Animals, consciousness and illusions: What are we, and who counts? Guest lecture by Steffen Tretvoll Althand

About the event

Animal Activist Academics (Akademiske Dyreaktivister) invites you to a guest lecture by Steffen Tretvoll Althand, head of the Norwegian Vegan Society and a trained philosopher.

About the lecture
Are we a soul, a stream of memories—or simply an animal?

Philosopher Eric Olson argues for the latter: you are a biological organism, and nothing more. If he is right, the distinction between us and other animals is not as clear as we think.

But what about consciousness, the inner experience that makes us "someone" rather than just "something"? Illusionists such as Keith Frankish and Daniel Dennett argue that phenomenal consciousness is an illusion.

This raises an uncomfortable question for animal ethics: if moral status is based on the capacity for experience, what happens when experience itself is called into question? Does this undermine the case for non-human animals, or expand the moral circle? Must we see animals as members of society, rather than simply as objects of moral concern?

Programme
16:30–17:30 Lecture
17:30–18:30 Questions and answers, with free vegan pizza 🌱🍕

Practical information
Date: Monday, 9 November 2026, 16:30–18:30
Venue: Arne Næss Auditorium (room 103), Georg Morgenstiernes hus, Blindern campus, University of Oslo
Address: Moltke Moes vei 30, 0851 Oslo
Language: The lecture will be held in Norwegian
Organiser: Animal Activist Academics (Akademiske Dyreaktivister), a student association at the University of Oslo

Everyone is welcome, including non-students.

Facebook event: https://facebook.com/events/s/guest-lecture-steffen-tretvoll/1769734104312915/
Instagram: @aaa.students
Contact: aaastudents@proton.me