Call for Papers: Concerning Personal Identity. Starting from Derek Parfit

No. 3 (December 2018)

The bi-annual journal P.O.I. – Points of Interest invites submissions from scholars in philosophy and related disciplines for its forthcoming volume. Submissions should address the proposed theme and should conform to the criteria and terms outlined below.

In his redefinition of the concept of substance, John Locke initiated a reflection on personal identity free from the need for a metaphysically-grounded subject; in its stead, he adopted a psychological criterion based on the continuity of memory. Shortly afterwards, David Hume wrote of “bundles of perceptions” and started a tradition that is still alive in the English-speaking world. Identity, therefore, became a weak construct. Is it really important to build the self on the basis of “identity” and “self-awareness”? Is it really important then to construct selfhood on the basis of “identity” and “self-awareness”, or is this a faulty assumption? Reductionist perspectives like Derek Parfit’s, make personal identity a mere means for preserving one’s psychological continuity in the future. What kinds of scenarios are opened by Parfit’s famous paradoxes? How should identity be construed when the person ceases to be a “subject”? What are the ethical consequences of this rethinking of individuality? 

We welcome submissions on all topics related to the theme. For example:

  • Identity as psychological continuity, starting from John Locke and David Hume’s critique;
  • The concept of personal identity in the psychoanalysis;
  • Contemporary theological perspectives on the concept of personhood;
  • Derek Parfit and the controversies opened by Reasons and Persons;
  • The ethical-political implications of a reductionist approach;
  • Relations between personal identity and selfhood;
  • Identity and subjectivity in the digital world.

 

Guidelines and terms for submission:

  • Submissions should be preceded by an abstract of fewer than 2000-characters, including spaces (approximately 350-400 words), which will be pre-evaluated by the editorial staff for relevance to the CfP topic.
  • The deadline for receipt of abstracts is July 15, 2018. Communication of decisions regarding the outcome of submissions will take place after that date. Authors of accepted abstracts will then have until October 30, 2018 to submit the full version of their paper (20,000-60,000-characters, including spaces; approximately 3500-10,500 words).
  • Contributions must be of original, unpublished work, and must not be under consideration by other journals.
  • Submissions in the following languages are accepted and will be considered: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish.
  • The journal employs double-blind peer review process; therefore, the author’s name and affiliation must appear only once in the paper (under the title). The full version of the paper should include an abstract (of max. 250 words, in English), and 5 keywords (in English).

Editorial guidelines can be found at the following webpage: http://poireview.com/en/editorial-guidelines/.

Submissions should be sent to the following address: redazione@poireview.com