Scholars from around the world gathered at the University last weekend to confront the question of what it means to be a human being -- a concept called ontology.
Creston Davis, a University graduate student in the department of religious studies, began planning the conference last summer. The events lasted from Wednesday, Sept. 12 through Friday, Sept. 14 and all took place on Grounds.
The conference, which attracted students, faculty and community members, stemmed from an idea that came to Davis while reading the work of Michael Hardt, a literature professor at Duke University.
"As different traditions articulate an ontology differently," the purpose of the conference was to bring together those who support different ontologies and discuss how these ontologies relate to various political, philosophical, literary and religious issues, Davis said.
Davis said he wanted to bring a variety of viewpoints to the table for the conference.
On the first night of the conference, each guest presented a paper. The second night consisted of panel discussions about five to six people who debated ontology as it relates to certain issues, namely politics. The first night was more oriented toward religion and the second night was more about the understanding of transcendence, imminence and politics, Davis said.
Transcendence is the school of thought which believes in an infinite God who gives the world as a material gift. Everything in a transcendental world can be explained by some power outside the material world, Davis said.
In contrast, imminence is the idea that the world is an enclosed sphere which contains all that exists; in an imminent world, the world cannot be explained by anything other than itself.
Davis said viewing the world from either one of these schools of thought produces certain political beliefs and behaviors.
Religious Studies Prof. John Milbank, who was among the featured guests at the conference, primarily discussed the issue of social materialism and how it relates to religion.
"I gave a lecture supporting the idea that socialist materialism needs Christianity," said Milbank, "and that Christianity needs social materialism. The two are mutually supportive."
Other University professors participating included religious studies professors Peter Ochs and Abdul-Aziz Sachedina, as well as English Prof. Eleanor Kaufman.
Whether discussing topics from a religious, literary or philosophical perspective, Davis said the turnout rate for the conference was a success, numbering 400 people for the Friday night conference, in which University of Ljubljana professor Slavoj Zizek spoke.
"The conference articulated a new kind of paradigm for politics not reducible to Marxism nor capitalism," he said.
"It becomes clear that liberalism has not solved problems of plurality and difference, but in fact has created a homogenous view of humanity."
Davis described the sort of politics discussed at the conference as "a politics grounded in theology [that] gives you the ability to actualize a love for one's neighbor."
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