On November 20–22, 2025, the YSU Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology hosted an international conference titled 'Philosophy and Contemporary Challenges: Man in an Ontological Trap.' The event was organized by the Yerevan State University Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology in collaboration with the Armenian Philosophical Academy.
The conference featured three panel sessions.
SECTION 1: Fundamental Issues of Social Philosophy and Ethics
Topics for Discussion
- Social Philosophy and Ethics
- Philosophy of Culture
- Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics
- Political Philosophy
- Axiological and Ethical Challenges Related to Artificial Intelligence
SECTION 2: Fundamental Issues of Philosophy of Science, Logic, and Argumentation
Topics for Discussion
- Logic, Argumentation, and Rhetoric
- Philosophy of Science (Gnoseology, Epistemology, and Methodology)
- Philosophy of Language
- Epistemological and Logical Issues of Artificial Intelligence
SECTION 3: Young Researchers
Download the conference program here
Conference Message
Message from the International Conference "Philosophy and Contemporary Challenges: Man in an Ontological Trap" (YSU, Armenia, November 20–22, 2025) to Colleagues in the Field of Philosophy, Academic Institutions, Research and Educational Centers, and International Organizations.
The number of problems threatening the existence of man and the civilized environment in the 21st century is not decreasing. Their nature and scale are changing.
In our time of accelerating historical processes, new challenges are emerging for man and society.
• The increasingly realistic threat of a world war threatening civilizational values and the existence of humanity;
• Global crises of the financial and economic system, problems of food insecurity;
• Epidemics, hunger, poverty, social injustice.
• Gradually escalating ecological problems threatening human health and existence.
• Crimes against humanity, forced displacement, genocidal programs and actions.
• Distortion of moral and value systems.
• Problems of reviewing and developing ethical, legal, and value systems related to the rapid development of artificial intelligence systems and information technologies.
The main key to overcoming and solving these problems lies in the transformation of man, the development of his consciousness, spiritual-value, and worldview systems, and in the reform of educational systems not so much in terms of form and structure, but in terms of content. Because the future of humanity is largely determined by the current activities of educational systems.
In this regard, the philosophical reinterpretation of the problems outlined above, the delineation of their effective solutions in the field of public and professional discussions, acquires significant importance.
It is essential to encourage and develop comparable educational systems that instill universal moral and ideological values in national educational environments.
One of the surest guarantees for overcoming the challenges and pitfalls threatening society in the 21st century should be a policy of developing philosophical knowledge, increasing the proportion of philosophical and ethical disciplines in educational programs, and shaping the programs and knowledge provided around humanistic, human-centered ideas and values.
Conference Organizing Committee
Aleksan Baghdasaryan - PhD in philosophy, Associate Professor. Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology, YSU
Seyran Zakaryan - Doctor of Philosophy, Professor. Head of the Chair of History of Philosophy, Theory and Logic of YSU; Member of the Presidium of the Armenian Philosophical Academy
Oana Serban - PhD, Professor. University of Bucharest, Faculty of Philosophy. Director of the Research Centre for the History and Dissemination of Philosophical Ideas (CCIIF)
Silva Petrosyan - PhD in philosophy, Associate Professor. Chair of History of Philosophy, Theory and Logic of YSU
Hasmik Hovhannisyan - Doctor of Philosophy, Professor. ASPU, Head of the Chair of Philosophy and Logic named after G. Brutian, President of the Armenian Philosophical Academy
Oleg Gabrielyan - Doctor of Philosophy, Professor. Crimean University named after V.I. Vernadsky
Nelli Alaverdyan - PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor. YSU, Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology, head of office
Kadzhik Oganyan - Doctor of Philosophy, Professor. National State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health aft. P., Lesgaft, Saint Petersburg
Karine Yaralyan - PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor, YSU, Chair of Social Philosophy, Ethics and Aesthetics
Yeranuhi Manukyan - PhD, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Scientific Policy, YSU
Astghik Petrosyan – PhD Student. Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of the RA, YSU Information Technologies Department
Email: philosophy_conference@ysu.am
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Armenian philosophical academy