By Rodrigo Ballon Villanueva & IPM Monthly Team
All that you need to know about calls, jobs, conferences, meetings, and much more. Every month in our News and Opportunities section. And if you have any news you want to share with the wider med_phil public, reach out to us!
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By Isabel Inzunza
When you picture a medieval philosopher, what comes to mind? A stern figure bent over a candlelit desk, perhaps, meticulously ruminating on the metaphysical status of angels or the divisions of Hell. What probably doesn’t spring to mind is a figure cracking a joke about clerical celibacy, or pausing an argument about the existence of God for a wink and a nudge. Enter Boaz Faraday Schuman, the medievalist who insists that the Middle Ages weren’t all fire and brimstone and syllogistic logic—they were also surprisingly funny.
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By Sarah Virgi
How is artificial intelligence reshaping the way we think, create, and engage with ideas? How will it impact on the way in which we practice philosophy and teach it? For Martin Puchner, exploring AI and what we can do with it has become a way to ponder these questions. Initially driven by sheer curiosity, he has delved into AI’s philosophical potential, by building custom chatbots that bring historical figures like Socrates and Montaigne into interactive dialogue with modern audiences.
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By Katharina Hillmann
One of the problems with critical editions is that they often require prioritizing a single version—whether it be a particular manuscript or the editor’s own rendition—in an effort to reconstruct what is believed to be the original text. However, this approach does not accurately reflect how people historically engaged with texts, as texts were circulated in multiple versions, which served as the foundation for various commentaries and translations.
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By Mário Correia
Our monthly list of recently published books on philosophy, history, and the Middle Ages for the holiday season. Take a look to find out the latest trend in our field.
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By Rodrigo Ballon Villanueva
Tatiana began her academic career at the University of Warsaw (Poland), where she obtained a BA in French Studies (2021), a BA in Philosophy (2021), and an MA in Philosophy (2023). During the last year of her MA, Tatiana was a Research Associate at the Ian Ramsey Centre, Oxford (UK), and a Recognised Visiting Scholar at Columbia University (US).
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By Maria Pinho and Eduarda S. Machado
Since there are no festivities without a good dose of sugar, we introduce you to a very Portuguese philosophical concept: doçaria conventual. Doçaria conventual represents a rich and distinctive aspect of Portugal’s culinary heritage, steeped in history, religious symbolism, and regional variety. The origins of these traditional sweets can be traced back to the medieval period, primarily within the walls of monasteries and convents. The nuns and monks, often skilled in the art of confectionery, developed a variety of sweets using ingredients such as sugar, eggs, almonds, honey, and cinnamon – items that were both locally available and influenced by Portugal’s extensive trade networks during its imperial era.
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