International Balzan Foundation

International Symposium

The School of Athens, 1509-1511, Raffaello Sanzio, fresco – detail, Vatican

TRUTH in the Humanities, Science, and Religion

May 16 – 17, 2008

LuganoUniversità della Svizzera italiana

Auditoriumvia Giuseppe Buffi 13

The symposium is free,but registration is necessary due to limited seating

under the aegis of

TRUTHin the Humanities, Science and Religion

The question of what we mean by “the truth” is central to many areas of contemporary debate, whether between those who seek fundamental truth in religious texts and those who subscribe to a post-enlightenment view of the world, or be-tween the view that there are absolute truths and those who believe facts to be social constructs.The Symposium, attended by scholars with various scientifi c and religious backgrounds, will address these and many oth-er related questions. The perspectives of philosophy, religion, mathematics, cosmology, life sciences, history and sociology will be represented. The outcome will be a new dialogue and synthesis that will lead to a better mutual understanding of what are all too often seen as irreconcilable points of view.

ProgrammeFriday, May 16

11:00 a.m. Opening Session Addresses of Welcome:

Greetings from Giorgio Giudici, Mayor of LuganoPiero Martinoli, President of the University of Lugano Bruno Bottai, Chairman of the Board of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation

Introduction and Chair: Sergio Romano, Chairman of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation

Keynote Lecture: Truth and Ourselves: the Elusive Last Word Simon Blackburn, Cambridge

1:30 p.m. Philosophy SessionChair: Salvatore VecaSpeaker:

Emanuele Severino Truth, Contradiction, NihilismPanel: Simon Blackburn, Pascal Engel, Wolfgang Künne, Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Emanuele Severino

3:30 p.m. Mathematics – Physics – Cosmology SessionChair: Per Olof LindbladSpeakers:

Yuri Manin Truth as a Value and Duty: Lessons of MathematicsBengt Gustafsson Thoughts on Truth in Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Panel: Paolo de Bernardis, Reinhard Genzel, Bengt Gustafs-son, Kai Hauser, Yuri Manin, Martin John Rees

Saturday, May 17

8:30 a.m. Biological Sciences – Biodiversity – Sustainability SessionChair: Nicole Le Douarin Speakers:

Jean-Pierre Changeux Is the Brain the Organ of Truth?Robert McCredie May Science as Organised Scepticism

Panel: Marco Baggiolini, Jean-Pierre Changeux, Robert McCredie May

10:45 a.m. History – Social Sciences SessionChair: M.E.H. Nicolette MoutSpeakers:

Quentin Skinner Truth and Explanation in History Dominique Schnapper Cultural Relativism: Meaning and Limits

Panel: Serge Moscovici, Alberto Quadrio Curzio, DominiqueSchnapper, Quentin Skinner, Keith Thomas

2:00 p.m. Theology – Religion SessionChair: Sergio Romano Speakers:

Georges Marie Martin Cottier Faith and Truth Mohammed Arkoun Violence, the Sacred, and Regimes of Truth Geza Vermes The Truth About the Historical Jesus

Panel: Mohammed Arkoun, Jan Assmann, Georges Marie Martin Cottier, Brian Hebblethwaite, Geza Vermes

4:00 p.m. Concluding SessionChair: Enrico DeclevaSynthesis: “Truth”: Common Themes? John Richard Krebs and Simon

BlackburnClosing remarks:

Bruno Bottai and Achille Casanova

MOHAMMED ARKOUN (France) - Emeritus Professor, La Sorbonne, Paris, Senior Research Fellow and member of the Board of Governors, The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), LondonJAN ASSMANN (Germany) - Professor of Egyptology, University of HeidelbergMARCO BAGGIOLINI (Switzerland) - Director a. i. of the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), formerly President of the University of Lugano, M.D., biochemistSIMON BLACKBURN, FBA (United Kingdom) - Professor of Phi-losophy, University of CambridgeBRUNO BOTTAI (Italy) - Chairman of the Board of the International Bal-zan “Prize” Foundation, Ambassador, President of the Società Dante AlighieriACHILLE CASANOVA (Switzerland) - Chairman of the Board of the International Balzan “Fund” Foundation, formerly Vice-Chancellor of the Swiss Confederation JEAN-PIERRE CHANGEUX (France) - 2001 Balzan Prize for Cognitive Neurosciences, Professor Emeritus, Collège de France, and formerly Di-rector of the Research Unit on Receptor and Cognition, Pasteur InstituteGEORGES MARIE MARTIN Cardinal COTTIER (Switzerland) - Pro-theologian Emeritus of the Pontifi cal Household, Vatican CityPAOLO DE BERNARDIS (Italy) – 2006 Balzan Prize for Observational Astronomy and Astrophysics (with Andrew Lange), Professor of Astrophys-ics and Observational Cosmology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”ENRICO DECLEVA (Italy) - Member of the Board of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Rector of State University of Milan, Pro-fessor of Contemporary History, and member of the Council of the University of Lugano PASCAL ENGEL (Switzerland) - Professor of Modern and Contem-porary Philosophy, University of GenevaREINHARD GENZEL (Germany) - 2003 Balzan Prize for Infrared Astronomy, Director of the Max-Planck-Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and Member of the Scientifi c Board of the Max Planck Society, Member of the Board of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Hu-manities, Full Professor of Physics, University of California BerkeleyGIORGIO GIUDICI (Switzerland) - Mayor of Lugano, architectBENGT GUSTAFSSON (Sweden) - Professor of Theoretical Astro-physics, University of Uppsala, formerly counsellor of the govern-ment of SwedenKAI HAUSER (Germany) - ICREA Research Professor, University of Barcelona, mathematician and philosopherBRIAN HEBBLETHWAITE (United Kingdom) - Life Fellow of Queens’ College, Cambridge, philosopher of religionLord KREBS of Wytham, FRS (United Kingdom) - Member of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, formerly Royal Society Research Professor, University of OxfordWOLFGANG KÜNNE (Germany) - Professor of Philosophy, Univer-sity of Hamburg, full member of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and of the Academia EuropaeaNICOLE LE DOUARIN (France) - Member of the General Prize Com-mittee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Member of the In-stitut de France, Honorary Permanent Secretary of the Académie des Sciences, Honorary Professor at the Collège de FrancePER OLOF LINDBLAD (Sweden) - Vice-Chairman of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Profes-sor Emeritus of Astronomy at Stockholm University, Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The Balzan Symposia

