Reflections on the International Conference “Group Minds in Ancient Philosophical Thought” University of Cyprus, 14–15 November 2025

The Group Minds in Ancient Narrative project is delighted to look back on the great success of the international conference “Group Minds in Ancient Philosophical Thought”, held at the University of Cyprus on 14–15 November 2025.

Over two intellectually vibrant days, the conference brought together leading scholars from across Europe and the United States to explore how ancient philosophers conceived of minds beyond the individual, and how collective cognition shaped the ethical, political, and social structures of classical thought.

From the analysis of Gorgias’ group mind by Dr Henry Bowles and Dr Jenny Bryan’s exploration of Empedocles’ reincarnated group souls, to Prof. Jan Stenger’s study of shared affectivity and Dr Vilius Bartninkas’ account of Plato’s Nocturnal Council, the first day offered a stimulating panorama of how community, participation, and cognition intersected in ancient philosophy. Afternoon sessions extended the discussion to Plato’s dialogical epistemic care (Dr Laura Candiotto), Aristotle’s reflections on political unity and group agency (Prof. James Warren and Prof. Mor Segev), and Dr Anne-Sophie Noel’s brilliant analysis of collective address in Greek tragedy.

The second day shifted the focus to post-Aristotelian and Late Antique thought: Dr Georgia Tsouni examined social cognition and extended minds in Seneca, Prof. Ilaria Ramelli explored rational persuasion versus coercion in Origen’s view of group influence, and Prof. Jan Opsomer closed the sessions with a rich discussion on collective responsibility and the living city in Proclus.

The conference concluded with a lively final discussion moderated by the ERC Group Minds team, weaving together philosophical, cognitive, and narrative perspectives on the nature of collective mentality.

Discussions were lively, stimulating, and continued well beyond the panels — over delicious Cypriot food and wine, in an atmosphere of warmth and collegiality.

We are deeply grateful to all those who accepted our invitation and travelled to Cyprus to share their research in person, as well as to those who joined online and enriched our exchanges with their contributions. Our heartfelt thanks go also to the members of the Group Minds post-doctoral team, whose skillful chairing and insightful remarks added real value to the discussions.

We also wish to thank the Department of Classics and Philosophy and the University of Cyprus for helping us host this event and supporting the project’s vision.

These two days were truly productive and inspiring, confirming the growing outreach of the Group Minds research project and its interdisciplinary resonance. We are proud that our project served as the reason and meeting point for such a distinguished gathering of scholars.

We look forward to welcoming our colleagues again soon — and to continuing the exploration of ancient group minds, together.

Visit this link to view photos of the event.