Reading Groups

Aesthetics Reading Group

Faculty Sponsor: Professor Lydia Goehr

The Columbia University Faculty-Student Aesthetics Group meets once a week (more or less) to discuss papers, chapters, themes, and topics pertaining to aesthetics, social theory, and the arts. All approaches and methods are discussed in an open and critical environment. Faculty, graduate students and visitors passing through town are welcome, though membership and attendance should be approved by Professor Lydia Goehr ([email protected]).

Critical Theory Reading Group

Faculty Sponsor: Professor Robert Gooding Williams

The Critical Theory Reading Group is devoted to Critical Theory ranging from Hegel, Marx, the earlier and later Frankfurt School to contemporary approaches. It aims at combining exegetical interpretation with systematic appropriation and thereby a critical actualization of the philosophical tradition. The group meets weekly. Faculty, students and visitors are welcome. If interested, please contact Jared Jones [email protected].

Formal Philosophy Reading Group

Faculty Sponsor: Professor Haim Gaifman

The Formal Philosophy Group (FPG) at Columbia University is a faculty-student group dedicated to the study of the relation between formal methods and general philosophical investigation. FPG holds regular meetings throughout the academic year which cover a variety of topics in mathematical/philosophical logic, foundations of probability, rational choice. A schedule of meetings can be found at FPG.

Non-western Philosophy Reading Group

Faculty Sponsor: Professor Katja Vogt

The Non-Western Philosophy Reading Group meets every semester to read and discuss a single philosophical text from a non-western tradition. For Fall 2022, the group will focus on Vasubandhu's Vimsatika-Karika (Twenty Verses on Consciousness-Only) and will meet every other Monday from 6-7pm in 302 Philosophy Hall, starting Sept 19th. In previous semesters, the group has read Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakosa, Nāgārjuna’s Vigrahavyāvartanī (The Dispeller of Disputes), Jñānaśrīmitra’s Apohaprakaraṇa (Monograph on Exclusion), Wang Yangming's Instructions for Practical Living (《传习录》）, Chapter 2 of the Zhuangzi (the “Equalizing Assessments of Things” 《齐物论》), and the Daodejing. All faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students are welcome. If interested, please direct emails to  Qian Cao ([email protected]) and Chuyu Tian ([email protected])

Philosophy of Language Reading Group

Faculty Sponsor: Assistant Professor Karen Lewis

The Philosophy of Language Reading Group meets (roughly) weekly to discuss a variety of issues in philosophy of language. All faculty and students are welcome. For more information, please contact Devin Morse, dsm[email protected].