mailing list is a free service offered by Nico Carpentier. Please use it responsibly and wisely.
--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit http://commlist.org/
--
Before sending a posting request, please always read the guidelines at http://commlist.org/
--
To contact the mailing list manager:
Email: (nico.carpentier /at/ commlist.org)
URL: http://nicocarpentier.net
---------------