Dr. Christopher Celenza Speaks on Prolegomena for a New History of Western Thought
Dr. Christopher Celenza Speaks on Prolegomena for a New History of Western Thought
The Department of Classics and the Department of History are proud to present a lecture by Dr. Christopher Celenza of the Johns Hopkins University called "Prolegomena for a New History of Western Thought."
The abstract of the talk is as follows: Owing to assumptions that shaped the history of philosophy in the eighteenth century, significant figures and moments have traditionally fallen by the wayside in the history of Western thought. Christianity and later Platonism, among other movements, have often been accorded less attention than their importance to contemporaries warrant. Moreover, the idea of "Western" thought has come under pressure, since certain ideals and aspirations traditionally identified as "Western" have been so spectacularly unrealized that some have become doubtful about those very ideals. What, then, would a new history of Western thought look like? And why should we care? This talk will explore these questions, with attention to broader current debates in the humanities in the U.S.
Dr. Celenza is the James B. Knapp Dean and Professor of History and Classics at the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.