David Smith presents at Central European University

David Livingstone Smith
David Livingstone Smith

David Livingstone Smith, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, spoke at an international, interdisciplinary conference held April 6-8, 2016 in Budapest, Hungary.

The conference, titled “Dehumanization: New Approaches to Understanding the Politics of Human Nature” brought together historians, scientists, philosophers and artists to discuss the concept of dehumanization. By bringing together these four disciplines, the conference organizers sought to foster a constructive dialog. Specifically, the conference focused on the modern era and how the animal/human divide has been used to dehumanize or rehumanize people in science, society and art from the 18th century onwards.

Smith’s talk, titled “Keeping them in their (proper) place: dehumanization as metaphysical boundary policing," described his most recent research in the topic.