Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: a historical meeting of the minds.

Philosophers, politicians, scientists, and teachers are among the many who have continually debated the merits of applying old solutions and methods to new problems. But whatever the given idea or ideology, the very recurrence of such perennial discussions already indicates a certain truth: the need for mutual discourse, clear communication, and living dialogue in dealing with present dilemmas is something that is integral to the enrichment and education of all human beings in all cultures and epochs.

On August 10-16, 1998, many of the world's best minds will convene in one place in order to devote themselves to continuing the ongoing debates and dialogues which have shaped and informed our century and even our millenium. The city of Boston, Massachusetts, will play host to the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, the main theme of which will be "Paideia: Philosophy Educating Humanity."

This international gathering -- a promising banquet of ideas and discourse, the effects of which will no doubt reverberate like ripples down the Charles River or across Walden Pond -- aims at bridging the interests of philosophers with those of other educators in both general and specialized fields. Hailing from places as diverse as Moscow and Mexico, India and Indiana, British Columbia and Beijing, these scholars will discuss such topics as technology, religion, medical ethics, economics, gender studies, cognitive science, politics, literature, the environment, mathematics, and law. With an expected attendance of nearly 5,000 participants, this major event will constitute the largest and most diverse assembly of philosophers and educators ever held.

The history of philosophy has presented us with glimpses of thinkers who have studied together and dialogued in terms of both schools and common approaches. But the organization of official associations of thinkers and scholars -- those who could work together on common issues and problems -- do not realty develop until the beginning of the twentieth.

World congresses of philosophy, traditionally organized since 1948 under the aegis of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP), have taken place, on average,every five years throughout this century. The only previous time one was, held in the United States was in 1926, when noted American philosopher William Ernest Hocking of Harvard University welcomed a large audience of international philosophers to Boston. This year, the local institutions sponsoring the congess include Boston College, Boston University, Brown University, Suffolk University, the University of Massachusetts, and Wellesley College.

Organizers of this year's congress promise a "melting pot" of different philosophers and philosophies. "What strikes me as particularly worrisome in many areas of philosophical activity is the relative lack of relevance, even the refusal of relevance in the face of the fundamental social, economic, political ethical, and technological problems which confront us today," says organizer Venant Cauchy, honorary president of FISP. "The relative impotence or inability to cope significantly with the issues, the tendency to view philosophy as a game or a mere formal exercise, is very worrisome indeed."

Congress Cochair Jaakko Hintikka, who is also vice-president of FISP and editor of the philosophical journal Synthese, concurs in regard to this issue of philosophy's recognition of its own signifinance. "This is a question of the function and usefulness of philosophy for different academic disciplines and walks of fife in general. The problem is with philosophy and philosophers.... I feel very strongly that too many philosophers have lost touch with different sciences and humanistic disciplines. This is not true without exceptions ... [but] it's a development that is very dangerous and has to be a major concern."

Congress Executive Director Alan Olson says there are many issues facing philosophy today but agrees that the central issue has to do with the identity of philosophy itself. Olson says, "Richard Rorty, as it is well known, announced the 'end' of philosophy about ten years ago. Many scholars simply sloughed this off as playing to the galleries. But the question has not been met with any real seriousness and it deserves attention -- especially during a time of `downsizing' wherein some departments of philosophy are actually being eliminated." He also worries that philosophy has become so spealized that philosophers have difficulty speaking with each other, to say nothing of engaging in meaningful discourse with nonphilosophers. "We intend to correct this parochialism," Olson says, "by providing an international venue whereby academics can freely interact with peers and colleagues from all over the world -- especially non-Western philosophers."

The international venue also will make it possible to discuss why philosophy receives such scant attention in America. "Why isn't philosophy taught in our public schools?' wonders Olson. "There are exception, of course, but ... we are unique amongst civilized countries in this lack of representation."

