Theme of the Conference
The theme of this year's conference, as the title implies, is the relationship between space, metaphor, and consciousness. By far the most popular area of interest, as evidenced by the sheer number of abstracts received, was Metaphor, particularly in its revivified form as part of cognitive poetics, embodied philosophy, and experiential psychology. Many respondants to the Call indicated that their research was increasingly impacted by recent developments in linguistics, evolutionary psychology, and the overlap of these areas with phenomenology and the construction of meaning. There is significant interest in the arts as an overlooked area of individual and social sense-making, and a gratifying level of interest in the possible consiliences that might be developed across areas of arts, sciences, and humanities that might traditionally have been kept, if not separate, then at least ostensive.
In addition to this central theme of Metaphor the two other adjunct concerns of Space and Consciousness appear prominently on the brow of the submitter. Also, whilst they do not appear as major themes, the twin concerns of Creativity and Performance sound their own notes through these chosen abstracts. Inevitably, these themes are not exhaustive, and many of the abstracts point to areas of interest which lie outwith the ideas noted here. We should look at these perhaps, as not only the unruly shoot cluttering the tangled bank of knowledge, but also, like the luxuriant hair of a character in a pre-Raphaelite painting, as an indicator of rude health.
