In the run-up to Caterina Fossi's promotion the day after, Professor Kathryn Morgan, a pre-eminent Plato scholar from the University of California - Los Angeles, will give a lecture on "Plato's Historical Imagination". It will take place on Monday, September 16, 17:30-19:00, at OMHP A0.09. Professor Morgan has submitted the following abstract for her talk:

This lecture explores the trajectory of Plato’s engagement with historical subject matter from the Menexenus to the Laws and proposes a new vision of Plato as an important player in the creation of the historical imagination. In several dialogues, we see the philosopher highlighting issues of emotional and intellectual engagement with historical narrative, modelling a vision of projection into the past, engaging also with the allure of counterfactual history and historical wishful thinking. How are we to understand this focus? I suggest that his goal is to rework sentimental attitudes to historical tradition and create a vision of ethically-informed historical research, a vision that emphasizes rational reconstruction of the past and outlines the positive philosophical purposes in which it might be deployed.

We hope to see many of you there!

Luuk Huitink, Mark Heerink