Jakob von Uexküll Centre, Uexküll-Center, Uexküll-Zentrum

Jakob von Uexküll Centre

Postal address: Struve St. 2, P.O. BOX 43, TARTU, ESTONIA
E-MAIL j.v.uexkull*zbi.ee

Symposium What's Wrong With Nature? An interdisciplinary seminar investigating human perceptions of nature and environmental change. January 25-26, 2007, Tartu.

Symposium Cassirer, Lotman, Uexküll: between biology and semiotics of culture, Mai 13, 2004, Tartu

Conference Signs and the Design of Life – Uexküll’s Significance Today, January 9-11, 2004, Hamburg

Environmental ethics - Values and conflicts - October 2005, Tartu

Jakob von Uexküll Centre was founded on November 16, 1993 as a branch organisation of Estonian Naturalists' Society, one of the oldest and most honourable academic societies of Estonia. Later, it also became attached to the University of Tartu, Department of Semiotics. The aim of the Centre is to commemorate the Baltic-German scientist and philosopher Jakob von Uexküll. The archive of originals or copies of J.Uexküll's published works, manuscripts, correspondence and the works written about him is hold by the Centre. Thus we can ensure the survival of these materials and enhance the possibilities to study them. Assistance to their publishing and translating is also considered important.
The Centre will help to develop research in the fields that J.v.Uexküll mastered - in biosemiotics, theoretical biology, philosophy of biology and fields bordering with them (e.g., ecosemiotics). These branches have a long tradition in Tartu, for the semiotic school of Tartu is well known in the world, and there is a long tradition of the Spring Schools of Theoretical Biology.

Extending the borders of natural sciences through developing humanitarian aspects of science, and helping to familiarize the ecological way of thinking are also among the tasks of the Centre.

For carrying those tasks into action, the Centre organizes seminars, sessions etc. and issue publications. The Centre would be glad to support persons and organizations, who would like to do something in those fields.

The activities of the Centre are directed by an International Committee with advisory functions. The regular work of the Centre is managed by the Board, that consists of five persons and is situated in Tartu. Everyone can become a member of the Centre by sending an application to the Board.

The Centre will be grateful receiving any publications, copies, documents, letters, photos, etc. which may have either direct or indirect bearing on Jakob von Uexküll or his work.

Last Modified: June 6, 2003 info: Ehte Puhang ehte@park.tartu.ee