EXPANDED REASON CONFERENCE 2026:
FRANCISCO DE VITORIA, LIGHT FOR AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
7TH EXPANDED REASON CONFERENCE
CALL TO COMMUNICATIONS
The Expanded Reason Institute of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria cordially invites professors and researchers to participate in the 7th Expanded Reason Conference, to be held on 8, 9 and 10 June 2026.
The purpose of this event is to promote interdisciplinary dialogue between science, philosophy and theology, in the spirit of the thinking of Francisco de Vitoria, whose insight and legacy offer guidance for understanding and addressing the challenges of our time.
TOPICS
Communications should address one of the following topics and will preferably belong to one of the round tables, although the Organizing Committee may reassign them if it deems appropriate:
- Francisco de Vitoria: the man and his contribution
- The university professor
- School of Salamanca and 16th-century university
- Natural law, human dignity, and human rights
- Transhumanism and other ways of redesigning humans
- International law and peace
- Civil power and citizenship
- The problem of war
- Mission of the Catholic university
- Higher education and awareness in the face of artificial intelligence
SUBMISSION OF COMMUNICATION PROPOSALS
Deadline: 3 November 2025 – 17 April 2026
To submit a communication and be eligible for publication, you must first register for the Conferenceothough the following link:
In the case of joint communications, only the reference author shall submit the proposal, although all communicators must register individually for the conference.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Length: between 1,000 and 1,500 words.
- Format: file in Wordformat, font Times New Roman, size 12 for the body text and 10 for footnotes.
- The file should be titled with the name of the communication and should not include the name of the author or the institution of origin.
- Accepted languages: Spanish and English.
SELECTION OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION
Evaluation period: 17 April – 15 May 2026
The Scientific Committee will select the communications to be presented orally during the conference, based on the following criteria:
- · Relevance to the topic and objectives of the conference.
- · Academic relevance of the topic.
- · Multidisciplinary approach and dialogue between science, philosophy and/or theology, considering the questions of ‘expanded reason’ (anthropological, epistemological, ethical and meaningful).
Acceptance or rejection of proposals will be notified by email.
The selected communications will have a maximum of 10 minutes for their oral presentation.
PUBLICATION
Relectiones will dedicate a monograph entitled «Francisco de Vitoria, light for an uncertain world. Great challenges of the 21st century from an expanded reason perspective within the framework of the 5th Centenary of the Chair of Francisco de Vitoria».
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
The 7th Expanded Reason Conferences focuses on Francisco de Vitoria, marking the 500th anniversary of his arrival at the Universidad de Salamanca. This anniversary offers an ideal opportunity to dedicate a conference to Francisco de Vitoria:
- – Because he is the namesake of our university and it presents a unique occasion for the entire academic community – faculty, staff, and students – to deepen their understanding of our patron and engage with his thought.
- – Because he was a renowned, admired and beloved university professor, a Dominican (Order of Preachers), and his figure and his approach to university study and teaching illuminate the identity and mission of the Catholic university in the 21st century
- – Because he was a man of expanded reason, and therefore, remains a profound inspiration for contemporary debates.
- – Because the School of Salamanca was light in an uncertain world. They were times of crossroads, much as ours are today.
The first morning of the Conferences will focus on the School of Salamanca and Francisco de Vitoria, his argumentative method, his role as a teacher and how these relate to the concept of the university articulated by recent popes – from Ex corde Eclesiae to expanded reason, culminating in the Unity of Truth of Leo XIV.
Consequently, we will address highly relevant issues that Vitoria reflected upon in his time and which remain urgently pertinent, illuminated by his wisdom and insight.
