The Philosophical Legacy of Saul Kripke

Epistemology, Language, Logic, Metaphysics, and Mind

March 12th and 13th, 2026

Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM

The Philosophical Legacy of Saul Kripke

This international conference aims to analyze and honor one of the most influential thinkers of the last century, whose work has had a foundational impact on philosophy—particularly, the philosophy of language, logic, metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. Saul Kripke (1940–2022) was a mathematical logic prodigy from an early age. With his 1972 work, Naming and Necessity, he sparked a "metaphysical turn," reviving the concepts of necessity and essence that had been marginalized by early analytical philosophy, logical positivism, and Quine. Kripke also made significant contributions to many other philosophical topics. A group of distinguished national and international scholars will gather at the Institute to discuss some relevant aspects of his philosophical legacy.

Saul viewing Diego Rivera’s murals at the National Palace, Mexico City (2016)
Saul viewing Diego Rivera’s murals at the National Palace, Mexico City (2016)

The Philosophical Legacy of Saul Kripke

Conference

Date and Time
March 12th and 13th, 2026
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Venue
Sala Luis Villoro & Sala josé GaosInstituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM
Organizers
Adriana Renero
Mario Gómez Torrente

There will be no simultaneous translation

Limited capacity

Profiles

Participants

Select a participant’s name to access their profile information.

Introduction

Speakers

Closing remarks

Keynote speakers

Commentators

The Philosophical Legacy of
Saul Kripke

Conference program

Note: Q&A sessions will allow 5 minutes for the speakers to respond to commentators
(1-2) Saul Kripke at the Institute in the conference Colors, Sounds, Numbers, Names, Inferences, Minds (2017).(3) Saul Kripke and Adriana Renero at the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness, New York University, presenting his knowledge argument against materialism.
(1-2)Saul Kripke at the Institute in the conference Colors, Sounds, Numbers, Names, Inferences, Minds (2017).
(3) Saul Kripke and Adriana Renero at the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness, New York University, presenting his knowledge argument against materialism.

DAY 1
Thursday March 12th

Sala Luis Villoro

Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM

10:00–10:10
Adriana Renero & Mario Gómez Torrente (IIFs, UNAM) , Welcome
10:10–10:20
Margarita Valdés (IIFs, UNAM), El legado de Kripke en México
10:20–10:30
Video clip on Kripke’s legacy
10:30–11:10
Sergio Rajsbaum (Instituto de Matemáticas, UNAM), Distributed Knowledge in Simplicial Models
11:10–11:20
Comments: Luis Estrada González(IIFs, UNAM)
11:20–11:40
Q&A
11:40–12:20
Carmen Curcó (IIFs, UNAM), Not Quite Empty: Rethinking the Architecture of Proper Names
12:20–12:30
Comments: Armando Lavalle Terrón(IIFs, UNAM)
12:30–12:50
Q&A
12:50–13:30
Teresa Robertson Ishii (UC Santa Barbara), Kripkean Origin Essentialism
13:30–13:40
Comments: Simon Thunder (IIFs, UNAM)
13:40–14:00
Q&A
15:30–16:10
Stephen Yablo (MIT), Philosophical Trouble
16:10–16:20
Comments: Axel Barceló (IIFs, UNAM)
16:20–16:40
Q&A
16:40–17:20
Ben Caplan (University of Kansas), Mythical Creatures: The Return?
17:20–17:30
Comments: Ricardo Mena (IIFs, UNAM)
17:30–17:50
Q&A

DAY 2
Friday March 13th

Sala Luis Villoro

Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM

10:00–10:10
Video clip on Kripke’s legacy continues…
10:10–10:50
David Braun (University at Buffalo), Kripke on Discourse About Perception and Hallucination
10:50–11:00
Comments: Philip Atkins (Temple University)
11:00–11:20
Q&A
11:20–12:00
Marco Ruffino (State University of Campinas–UNICAMP, Brazil), Making Sense of Contingent A Priori Truths
12:00–12:10
Comments: Nathan Salmón (UC Santa Barbara & UCLA)
12:10–12:30
Q&A
12:30–13:20
Adriana Renero (IIFs, UNAM), Kripke and Lewis on de se beliefs
13:20–13:30
Comments: Emmanuel Ordoñez (IIFs, UNAM)
13:30–13:50
Q&A
Sala José Gaos

Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM

15:30–17:30
Keynote Speakers and closing discussion
Paul Boghossian (NYU)
Mario Gómez-Torrente (IIFs, UNAM)
Nathan Salmón (UC Santa Barbara & UCLA)
Scott Soames (USC)
17:30–18:00
Q&A
18:00–18:10
Fernanda Samaniego (IIFs, UNAM), Closing remarks

IIFs - UNAM

Venue

Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM

Address

Circuito Mario de la Cueva s/n, Ciudad de la Investigación en Humanidades
(costado norte del Museo de las Ciencia Universum), Ciudad Universitaria,
Coyoacán, 04510, CDMX

Organizers

Adriana Renero
Mario Gómez Torrente

Email Us

adrianarenero@filosoficas.unam.mx
mariogt@filosoficas.unam.mx 

Visit

Mexico City

UNAM CU Campus

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Zócalo & Templo Mayor

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Archaeological zones

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IIFs-UNAM

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to everyone for their support in making this academic event possible.
    Institute Administration
  • DirectorLuis Estrada González
  • Fernanda Samaniego Bañuelos
  • Delia Irais García Olvera
    IT Department
  • Lucía Anaya Durón
  • Bryan A. de la Torre Cerón
  • Luis Antonio Martinez
  • José Romero Guillermo
    Administrative Support
  • Fabiola Bautista
  • Sidharta Rodríguez
    Academic Outreach
  • Cristina Benitez
    Library Department
  • Miguel Gama Ramírez
    Technical Office
  • Ivette Sarmiento Gutiérrez
  • Alfonso Alejandro Coronel Vega
    Institutions
  • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
  • Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, UNAM
  • Posgrado en Filosofía, UNAM