Normativity & Praxis: Łódź 12.-14.11.2026

The Genealogy of Post-Metaphysical Thinking: The Question of the Foundations of Normativity in Light of Jürgen Habermas's Work “Also a History of Philosophy”

Łódź, November 12–14, 2026

Jürgen Habermas's genealogical analysis of post-metaphysical thinking reveals that certain fundamental aspects of our modern worldview and perception of the human condition have deep religious roots. This is particularly evident in our thinking about the foundations of normativity—the binding force that makes us obey norms and legal regulations despite the secularization of our thinking and worldview. As long as norms derived their binding power from the sacred, obeying them was, in a sense, a matter of course, as this ensured their validity. With the secularization of thought, the source of this binding power becomes particularly significant.

In connection with the Polish translation of Habermas's work Auch eine Geschichte der Philosophie being prepared by the University of Łódź Press, the Department of Ethics and Aesthetics at the University of Łódź's Institute of Philosophy and the Łódź Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences are organizing an international conference entitled "The Genealogy of Post-Metaphysical Thinking: The Question of the Foundations of Normativity in Light of Jürgen Habermas's Work ‘Auch eine Geschichte der Philosophie’” on November 12–14, 2026. November 12-14, 2026. Eminent experts on Habermas's thought and commentators on the aforementioned work will be among the invited keynote speakers.

The conference will focus on the question of the binding nature of norms in a secularized world. We will also focus on the path reconstructed by Jürgen Habermas that European philosophical thought has followed, along with the historical changes in social, political, and economic reality. This path has led to the development of the ability to listen to purely rational argumentation and to abstract norms justified by this argumentation. These norms seem to rightly claim universal validity. Another important issue is the defense and interpretation of this claim to universal legitimacy, which is not susceptible to accusations of Eurocentrism or cultural "imperialism."

We invite you to participate in the conference and submit papers addressing issues particularly important to Habermas's work, and indicated in the above description.

The conference languages will be English and German.

• University of Łódź, Department of Ethics and Aesthetics, Institute of Philosophy
• Polish Philosophical Society, Łódź Branch

andrzej.kaniowski@uni.lodz.pl