Aristotle Today – Aristoteles Heute – Aristote aujourd’ hui

The year 2016 marks the 2400th anniversary of Aristotle’s birth. To celebrate this event, the Center for Historical Ontology (Heidelberg-Helsinki-Leuven) has initiated a series of international conferences on the historical impact of Aristotelian philosophy entitled Aristotle Today – Aristoteles Heute – Aristote aujourd‘ hui.

The conference series aims to provide a comprehensive portrayal of Aristotelian philosophy and its effects on culture and thought through the ages. Throughout the year, symposia in ten different locations - Heidelberg, Leuven, Padua, Paris, Helsinki, Lisbon, Notre Dame (Indiana), Moscow, Córdoba und Athens – will each consider Aristotle’s ideas and legacy from a specific thematic viewpoint in order to contribute to a nuanced overall picture.

The series opened in Heidelberg with an international symposium entitled Die aristotelische Philosophie im antiken Kontext (Aristotelian Philosophy in its Ancient Context), organized jointly by the Department of Philosophy of the University of Heidelberg and the Center for Historical Ontology. The conference, made possible in part through the generous support of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, the Stadt-Heidelberg-Stiftung and the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences, was held in the International Academic Forum Heidelberg from January 7-9, 2016.

PD Dr. Jan-Ivar Lindén is the international coordinator of the series and Prof. Dr. Peter König is responsible for the Heidelberg meeting.

During the symposium, a virtual exhibition of artifacts held by the Heidelberg University Library, the Library of the Department of Philosophy and the Ancient History and Classical Studies Collection of the University of Heidelberg will be open. The exhibition, curated by Peter König, Jan-Ivar Lindén and Universitaetsbibliothek Heidelberg illustrates key stages in the history of Aristotelian philosophy and its study.