Nicholas of Cusa and the Metaphor(s) of Light
One recurring and central theme in the oeuvre of Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464) is the motive of light. While scholars have been examining in great detail and depth the history and significance of this motive, it is still up for debate which role(s) light plays in Nichola’s work. Blurring established disciplinary boundaries, engagements with the subject of light call into question traditional distinctions: Is light a metaphor, a concept, a notion, a model, or something that cannot be grasped properly by deploying our scientific categories? How should we describe, understand and appreciate Nicholas’ contribution to the history of speculative engagements with light? What are the afterlives and repercussions of his ideas regarding light? These are only three examples for questions on which contributions to this Tagung may revolve.
The 11th Juncusaner Tagung will take place from Wednesday, September 11 to Friday, September 13, 2024 at the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna (Italy), with the sponsorship of the Società Cusaniana Italiana and the Kueser Akademie für Europäische Geistesgeschichte. Attendance will be possible both in presence and at a distance (a hybrid option will be available)
Taking Nichola’s usage of light as a point of departure, this Tagung aims to explicate a plethora of different perspectives which all find their center of gravity in Nicholas’ multilayered work. Being essentially transdisciplinary, the topic of light aptly intertwines religious, philosophical, historical, and aesthetical approaches.
All young students and researchers – graduate (B.A. and M.A.) and Ph.D. students, and Postdoctoral researchers (if you have not been graduated more than three years ago) – are invited to submit an abstract in English (300 words max.) including a short biography by March 15, 2024. The decision will be communicated at the beginning of April. Every speech shall last 20 minutes and there will be 10 minutes left for questions. At the end of each day ca. 30 min. will be dedicated to a general discussion, in the form of a round table, on subjects tackled during the sessions.
Please indicate the language (English, German, Italian, French and Spanish are all accepted) of your presentation and also specify your preferred modality (in-person/online).
Daniel Bella (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main)
Francesco Brusori (CESR - Université ‘François Rabelais’ de Tours)
Matías Ignacio Pizzi (Universidad de Buenos Aires – CONICET)