9:30 – 10:00 Welcome address
María Lacalle, Director of the Expanded Reason Institute, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Leopoldo Prieto, Conference Director, Professor of Modern Philosophy, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
10:00 – 10:45 Conference: Francisco de Vitoria: Light for an Uncertain World
Marie Monnet, Vice-Chancellor, Domuni Universitas
10:45 – 12:00 Round table: Francisco de Vitoria: Professor. The University Professor Today
Julio Söchting O.P., Vice-Chancellor for Training, Universidad del Norte Santo Tomás de Aquino
Jaime Nubiola, Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Philosophy, Universidad de Navarra
María Lacalle, Director of the Expanded Reason Institute, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Chaired by: Isidro Catela, Professor of Humanities, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
12:00 – 12:45 Coffee break
12:45 – 14:00 Round table In Illo uno unum (Unity of Truth). From the 16th Century University to the University of Today
P. Alejandro Moral OSA, outgoing Prior General, Order of Saint Augustine
Mario. S. Carvalho, Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Coimbra
Rafael Ramis Barceló, Professor of History of Law, Universitat de les Illes Balears
Chaired by: Salvador Antuñano Alea, Professor of Ancient Philosophy, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
14:00 – 15:30 Lunch
15:30 – 16:15 Conference: Natural Law, Human Dignity and Human Rights. In the Footsteps of Francisco de Vitoria: Natural Law Today
Mons. Martínez Camino, Auxiliary Bishop, Diocese of Madrid
16:15 – 17:30 Round table: Rights Without Nature? The Temptation to Redesign Man
Elena Postigo Solana, Director of the Institute of Bioethics, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
P. Alberto Carrara LC, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum
María Calvo, Senior Lecturer in Administrative Law, Universidad Carlos III
Chaired by: José Ángel Agejas Esteban, Professor of Ethics, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
18:00 – 19:00 Communications
10:00 – 10:45 Conference: From Salamanca to The Hague. The Hispanic Legal Tradition and International Law
Benigno Pendás, President, Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences
Chaired by: Javier de Cendra, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Business and Government, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
10:45 – 12:00 Round table: The Limits of Civilian Power
José María Beneyto, Professor of International Law, European Law and International Relations, Universidad San Pablo CEU
Domingo González, Professor at Faculty of Social Work, Universidad de Murcia
Leopoldo Prieto, Professor of Modern Philosophy, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Chaired by: Juan Pablo Serra, Professor of Humanities, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
12:00 – 12:45 Coffee break
12:45 – 14:00 Round table: The Salamanca School and Just War. Vitoria and Suárez Before the Challenges of Today’s War
Jean-Paul Coujou, Professor of Philosophy, Institut Catholique de Toulouse
Enrique Bonete, Professor of Moral Philosophy, Universidad de Salamanca
Ángel Barahona, Professor of Fundamental Theology, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Chaired by: Ignacio Cosidó, Director of the Center for the Global Common Good, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
14:00 – 15:30 Lunch
15:30 – 16:15 Conference: Economics and Markets in the Great Treatises of Salamanca
Stefano Zamagni, Professor of Political Economy, Università di Bologna
16:15 – 17:30 Round table: Freedom of Trade and Fairness in Economic Relations
Pedro Schwartz, Professor of History of Economic Doctrines, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Radek Biernacki, Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universidad Finis Terrae
Daniel Lacalle, Professor of Global Economics, IE Business School
Chaired by: Tomás Gómez, Director of the University Degree in Economics and Finance, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
18:00 – 19:00 Communications
20:00 Dinner or cultural evening
10:00 – 12:00 Round table: Missionary Ideals and New Evangelism. Evangelism in the University?
Fabrice Hadjadj, philosopher, Director of the Instituto Incarnatio
Armando Pego Puigbó, Professor of Humanities, Universidad Ramón Llull
Alejandro Rodriguez de la Peña, Professor of Medieval History, Universidad San Pablo CEU
12:00 – 12:45 Break
12:45 – 13:30 Conference: University Education, Conscience and Reason in Times of AI
Francesc Torralba, Professor of Ethics, Universidad Ramón Llull
13:30 – 14:00 Clausura
Leopoldo Prieto, Conference Director, Professor of Modern Philosophy, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
PARTICIPANTS
| Participant | Area of expertise |
|---|---|
| María Lacalle | Director of the Expanded Reason Institute (UFV) |
| Leopoldo Prieto | Director of the Conference |
| Marie Monnet | Vice-Chancellor of Domuni Universitas |
| Julio Söchting | Universidad del Norte Santo Tomás de Aquino, Argentina |
| Jaime Nubiola | Universidad de Navarra |
| María Lacalle | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Isidro Catela | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Mario S. Carvalho | Professor of the Universidad de Coimbra |
| Rafael Ramis Barceló | Specialist in the School of Salamanca and the History of Universities |
| Salvador Antuñano Alea | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Elena Postigo Solana | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| P. Alberto Carrara | APRA, Roma |
| María Calvo | Universidad Carlos III, Madrid |
| Benigno Pendás | President of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, State Councilor, Professor of Political Science at Universidad CEU-San Pablo |
| José María Beneyto | Universidad CEU San Pablo |
| Domingo González | Universidad de Murcia |
| Leopoldo Prieto | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Juan Pablo Serra | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Jean-Paul Coujou | Institut Catholique de Toulouse |
| Enrique Bonete | Universidad de Salamanca (USAL) |
| Ángel Barahona | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Ignacio Cosidó | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Pedro Schwartz | Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid |
| Stefano Zamagni | Università di Bologna |
| Daniel Lacalle | IE Business School, Madrid |
| Tomás Gómez | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
| Fabrice Hadjadj | Philosopher and writer |
| Armando Pego Puigbó | Professor of Humanities at the Universidad Ramón Llull, Barcelona |
| Alejandro Rodríguez de la Peña | Professor at the Univ. CEU San Pablo |
| Francesc Torralba | Universidad Ramón Llull, Barcelona |
| Leopoldo Prieto | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) |
EXPANDED REASON INSTITUTE
UNIVERSIDAD FRANCISCO DE VITORIA
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m