Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Network

Greetings from the Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center at Duquesne University,

We warmly invite you to attend our 44th Annual Phenomenology Symposium on “Phenomenological Encounters in Dark Times”, with Prof. Marci Shore of the University of Toronto, on March 27th.

Prof. Shore will help us to think about what resources phenomenology might offer to contemporary political debate in a time of national uncertainty and danger. From its beginnings, phenomenology has advocated for a radical devotion to searching for truth and a profound commitment to living lives of truth. And this search for truth, in Husserl himself and in later figures of the phenomenological tradition like Sartre, Patočka, and Levinas, took place amid the crises of totalitarianism in Europe in the first half of the twentieth century.

Prof. Shore has written three significant books: Caviar and Ashes: A Warsaw Generation’s Life and Death in Marxism, 1918–1968 (Yale University Press, 2006); The Taste of Ashes (Random House, 2013); and The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution (Yale University Press, 2017). She has a major forthcoming book called Pursuit of Certainty Lost: Central European Encounters on the Way to Truth. In addition, Prof. Shore has written for The New Yorker, Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

On Friday, March 27th at 2 p.m. in Duquesne’s Gumberg Library Flex Spaces 1 and 2, Prof. Shore will lecture on “Is there an Antidote to Post-Truth? Phenomenology and Dissent.” This lecture is open to anyone who is interested. The lecture is in person, and we will also stream it on Zoom.

To register for the lecture, please go to duq.edu/phenomenology-symposium. We will send a link to the stream of the lecture to all who register.

We hope you can join us for this exciting lecture by Prof. Marci Shore!!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey McCurry

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
• Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
• Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
• Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
• Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
• Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
• Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
• Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
• Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
• Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
• Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
• Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
• Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
• May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
• May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
• Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
• Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
• Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
• Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
• Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
• Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
• Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
• Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
• Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
• Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
• Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
• Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
• May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
• May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
• Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
• Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
• Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
• Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
• Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
• Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
• Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
• Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
• Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
• Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
• Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
• Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
• May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
• May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
• Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
• Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
• Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
• Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
• Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
• Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
• Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
• Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
• Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
• Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
• Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
• Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
• May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
• May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
• Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
• Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
• Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
• Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
• Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
• Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
• Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
• Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
• Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
• Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
• Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
• Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
• May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
• May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
• 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
• 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
• 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
• 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
• 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
• 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
• 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
• 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
• 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
• 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
• 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
• 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
• 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
• 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
• 11/25 – No Meeting
• 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
• 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
• 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
• 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
• 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
• 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
• 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
• 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
• 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
• 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
• 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
• 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
• 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
• 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
• 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
• 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
• 11/25 – No Meeting
• 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
• 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
• 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
• 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
• 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
• 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
• 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
• 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
• 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
• 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
• 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
• 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
• 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
• 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
• 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
• 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
• 11/25 – No Meeting
• 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
• 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

• 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
• 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
• 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
• 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
• 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
• 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
• 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
• 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
• 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
• 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
• 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
• 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
• 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
• 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
• 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
• 11/25 – No Meeting
• 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
• 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE