Work-In-Progress Series and Other Reading Groups
Below is a regularly updated list of current working groups in the history of philosophy, along with organizers' contact information. Please note that participation in these groups is restricted to Notre Dame faculty, graduate students, and research visitors.
History of Philosophy Work-In-Progress Group
Throughout the semester, the History of Philosophy Forum hosts informal discussions of community members' works-in-progress over lunch. This fall these works-in-progress luncheons will occur regularly on Wednesdays from 12:30-1:30 pm.
Each meeting consists of a presentation by a faculty member, graduate student or visiting researcher on an ongoing project in the history of philosophy, followed by a period of comments/questions from other participants. The workshop is designed to give contributors the opportunity to develop ideas and receive helpful feedback on projects in a friendly and low-stakes environment.
Meetings: Most Wednesdays from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., in 437 Geddes Hall (the Maritain Center Library) (see our calendar of events for details)
Contact: Peter Harrigan
Maritain Theology Forum
Modelled after the History of Philosophy Works-in-Progress seminars, the Maritain Theology Forum is a weekly research seminar put on in collaboration with the ND Theology Department. Each event consists in a 30-minute presentation of research related, in some way, to contemporary Christian theology, followed by 30 minutes of discussion. Lunch will be provided for those who register in advance for that week's event (to view and register for upcoming seminars, visit the Maritain Center Events page).
Meetings: Most Mondays from 12:30-1:30 p.m., in 437 Geddes Hall (the Maritain Center Library)
Contact: Francesca Murphy
Plato Reading Group
A bi-weekly informal group meets on Tuesday evenings to discuss the writings of Plato, usually read in translation with recourse to the Greek texts as needed. Interested graduate students are encouraged to reach out for futher details.
Contact: Bruce McCuskey
Kant's Practical Philosophy Reading Group
A group of graduate students meets regularly to read and discuss Kant's practical philosophy. Texts include Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and Critique of Practical Reason. Interested students are encouraged to reach out for futher details.
Contact: Jacob Harvey
Anscombe Reading Group
Resuming in the spring of 2026, the Anscombe Group reads Anscombe’s Intention closely, working through important passages and the questions they provoke. The group meets in person Thursdays, from 10:30 am to 12:15 pm, in the Maritain Center Library (Geddes 437). All are welcome to join the discussion.
Contact: Christopher Benzenberg
Jacques Maritain Reading Group
This semester, spring 2026, there will be a reading group for Jacques Maritain's The Primacy of the Spiritual, meeting some Fridays in the Maritain Library on Geddes 4. The group will occasionally host experts in areas of Maritain's thought to provide additional commentary and insight. Inquiries are welcome.
Contact: Nicholas Ramirez
Kant’s Dialectic Reading Group
In the Critique of Pure Reason’s Transcendental Dialectic, Kant probes the limits of human knowledge; the reading group probes the limits of interpretation. This group unpacks the German text word-by-word, following its every twist and turn. Our pace promises decades of discussion. The group is a collaboration between the University of Notre Dame and Humboldt University of Berlin, with Kant scholars joining from across the world. We meet Mondays, from 10 am to 12 pm (Eastern), online via Zoom. Interest is high; participation limited.
Contact: Christopher Benzenberg
Past Groups (Fall, 2025)
Plotinus Reading Group
This reading group meets weekly on Fridays from 1:30 to 2:45/3:00 p.m. (depending on the department's late-afternoon schedule for the week), in the Maritain Library, 437 Geddes Hall. We read and discuss Plotinus, Ennead VI.9, On the Good or the One. While we may discuss some translation issues, knowledge of Greek is not required for participation.
An original translation of the text will be handed out during the sessions.
There will also be snacks, coffee, and other beverages available.
Contact: Chris Noble
Medieval Judaica Workshop
Two friends of the Forum, Jewish Studies and the Medieval Institute, are organizing a three-part Medieval Judaica Workshop on the Biblical Grammarians of al-Andalus, expertly facilitated by Dr. Elnatan Chen (Visiting Scholar, Theology). See below their description of this fascinating and important series:
The study of Hebrew grammar first achieved a scientific status during the medieval period in the Muslim-ruled lands of Spain. This breakthrough resulted from the labors of Jewish sages writing in Judeo-Arabic who studied the Hebrew Bible in a dynamic conversation with contemporary developments in the study of Arabic grammar. This three-session workshop explores medieval advancements in the study of the ancient language of Hebrew. The workshop invites students and scholars from all disciplines to discover the intellectual drama of the biblical grammarians of al-Andalus-where definitions sparked centuries of argument, and linguistics became a field of passion, rivalry, and innovation. (Please see attached poster.)
The workshop meets on Wednesdays at 5:00pm on Nov. 5, 12, and 19 at the Medieval Institute on the 7th floor of the Hesburgh Library.
Contact: Jeremy Brown
Are we missing something?
Are you involved in a reading group in the history of philosophy that we don't have listed here? Do you agree with us when we say, "The more people coming together to read in the history of philosophy, the merrier?" Then let us know. We would love to help you get the word out to the broader Notre Dame community.
Contact: Jordan Rodgers