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Artificial by Nature

Philosophy of Life and the Life Sciences and Helmuth Plessner’s Philosophical Anthropology

IVth International Plessner Conference, Erasmus University, Rotterdam.

Wed. 16-Fr. 18 September, 2009

Getting around

From Schiphol Airport to Rotterdam

Some of you will fly to and from Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam). The easiest way to travel between the airport and Rotterdam (Central Station) is by train. The train leaves about three times per hour and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes.

Schiphol Station is situated directly below the airport. Train tickets for domestic travel are available from the yellow ticket machines near the platforms at Schiphol Plaza. Tickets (for domestic and international travel) are also available from the ticket offices, which are situated close to the red/white-checked cube at Schiphol Plaza. Staff at the ticket offices will also be able to provide you with train departure information, or you can check the yellow train schedule boards in the hall. You can check the train schedule and prices at www.ns.nl.

From Rotterdam Airport to Rotterdam

If you fly to Rotterdam Airport, you can use the Airport Shuttle between the airport and Rotterdam Central Station. This shuttle leaves about every ten minutes and takes approximately 20 minutes. For traveling on this bus, it is possible to use the national 'strippen' card as means of payment. These are available for purchase at the AKO Shop at Rotterdam Airport. An ordinary bus ticket can also be bought directly from the bus driver. For more information visit www.rotterdam-airport.nl/en/Homepage.

From Rotterdam Central Station to the hotel area

The best station to get out of the train is Rotterdam Central Station, from here the walk to the area in which the recommended hotels are situated will take about 10-15 minutes. Taking a taxi will cost you at the most €10,-. You could also take tram 7 in the direction of ‘Willemsplein’, using the metro is not recommended for this route because then you will take a detour.

Public transport in Rotterdam

Rotterdam has an extensive network of public transportation. The tram and metro can take you to our conference location and hotels easily and quickly. The metro is the fastest way tot get around, they also ride a bit more frequently than the trams.

The best way of paying for tram and metro is by OV Chipcard (if you use the metro this is the only way to pay! On a tram you can also use the ‘strippen’ card). It is advisable to purchase an OV chipcard card for two or three days, which enables you to travel across the city unlimited. These cards are available at the RET Office at Rotterdam Central Station.

You will reach the Erasmus University campus (called Woudestein) from the city center by taking tram 21 in the direction of De Esch or tram 7 in the direction of Woudestein. Get off at the stop called Woudestein.

To get there by metro, use the Calandlijn (red line) in directions Capelle a/d IJssel, Ommoord or Nesselande (East) to the stop called Kralingse Zoom. You can recognize the university at the seventeen story building with the ‘Erasmus’ logo at the top, a walk to the campus from the metro station will take about ten minutes.

(There are two metro lines, one runs from north to south called ‘Erasmuslijn’ (blue line) and one from east to west called ‘Callandlijn’ (red line). They cross each other at metro station Blaak).

NOTE: Of course, most people on the street can give you directions towards the Erasmus University, but please note that the university has two campuses in two different parts of the city. You will only visit the campus called Woudestein, so don’t let anyone send you to the campus Hoboken!

Rotterdam, a bird’s eye view

(Click here to get a high resolution copy)

Venue

The conference will take place at the conference centre of the Erasmus University at the Campus Woudestein
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Campus Woudestein
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
Building M

(Click here to get a high resolution copy)

Rotterdam, city centre

(Click here to get a high resolution copy)

You can download a flyer with city-map here.

Hotel accommodation

The invited speakers will be hosted at the Hotel Bazar.
Hotel Bazar is probably one of the most unusual hotels in Rotterdam. With just 27 rooms decorated in oriental, African and South American style, and situated above the celebrated Wereldeethuis Bazar, where also the conference dinner will take place, the hotel has an intimate atmosphere. Its central position and unique character make Hotel Bazar the perfect choice. Each room in Hotel Bazar has its own bathroom with shower and/or bath, colour television and mini bar. All our top floor rooms have a wide balcony with a view over the bustling Witte de Withstraat. The varied breakfast is served to you at your table in Wereldeethuis Bazar (‘wereldeethuis’ means ‘world restaurant’) and includes a thousand-holes pancake with honey, and delicious Turkish yoghurt with fresh fruit. Breakfast is available all day long! Single room from EUR 60. Double/twin room from EUR 75 to EUR 125. All prices include breakfast and VAT.

