We are delighted to invite you to attend a significant upcoming event celebrating the 100th anniversary of Alfred North Whitehead’s arrival at Harvard University. This conference, “A Century of Process Thought: Commemorating Whitehead’s Legacy at Harvard and Beyond,” will take place on Friday, September 27th, 2024, at Harvard’s historic Emerson Hall.
Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) was a pioneering English mathematician and philosopher whose tenure at Harvard (1924-1937) marked a pivotal phase in the development of process philosophy. His innovative ideas have permeated a diverse array of disciplines—including ecology, theology, education, physics, biology, economics, and psychology—and have significantly influenced scholars worldwide, including those in China.
This centenary conference aims to honor Whitehead’s profound interdisciplinary impact and his enduring legacy. We will explore the development of his thought during his Harvard period, the contributions of his Chinese disciples, the broader dialogue between his philosophy and Chinese intellectual traditions, and the future of process philosophy. The event promises a rich program of scholarly presentations and discussions, fostering international collaboration and revitalizing interest in process philosophy.
We are pleased to offer this event free of charge for both in-person and virtual attendees. Space is limited for in-personal attendance, however, so make haste and register here.
We look forward to your participation in this commemorative event, which will offer a unique platform for scholarly exchange and engagement with Whitehead’s enduring ideas.
The Center for Process Studies is proud to be collaborating with a number of exemplary organizations to put this conference on:
- Harvard Chinese Students and Scholars Association (Harvard CSSA)
- The Center for Whitehead Studies (CWS), UIC Institute of Advanced Study, China
- Whitehead Research Project (WRP)
- Boston School of Modern Languages (BSML)
Warm regards,
Andrew M. Davis
Dr. Andrew M. Davis is an American process philosopher, theologian, and scholar of the cosmological wonder. He is program director for the Center for Process Studies where he researches, writes, teaches, and organizes conferences on various aspects of process-relational thought. An advocate of metaphysics and meaning in a hospitable universe, he approaches philosophy as the endeavor to systematically think through what reality must be like because we are a part of it. He is author, editor, and co-editor of ten books including Mind, Value, and Cosmos: On the Relational Nature of Ultimacy; Process Cosmology: New Integrations in Science and Philosophy; and Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology. Follow his work at andrewmdavis.info