The theme of the upcoming congress, which focuses on the interrelationship between philosophy and education, is crucial in an age that often views education as both a major challenge and one of the few solutions to current world problems. Hintikka, who first proposed the theme of paideia, says education is one of the various "anchors" that can help in stabilizing a successful dialogue between philosophical issues and the realities which provoke questions in other domains. "Philosophers of different persuasions might have different ideas and it's important to create a dialogue and interchange of ideas between them," he says. "But whatever these ideas and ideals are, the only way that philosophers qua philosophers have of implementing them is by way of education. There are no philosopher-kings and no philosopher-prime ministers in the world today. Whatever we want to accomplish in this world, the best we can hope to do realistically is as educators."

Cauchy says the changes which must be brought about to cope with the difficult problems confronting us as persons and societies require new approaches to education. "If radical adjustments are not effected, if our children are brought up as pure egotists -- forgetful of the plight of vast hordes of people throughout the world, and even in our own affluent nations -- if economic, social, political perspectives are not revised to harmonize with what it means to be fully human, then there is little hope for humanity. And that, in my view, is the challenge and urgency of the Boston theme."

The Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy also plans to be au courant in terms of the high-tech world in which we find ourselves. Plans are underway not only for roundtable discussions on such topics as computer ethics and the use of computer technology in teaching philosophy but also for a "cybercafe" offering the latest cyber-buzz. Olson explains, "Many American philosophers are among the international leaders exploring ethical and moral issues related to technology, and many of the leading figures in high technology and the communications industry have philosophy backgrounds. Therefore, one of the primary tasks of the congress will be to provide a venue for a sustained discussion of the philosophical implications of modern communications technology, especially as it concerns the World Wide Web." If all goes according to plan, the cybercafe "should be one of the highlights of the twentieth world congress," he adds. "Obviously such an endeavor is particularly appropriate in the United States."

Congress Cochair Robert Neville says this congress will be different from others in at least two additional ways: "One is the special emphasis the program committee has taken on setting up invited panels and lectures in order to shape the quality of the overall conversation. This is one way of guaranteeing excellence in the program. Another special emphasis is the inclusion of Asian as well as European philosophers." Neville believes the greatest weakness of previous congresses has been the overwhelming orientation of the conversation toward European philosophical discourse.

The geographic location of the congress presents other possibilities and challenges. As Cauchy puts it, "It is held in the United States, which the rest of the world looks up to, but more often than not for the wrong reasons -- a country which finds itself without rivals in terms of power and affluence, and which is sorely tempted to behave (politically, economically, and otherwise) according to the same old patterns (neo-colonialist, imperialistic, and so forth). What are the values that stand out in American policy toward its own disadvantaged populations and toward the rest of the world? Are they fully human values, those values the acquisition of which should motivate education?'

Yet, Olson is confident in meeting the challenges: "As the Twentieth World Congress is the final congress of the century, and since this marks only the second time the congress has met in America, our challenge is to develop a program that can be a kind of philosophical capstone to the American century." As such, he says, American philosophers will have the opportunity "to put their best foot forward."

Organizers agree that the congress should not only serve as an occasion for reflection on the major issues and problems of the past century but that it should play a role in presenting new ideas and possible solutions for the new century and millennium. Philosophical issues -- like political dilemmas, psychological problems, religious conflicts, and cultural misunderstandings -- require that certain parties come together and forge new perspectives. As Hintikka points out, these novel and critical perspectives may be able to integrate and resolve the tensions between and among older viewpoints.

When asked for a prediction as to where the philosophical world is heading, Hintikka responded with an anecdote: My answer to that is the old story of the jazz musician who was asked where he thinks that jazz is going. He said, `Man, if I knew where jazz was going, I would be there already." . . . It seems to me that, to a large extent, the leading ideas that have guided the discussion in the last half century have really outgrown their usefulness. . . . I think we have to go back to the original sources and see what is right and what is wrong in those original ideas."

Kevin L. Stoehr is coordinator of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy's American Organizing Committee. For more information, visit its website at web.bu.edu/WCP or contact the committee at 745 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215,;[phone];fax [phone];[e-mail].