The International Balzan Foundation is an Italian-Swiss organi-zation founded to promote culture, science and initiatives in the cause of humanity. It awards prizes for achievements in science and the humanities, world-wide and on a yearly basis. It has recently reached the milestone of one hundred prize winners. In addition, it fosters interdisciplinary debate between science and humanities by organizing Symposia devoted to basic themes of Science and Culture, and including the participation of its laure-ates.

In 1988, an international Balzan seminar on “Challenging Issues in Bioethics” was held in Venice. In 2002, a Balzan Symposium was held at the Royal Society, in London. The title was “Meeting the Challenges of the Future: A Discussion Between ‘the Two Cultures’”. The 2008 Balzan Symposium will be held at the Uni-versity of Lugano, Switzerland. It will focus on the core issue of any enquiry: “Truth”.

To confi rm your participation:

Fondazione Internazionale Balzan “Premio”piazzetta U. Giordano, 4

20122 Milano - ItaliaT. +39 02 7600 2212 - balzan@balzan.it

www.balzan.org

YURI MANIN (Russia/Germany) - Professor of Mathematics, Max-Planck-Institute for Mathematics, Trustee Chair and Professor of Mathematics, Northwestern UniversityPIERO MARTINOLI (Switzerland) - President of the University of Lugano, physicist, Professor Emeritus of the Université de Neuchâtel Lord MAY of Oxford, OM AC FRS (Australia/UK) - 1998 Balzan Prize for Biodiversity, Professor in the Department of Zoology, Oxford Uni-versity, and at Imperial College, London, Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, formerly President of the Royal Society LondonSERGE MOSCOVICI (Romania/France) - 2003 Balzan Prize for Social Psychology, Director of the European Laboratory of Social Psychology (LRE), Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, ParisM.E.H. NICOLETTE MOUT (Netherlands) - Vice-Chairperson of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Professor of Modern History and Professor of Central European Stud-ies at the University of Leiden, Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesALBERTO QUADRIO CURZIO (Italy) - Member of the Board of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Professor of Political Econom-ics and Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Fellow and Academic Secretary of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, RomeLord REES of Ludlow, PRS (United Kingdom) - 1989 Balzan Prize for High Energy Astrophysics, President of the Royal Society London, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics, University of Cambridge SERGIO ROMANO (Italy) - Chairman of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Ambassador and historianMARCELO SÁNCHEZ SORONDO (Vatican City) - Bishop, Full Professor of History of Philosophy at LUMSA University, Rome, Chancellor of the Pontifi cal Academy of Sciences DOMINIQUE SCHNAPPER (France) - 2002 Balzan Prize for Sociology, Research Director at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris, member of the French Conseil constitutionnel, soci-ologistEMANUELE SEVERINO (Italy) - Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Philosophy, University of Venice Ca’ Foscari, corresponding member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Professor of Funda-mental Ontology at the Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, MilanQUENTIN SKINNER, FBA (United Kingdom) - 2006 Balzan Prize for Political Thought; History and Theory, Regius Professor of Modern History, University of Cambridge, foreign member of the Accademia Nazio nale dei Lincei, RomeSir KEITH THOMAS, FBA (United Kingdom) - Member of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, formerly President of the British Academy, London, and of Corpus Christi College, OxfordSALVATORE VECA (Italy) - Member of the General Prize Committee of the International Balzan “Prize” Foundation, Professor of Political Phi-losophy and Vice-Chairman of the Institute for Advanced Study of Pavia (IUSS)GEZA VERMES, FBA (United Kingdom) - Professor Emeritus of Jew-ish Studies and Emeritus Fellow of Wolfson College, University of Oxford, Director of the Forum for Qumran Research, Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies