«The World Congresses of Philosophy are organized every five years by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies in collaboration with one of its member societies. The xxiii World Congress of Philosophy will be held from August 4 through August 10, 2013, in Athens, Greece, under the auspices of the Hellenic Organizing Committee, which has been constituted by the Greek Philosophical Society.

The Congress has several aims, which are to be understood as complementary:

To inquire into the world’s philosophical traditions and compare them in terms of their diverse contributions and possible mutual cross-fertilization.

To reflect on the tasks and functions of philosophy in the contemporary world, taking account of the contributions, expectations, and gaps in philosophical awareness associated with other disciplines, with political, religious, social, economic, technological, etc., activities and with diverse cultures and traditions.

To emphasize the importance of philosophical reflection for public discourse on global issues affecting humanity.

Because of its cultural history and geographical situation, Athens is an ideal location for stimulating encounters between scholars from across the world. The main theme of the 2013 Congress, ‘Philosophy as Inquiry and Way of Life’, emphasizing both theory and practice, recalls the declaration of Socrates that the unexamined life is not worth living.

The 2013 Congress invites discussion of the nature, roles, and responsibilities of philosophy and philosophers today. It is committed to paying heed to the problems, conflicts, inequalities, and injustices connected with the development of a planetary civilization that is at once multicultural and techno-scientific.»