Paper on Uexküll translation presented in Castiglioncello

Saturday June 8th I presented my paper (co-written with Jonathan Beever) “Uexküll in Translation: “Darwin and the English Morality”” at the 13th gathering in biosemiotics in Castiglioncello, Italy. 30 people or so where present on the last day of the conference. I attended the whole conference (June 5-8).

Gallbladder removal not obstructing participation at Gathering in Biosemiotics

In March (and April) I went through some health problems initiated by the appearance and subsequent removal of a gallstone. Being in London at the time, I was admitted to Westminster and Chelsea Hospital - where the gallstone was removed - for 4 days, and then to a Norwegian hospital, in Drammen, for a further 2 days, after I experienced internal bleeding (and passed out while on a train toilet - thus falling to the floor, something that caused a rupture of sorts in my ribs) as a complication the day after the procedure that removed the stone. Since then it has been clear that I should have my gallbladder removed.

A couple of days back I was notified about date of surgery: June 7th. This would imply that I would have to cancel my participation at the 13th Gathering in Biosemiotics, to be arranged in Castiglioncello, Italy, June 4-8. However, I was luckily able to reschedule to another date - June 19th, so that I will still be able to be present in Italy this summer.

See also:

CFP: Gatherings in Biosemiotics 13 (Castiglioncello - Livorno, Italy, June 4-8 2013)

Abstract for 13th Gathering in biosemiotics: "Uexküll in translation: "Darwin and the English morality""

Abstract for 13th Gathering in Biosemiotics: "Uexküll in translation: "Darwin and the English Morality""

A few days ago I was notified that the Advisory Board of the International Society for Biosemiotic Studies has accepted the abstract "Uexküll in translation: "Darwin and the English Morality"" for an oral presentation at this summer's Gathering in Biosemiotics (Castiglioncello, Italy, June 4-8). Jonathan Beever and myself are the authors or the paper, which will be presented by me.

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UEXKÜLL IN TRANSLATION: ”DARWIN AND THE ENGLISH MORALITY”

Tønnessen, Morten¹ and Beever, Jonathan² (to be presented by Morten Tønnessen)

¹ Department of Health Studies, University of Stavanger (Norway)

² Department of Philosophy and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University (USA)

This presentation will include excerpts from “Darwin and the English Morality”, an English translation of an essay written by Jakob von Uexküll and published in its original form as “Darwin und die englische Moral“ in 1917 (Deutsche Rundschau 173: 215-242). The English translation, which has been conducted by Morten Tønnessen supported by English language editing by Jonathan Beever, is forthcoming in Biosemiotics along with a framing essay entitled ““Darwin und die englische Moral”: The Moral Consequences of Uexküll’s Umwelt Theory”, co-authored by Jonathan Beever and Morten Tønnessen.

Uexküll’s essay concerns the relation between German and English morality, framed by an application of his biological theory to the human cultural context. Uexküll’s 1917 critique of what he calls the “English morality”, written during World War I, points the contemporary reader toward important implications of the translation of descriptive scientific models to normative ethical theories. A key figure motivating biosemiotics, Uexküll presents here a darker side: one where his Umwelt theory seems to motivate a bio-cultural hierarchy of value and worth, where some human beings are worth more than others precisely because of the constraints of their Umwelten. The first English translation of this essay gives scholars access to Uexküll’s lines of thought, historical context, and normative interpretations. It is particularly pertinent for contemporary attempts to develop a biosemiotic ethics based, among other things, on the Umwelt theory.

Uexküll’s critique of Darwin refers to the latter’s treatment of the origin of morality in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (1871). “The source of morality”, writes Uexküll, “is, according to Darwin, precisely this feeling of sympathy, in its relation to the susceptibility for praise and blame, which initially extends only to members of one’s own tribe, then in time, after the merger of different tribes to a people, to all fellow countrymen.” He cites Darwin’s words: “Sympathy beyond the confines of man, that is, humanity to the lower animals, seems to be one of the latest moral acquisitions”. In a central passage, Uexküll then observes:

It is not, as Darwin holds, an artificial barrier that is an impediment to the extension of moral consideration to all peoples and to the lower animals. Rather, the ethics that is founded on praise and blame is itself the barrier for the extension to fellow creatures whose praise and criticism one neither hears nor takes any note of.

CFP: Gatherings in Biosemiotics 13 (Castiglioncelli - Livorno, Italy, June 4-8 2013)

Gatherings in Biosemiotics 13

Castiglioncello (Livorno), Italy, 4-8 June 2013

The Thirteenth Annual Gathering in Biosemiotics will be held in Castiglioncello (Italy) from June 4th to June 8th 2013, under the auspices of the Comune di Rosignano Marittimo and the University of Pisa in collaboration with the International Society of Biosemiotic Studies. The aim of the gathering is to provide scholars and researchers of various academic disciplines with a common platform to discuss the roles played by signs and communication in life processes.

The Scientific Advisory Committee of the 13th Gathering in Biosemiotics invites scholars and researchers from all over the world to submit their abstracts of presentations which are primarily centred on the roles and the significance of signs in life processes.

Abstracts should be 300-600 words, typed using a standard word processing format (using Times New Roman 12 point font, and setting the page size for A4). Abstracts should be submitted as single page files to the following address: abstract@biosemiotics2013.org to be received by no later than March 15th 2013. Please name the abstract file with the author's (your) surname in capital letters, for instance SEBEOK.doc. Please see http://www.biosemiotics2013.org/cfp for further details.

For early registration and any additional information, please contact info@biosemiotics2013.org.