Mark Sinclair Lecture Series in Japan 2026: Bergson on Freedom, Time, and Science (Jan 23-28)

 

We are pleased to announce a special lecture series featuring Professor Mark Sinclair (Queen’s University Belfast), organized by Project Bergson in Japan (PBJ).

 

Mark Sinclair is a leading figure in Anglophone Bergson studies and the author of the widely acclaimed book Bergson (Routledge, 2019).

 

In this series, spanning three cities in Japan (Tokyo, Sendai, and Kyoto), Professor Sinclair will explore the critical intersections of freedom, time, and science in Bergson's philosophy. Each session will feature a main lecture by Professor Sinclair, accompanied by discussions or additional presentations by researchers based in Japan.

 

We warmly invite you to join us for these events.

 

 

 

 

 

EVENT DETAILS

[TOKYO SESSION]

Date & Time: Friday, January 23, 2026 | 15:00 – 17:30

Venue: Keio University, Mita Campus. Building 1, Room 141-A.

Program:

Introduction: Hisashi Fujita (Kyoto Institute of Technology)

Lecture: Mark Sinclair

"Strange reconciliations of science and free will: debates in France around 1880"

Designated Discussants: Shota Suzuki (Keio University), Rin Takahashi (Keio University)

Language: English (Japanese translation of the lecture available)

Coordinator/Contact: Yasushi Hirai ([email protected])

 

[SENDAI SESSION]

Date & Time: Monday, January 26, 2026 | 14:00 – 17:50

Venue: Tohoku University, Kawauchi Campus, Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Room 411

Program:

Lecture: Mark Sinclair

"Bergson's Romantic Philosophy of Freedom"

 Additional Speakers:

Tahomina Akter (Tohoku University)

Yushi Odagiri (Tohoku University)

Language: English

Coordinator/Contact: Tatsuya Murayama ([email protected])

 

[KYOTO SESSION]

Date & Time: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | 14:00 – 17:30

Venue: Kyoto University, Faculty of Letters Building, Lecture Room 2

Chair: Hisashi Fujita (Kyoto Institute of Technology)

Program:

Lecture: Mark Sinclair

"Free Will and the Power to Change the Past: Bergson after Kant on retroactivity"

 Additional Speaker:

Jo Kasagi (Kyoto University)

Designated Discussants: Hiroaki Matsuo (Kyoto University), Ryohei Kusuhara (Kyoto University)

Language: English (Japanese translation of the lecture available)

Coordinator/Contact: Yasuhiko Sugimura ([email protected])

 

General Information

Organized by: PBJ (Project Bergson in Japan)

Co-organized by: Department of Religious Studies, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University

Website: https://matterandmemory.jimdofree.com/english/2026-sinclair-lecture-series/

 

This event is supported by Project Bergson in Japan and JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(B) (24K00005).