On Process: Third Meeting of the Association for Process Thought

Schedule

12.00 -1.00 - lunch + APT meeting 

 1.00 - 2.00 - Martin Savransky (Goldsmiths College): Trust of a Held-Out Hand: William James and The Reality of the Unseen

 2.00 - 3.00 - Katie Andersen (London South Bank University): Process in action: Relational drug use.

 3.00- 3.30 - Coffee break

 3.30 - 4.30 -  John Pickering (University of Warwick): Process and Politics in the more-than-human world.

 4.30 - 5.00 -  Discussion

The Association for Process Thought (APT) was formed in January 2016. It focuses on process thought as a mode of thought that a) begins ‘in the middle’ with relations and processes, b) values experience, and c) views structures and systems of all kinds as coordinated streams of occurences. The concept of process with which the Association is concerned was given a clear articulation by Alfred North Whitehead who himself took inspiration from William James, Henri Bergson and others. However, process thought goes well beyond philosophy and is today considered a set of transdisciplinary concerns with application across and between the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. The phrase ‘process thought’ is therefore intended in a general and transdisciplinary sense which includes more specialist concerns like ‘process theory’ (which expression tends to be used within social science disciplines) and ‘process philosophy’ (which expression tends to be used within philosophy). The Association prefers the label ‘process thought’ to ‘process thinking’ despite the desirable sense of vitality conveyed by the gerund. This is because ‘process thinking’ has a different meaning as a popular approach within the study of businesses and corporations. The aim of the Association is to focus in an undogmatic way on process thought in all of its aspects. The goals of the Association are realised mainly through the organisation and support of national, international and interdisciplinary events (Symposia, Conferences, Workshops, Seminars etc.) as well as through other scholarly activities (publications in books and journals, scholarly travel, research projects and research programs). APT is linked to the International Process Network.

For further details, or to attend the forthcoming event, contact the current APT President, Professor Paul Stenner.