_6th International Conference on the Philosophy of Computer Games_ _29 – 31 January 2012 :: Madrid, Spain :: Abstracts due 1 October 2011_
The call to submit papers to the 6th International Conference on the Philosophy of Computer Games is now open. The conference theme is The Nature of Player Experience. Over the past decade, the topic of player experience has attracted attention from a multitude of disciplines and practices focusing on computer games. Accepted papers will have a clear focus on philosophy and philosophical issues in relation to computer games and will refer to specific examples from computer games rather than merely invoke them in general terms. Papers should examine the philosophical underpinnings of player experience from a variety of perspectives. Some papers may be accepted for alternative forms of presentation, such as poster sessions, workshops, or demonstrations. http://2012.gamephilosophy.org
The Body, Art and Bioethics is a symposium exploring the culture and ethics of the use and ownership of living material, from the cell to the whole body, in art, science, law and philosophy. Speakers include Dr Catherine Waldby (University of Sydney), Elizabeth Costello (writer), Dr Ethan Blue (UWA), Kathy High (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), Dr Ionat Zurr (UWA), Dr Stuart Hodgetts (UWA), Oron Catts (Director SymbioticA).
Friday 6 August, 2010. $110 (including GST) registration. Students and unwaged free.
For more info email, sym@symbiotica.uwa.edu.au
Or visit, http://www.bodyartbioethics.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/#
Sydney Opera House presents Alain de Botton, renowned philosopher, best selling author and TV presenter for an exclusive engagement, Sunday 19 April, 2009. His soon to be published book, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work will be the subject of his first talk in Australia since 2006.
Writing it saw him travel across the world for two years with a photographer in tow, looking at people in their workplaces and reflecting on the great themes of work: why do we do it? How can it be more bearable? What is a meaningful life?
With a philosophical eye and his characteristic combination of wit and wisdom, Alain leads us on a journey around a deliberately eclectic range of occupations, from rocket science to biscuit manufacture, accountancy to art – in search of what make jobs either fulfilling or soul-destroying. Here is the perfect guide to the vicious anxieties and enticing hopes thrown up by our journey through the working world.
According to Alain, his talk will “amount to a celebration and investigation of an activity as central to a good life as love – but which we often find remarkably hard to reflect on properly. Most of us are still working at jobs chosen for us by our sixteen-year-old selves.”
Exploring such diverse subjects as travel, habitat, philosophy, status anxiety in an accessible and stimulating manner De Botton, has, through his books and TV shows, become internationally famous for popularising a new approach to a ‘philosophy of everyday life’.
Tickets: $39/$29 + booking fees
Bookings: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/alaindebotton.aspx
A line-up of leading international designers and thinkers is assembling for Australia’s foremost architecture conference in April, 2009.
Parallax is this year’s Australian Institute of Architects national conference, under the creative direction of TERROIR directors Gerard Reinmuth (Sydney), Richard Blythe (Melbourne) and Scott Balmforth (Hobart).
TERROIR’s provocative program invites the profession to take a ‘parallax’ view of the conditions in which it practices, heartily fuelled by contributions from leading international designers, philosophers and cultural commentators.
Confirmed conference guest, the controversial public intellectual Slovoj Žižek (Slovenia/UK), uses parallax to refer to situations where the same thing, when viewed from two different perspectives, presents itself in two completely irreconcilable ways.
“Žižek’s confronting assertions will make us think much harder about what we are willing to believe and accept. His interrogative perspective will stir our thoughts about the choices we make as practitioners and how we determine what becomes privileged in our selections,” said Reinmuth on behalf of the creative team.
Other confirmed guests are: Aaron Betsky (USA), Tatiana Bilbao (Mexico), Sou Fujimoto (Japan), Bijoy Jain (India), Jeff Kipnis (USA) and Peter Wilson (Australia/UK/Germany).
Describing their program as the “writers festival of architecture”, the creative directors have designed six main thematic sessions – Studio, Politics, Media, Young Guns, Collaboration and The Cosmopolitan. Each is built around two key speakers exploring a specific issue, followed by a facilitated panel for extended discussion and debate. The Parallax format promises free flowing discussion with regular crossovers during the event.
“The best conferences build momentum as they unfold over a few days, as key topics emerge in response to the particular cocktail of speakers present and the opportunities they are given to unpack these topics over an extended period,” said Reinmuth.
In the 12 workshop sessions a keynote guest will discuss issues of particular local relevance of contemporary practice in conversation with an Australian speaker.
Early bird registrations: March 2nd, 2009
Parallax – 2009 National Architecture Conference
30 April – 2 May, Melbourne
architecture.com.au/parallax
More info on Žižek – http://www.ff.uni-lj.si/oddelki/filo/english/staff/zizeka.htm
Žižek’s Facebook page: – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavoj-Zizek/8406557479
