In this reading series, we will consider G.E.M. Anscombe in dialogue with major thinkers from the history of philosophy. Where Anscombe could have avoided such engagement (following her teacher Wittgenstein or certain trends in Anglo-Analytic philosophy) she instead regularly grappled with major figures from the canon. With each reading, we will take up Anscombe’s relation with a certain figure and a central question that she was trying to unfold through her conversation with the masters. 

This reading group will be facilitated by Terence Sweeney, Ph.D, the John and Daria Barry Foundation postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. It is cosponsored by Penn’s Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society.

Schedule & Readings

Tuesday, September 21 — Plato: What is the origin of knowing
Essays: “Plato, Soul and Unity of Apperception” and “Origin of Plato’s Theory of Forms”

Tuesday, October 26 — Anselm and Aquinas: Is there unity to truth?
Essays: “Truth: Anselm or Thomas?” & “Anselm and the Unity of Truth”

Tuesday, November 30 — Spinoza: Can the human person be free?
Essay: “How can a man be free: Spinoza’s Thoughts and that of some others”

Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Registration: This reading group will meet over Zoom. It is free and open to all undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and independent scholars with an interest in Anscombe’s writing. Please click the button below to sign up and receive the Zoom information.

If you have any questions about this series, please reach out to Dr. Terence Sweeney at tsweene5@sas.upenn.edu.