Mark Sacks

It is with the utmost sadness that the TPN project reports the death of Professor Mark Sacks on June 17 2008.

The culmination of Mark's philosophical work is in part this project, which is testament to his open, keen and subtle philosophical mind. The project has endeavoured to bring together philosophers from different disciplines around a single pressing question. Those who knew Mark will recognise that this philosophical inclusiveness is a reflection of his deeply humane personality. His untimely death is a terrible loss for us all.

The Project

The Transcendental Philosophy and Naturalism Project, which has now run its course, was funded by the AHRC and hosted at the Philosophy Department of the University of Essex. The project's aim has been to understand the nature of transcendental philosophy, with the intention of assessing whether it leaves contemporary philosophical naturalism with a cogent case to answer. It ran from October 2005 to September 2008.

The project consisted of three phases, corresponding to these concerns: First, to chart the range of philosophical positions that can appropriately be regarded as transcendental, second to understand the theoretical structures involved in transcendental explanation, and third to assess the contemporary relevance of the transcendental orientation. Each of the three phases involved a number of research seminars and workshops, culminating in a conference. These events were held in Essex, London, Oxford and Cambridge. A number of associated publications are planned, including two volumes of essays. There is also an associated blog for discussion and news.

Steering Committee

Mark Sacks, Director (Essex), David Bell (Sheffield), Sebastian Gardner (London), Axel Honneth (Frankfurt), Rolf-Peter Horstmann (Berlin),  Adrian Moore (Oxford), Lucy O'Brien (London), David Papineau (London), Robert Pippin (Chicago), Bob Stern (Sheffield). Research Fellows: Matthew Grist (Essex), Christian Skirke (Essex), Joel Smith (Essex and Manchester).