Workshop Overview
The Metaphysics and Normativity of Functions
The concept of a function plays an important role in theories of mind, language, perception, and normativity, not to mention scientific and social theories. We invite philosophers working on these topics for a collaborative discussion on the metaphysics of functions and their normative or theoretical significance. The conference will be held at Cornell University on September 19-21, 2025, in Myron Taylor Hall L28.
Participating scholars include:
- Emad Atiq (Cornell)
- Dorit Bar-On (Connecticut)
- Matt Duncan (Rhode Island)
- William Fitzpatrick (Rochester)
- Keren Gorodeisky (Auburn)
- Sam Cherry (Cornell)
- Angela Mendelovici (Western Ontario)
- Joshua Myers (York)
- Shaun Nichols (Cornell)
- Asya Passinsky (Central European University)
- Philip Pettit (Princeton/ANU)
- Dave Shoemaker (Cornell)
- David Sobel (Syracuse)
- Willow Starr (Cornell)
- Luke Roelofs (U of Texas, Arlington)
- Lyu Zhou (Cornell)
Program
Friday, September 19th:
Location: Myron Taylor Hall L28
9:00am - Breakfast Provided
10:00am - 11:30am - Joshua Myers, "Imagination and Understanding" with comments by Angela Mendelovici
11:40am - 1:10pm - Dorit Bar-On, "On the Origins of 'Normative Meaning'" with comments by Willow Starr
1:20pm - 2:20 - Lunch Provided
2:30pm - 4:00pm - Shaun Nichols and Dave-Shoemaker, "From Function to Fit: On the 'Inappropriateness of Emotions" with comments by David Sobel
Optional Hike
Dinner on your own
Saturday, September 20th
Location: Myron Taylor Hall L28
9:00am - Breakfast Provided
10:00am - 11:30am - Asya Passinsky, "A Norm-First Account of Social Objects and Their Functions" with comments by Emad Atiq
11:40am - 1:10pm - Philip Pettit, "Function and resilience: explanatory and normative connections" with comments by William FitzPatrick
1:20pm - 2:20 - Lunch Provided
2:30pm - 4:00pm - Keren Gorodeisky, "Emotional Agency" with comments by Lyu Zhou
Cocktail Hour and Dinner
Sunday, September 21st
Location: Myron Taylor Hall L28
9:00am - Breakfast Provided
10:00am - 11:30am - Luke Roelofs, "What you do with it determines what it is: Empathy and other functions of imagination" with comments by Sam Cherry
11:40am - 1:10pm - Matt Duncan, "The Function of Acquaintance" with comments by TBD
1:20pm - 2:20 - Lunch Provided
Registration
The 3 day workshop will be conducted in-person on September 19th - 21st on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, NY. Please use the link provided below to fill in the registration form.
Click HERE to Register for the Cornell Workshop on Mind and Value IV.
Registered attendees should book their accommodations as soon as possible. September is a busy month in the Ithaca area and rooms will book up quickly.
In case you have already registered and need to cancel your registration, please let us know at: cwmindandvalue@gmail.com
Travel and Accommodations
Travel
Ithaca is served by the local Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, four miles from Cornell campus, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York, which is about an hour away from Ithaca. American Airlines (from Philadelphia), Delta (from Detroit and JFK), and United (from DC-Dulles) all serve Ithaca Airport, with a wider set of options flying into Syracuse.
Ithaca is about 250 miles from New York City as well as Newark, NJ. If you are in the New York city area, you might consider taking one of the many busses from New York City to Ithaca downtown, which is about a 4 hour trip. Cornell’s Campus-to-Campus Express (1.607.254.8747) picks up in midtown and provides comfortable seating, internet, power outlets, reading lights, complimentary beverages, and snacks. Advance reservations are needed, however.
Accommodation
We strongly advise you to book hotels or AirBnBs as soon as possible, given that rooms in Ithaca are in high demand during late summer. Hotels will fill up fast. AirBnB is always an option as well. If you have difficulty finding accommodation, please let us know and we will do our best to assist.
Local hotels include:
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Canopy
Hotel Ithaca
Marriott
William Henry Miller Inn
Workshop Events and Area Information
The Workshop will include several social events, including a cocktail hour, a closing dinner and a local hike. These events are all optional. Please check back for further details.
Ithaca has good restaurants, excellent bars and cafes, as well as stunning natural beauty. Below, we list some local options for dining and travel that we recommend.
Restaurants
Restaurants with good vegetarian / vegan options marked with a star
- Gola Osteria (Italian)*
- New Delhi Diamond (Indian)*
- Moosewood (Vegetarian exclusive)*
Cafés
- Collegetown Bagels (multiple locations)
- Gimme Coffee
- Ithaca Coffee Company
Bars
Trails, Waterfalls, Vineyards
Ithaca boasts over 150 waterfalls within a 10 mile radius and stunning gorges carved out by glaciers during the last ice age. There are several short and doable hikes right on campus, with breathtaking views, including the Cascadilla Gorge Trail (connects downtown to the Law School) and the trail from Triphammer falls (near the art museum) to Beebe Lake.
Fantastic hikes within driving distance include the trails at Robert Treman State Park, Buttermilk Falls State Park, and Taughannock Falls State Park.
For a map of local vineyards, see here