PHYSIS. FROM ELEMENTARY PARTICLES TO HUMAN NATURE

Under the Honorary Presidency of Daniel Dennett

San Sebastian 1-6 October 2012 / Barcelona 8-9 October 2012

We live in a world of atoms, electrons, photons, neutrons, neutrinos... and now also Higgs' bosons. Notwithstanding that, the complexity of human nature still poses questions. The sequence physis-bios-lógos, which reflects the transition from inanimate matter to life and later from life to word, has triggered the interrogations of fundamental philosophy, renewed thanks to contemporary science.

Some of the observations of contemporary Physics mean a real challenge for our understanding, as they force the ideas we forged around the mechanisms and laws that rule the world, and consequently subvert our general concept of nature. Thus, Physics points itself to the Meta-physics (reflection after Physics) of our times, based on natural science, once vindicated by Heisenberg.

However, there are other disciplines that play a determinant role in the emergence of this new Philosophy of nature, like genetics or neurobiology, essential today for the attempt of answering the eternal philosophical question about human nature.

This year, the International Ontology Congress intends to tackle this problems with the help of eminent philosophers and scientists, major actors in this philosophical adventure towards which contemporary science is headed.