Whatever the relation between reasons and behavior it will be clear that research findings in the BCN-sciences indicate that interpretation and reconstruction play an important role in our reason talk. The reasons we provide to understand, explain, and justify ourselves can be seen as an attempt to interpret our behavior in broader narratives (our own, that of the audience and/or the narratives figuring in our society). Coherence in our behavior is partly created by these narratives, and mutual interpersonal understanding is greatly enhanced by shared narratives.

This raises issues about the relation of the narratives to who we are and what we do. How do our attempts to fit our behavior into acceptable narratives influence what we are and what we do? Can narratives obstruct a clear view on who we are and what we do? If so, can we pinpoint ways in which narratives and attempts to fit behavior into a narrative can be inadequate or incorrect?

This workshop invites papers that explore the relevance of narratives and reasons as intermediates between ourselves and society, with an eye on the implications for philosophical accounts of our practices of personal responsibility.

Suitable topics include:

•the relevance of narratives to understanding human action and responsibility

•self-narrative and social interaction (including inter-group interaction)

•conditions of adequacy for narratives (especially self-narratives) in relation to our practices of responsibility

•the relation between self-understanding and action

•conditions of adequacy of interpretation (e.g., how can we distinguish between an adequate reconstruction of one's reasons and confabulation?)

•how to understand the empirical findings with regard to the role of narrativity and interpretation in our everyday interactions.

Deadlines: T.B.A.

If you already know that you are interested to present a paper at this workshop you can send us a bio and/or an abstract before August 2010 (we will use this information to keep you updated, to obtain further funding and to explore options for publication).

Printversion of this CfP: WorkshopNarrativity.pdf