All other participants will have to make their own reservations. Close by several hotels are available, such as:

Hotel Emma *** www.hotelemma.nl
Grand Hotel Philadelphia **** www.grandhotelphiladelphia.nl
Hotel Breitner *** www.hotelbreitner.nl
Park Hotel Bilderberg **** www.bilderberg.nl/uk/hotels/parkhotel
Euro Hotel *** www.eurohotelcentrum.nl
Golden Tulip Hotel **** www.designhotelrotterdam.nl
Maritime Hotel *** www.maritimehotel.nl

Lunches and Conference Dinner

During the conference there will be a lunch buffet at the restaurant called ‘De Carrousel’ which is located in the L-building (near the conference venue) at the ground floor. The buffet is free of charge for participants and will hold sandwiches, fruit and drinks like tea, coffee and milk.

The conference dinner at Wednesday September 16 will be held at Hotel/Restaurant ‘Bazar’ in the city centre of Rotterdam in het area with recommended hotels. The address is Witte de Withstraat 16 and it is free of charge for participants.

Public Lecture sociologist Anton C. Zijderveld

In addition to the program we’d like to point out that on Thursday September 17 the sociologist Anton C. Zijderveld is giving a public lecture with the title Philosophical sociology – an oxymoron? The lecture will be given in English and is held at the Campus of Erasmus University in room LB-097 at the ground floor of the L-building (see the map of the University Campus for the location of the L-building). It will start at 19.00h. If you wish to attend this lecture it is possible to have dinner (on your own expenses) in restaurant ‘De Carrousel’, also located in the L-building.

Anton C. Zijderveld (1937) studied theology and sociology in Utrecht and the United States. He teached at the University’s of New York, Montreal and Tilburg and got his PhD at the University of Leiden. From 1985 to 2002 he was a professor at the Erasmus University and a visiting professor at Osaka and München. As recently as 2006 he got his PhD in philosophy at the Erasmus University. The main focus in his work has been on cultural sociology; in his publications the role of institutions in society plays a crucial role.

Exhibition Plessneriana

During the entire length of the conference there will be a mini-exposition of Plessneriana from the Plessner Archives in Groningen. Among other things, books, photographs and letters from Helmuth Plessner will be on display.

Conference fee

PhD/master students € 50.— per person*
Senior participants € 100.— per person*
* including conference dinner

To be paid in advance to Erasmus University Rotterdam, Faculty of Philosophy
ABN AMRO accountno: 42.90.57.555
IBAN: NL27ABNA0429057555
BIC: ABNANL2A
Please mention: 6070000000/Plessner Conference

Proceedings

A selection of contributions will be published in an edited volume edited by the scientific organization committee, possibly complemented with one or two members of the Board of Scientific Advice. The Proceedings will be published as Volume 3 of International Yearbook of Philosophical Anthropology (Akademie Verlag in Berlijn, 2010, see also: www.akademie-verlag.de/olb/de/1.c.325876.de). Further contributions can be submitted to: ‘[mensch] Internationale Zeitschrift für philosophische Anthropologie / International Journal for Philosophical Anthropology’ (see also: www.tu-dresden.de/phfis/mensch/mensch_start%20e.html) . So there are ample scientific publication outlets available.

Organization committee

  • Dr. T.M.T. Coolen, Department of Philosophy, University of Amsterdam
  • Prof. Dr. H. Ernste, Department of Human Geography, Radboud University Nijmegen
  • Prof. Dr. H.-P. Krüger, Department of Philosophy, University Potsdam
  • Prof. Dr. J. de Mul, Department of Philosophy, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Dr. Jan Gulmans, Enschede

The scientific organization committee is supported by a Board of Scientific Advice:

  • Prof. Dr. B. Accarino (Florence, Italy)
  • Prof. Dr. Cao Weidong (Bejing, China)
  • Prof. Dr. W. Eßbach (Freiburg, Germany)
  • Dr. J. Fischer (Dresden, Germany)
  • Mrs. K. Günther (Isernhagen, Germany)
  • PD Dr. H. Kämpf (Darmstadt, Germany)
  • Prof. Dr. Z. Krasnodebski (Bremen, Germany)
  • Prof. Dr. G. Lindemann (Oldenburg, Germany)
  • Prof. Dr. W. Sprondel (Tübingen, Germany)

Preceding congresses organized in cooperation with the Helmuth Plessner Association:

I. International Helmuth Plessner Congress: Helmuth Plessner - Exzentrische Positionalität [Helmuth Plessner – Eccentric Positionality] University of Freiburg, Germany, 2000.
II. International Plessner Congress: Philosophical Anthropology, Politics and Society, University of Krakow, Poland, 2003.
III. International Plessner Congress: Expressivität und Stil [Expressivity and Style] University of Florence, Italy, 2006