2025年12月17日

PAIN AND SUFFERING: DIALOGUE IN PHILOSOPHY AND THE ARTS

University of Helsinki, Finland, December 16-17, 2025. All times Finnish time (EET winter time).

Venue: University Main Building (Fabianinkatu 33), room U4062

This is a hybrid event. Zoom:

https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/62372706694?pwd=lLSESTGYxODHzyT7RCfgNhfVBLGxK8.1

Tuesday, December 16: How to Forget You

16.15 – 16.45

Coffee and refreshments

Sami Pihlström and Naoko Saito: Opening and introduction

16.45 – 19.00

Yu Sakudo, Norio Hashigaya, and Atsushi Nagao: Introducing the film, How to Forget You

Naoko Saito: Remembering and Forgetting

Yu Sakudo: Response (followed by Q&A)

Wednesday, December 17: Films, Emotions, Worldviews, and Hope

11.00 – 12.30

Raffaele Ariano: Federico Fellini’s Juliet of the Spirits as a Cavellian Melodrama of the Unknown Woman

Lauri Snellman: Wicked Problems: The Problem of Evil, Decision Theories, and Worldviews

12.30 – 14.00 Lunch break

14.00 – 15.30

Sari Kivistö and Sami Pihlström: Hope and Meliorist Philosophy of Suffering

Henrik Rydenfelt: Emotional Responses as Interpretants

15.30 – 16.00 Break

16.00 – 17.45

Emma Williams: Ministering to a Mind Diseased? (online)

Paul Standish: Wittgenstein, Private Language and Pain

Naoko Saito and Sami Pihlström: Closing remarks

The workshop is co-organized by Professor Naoko Saito (Kyoto University) and the research project, Secular Theodicies – a Pragmatist Critique (PI Sami Pihlström), funded by the Research Council of Finland and hosted by the Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki. It is also a special event within the open pragmatism seminar, Metaphysical Club 2.0.

Further information:

Dr. Lauri Snellman, lauri.jo.snellman@helsinki.fi

Prof. Sami Pihlström, sami.pihlstrom@helsinki.