Prof. Dr. Christof Rapp

Personal information

Christof Rapp is Chair of Ancient Philosophy and co-director of the Munich School of Ancient Philosophy (MUSAΦ). Moreover, he is currently director of the LMU Center for Advanced Studies (CAS). His field is the philosophy of the ancient world; in particular, he teaches and researches Aristotle, pre-Socratic, Epicurean and Stoic philosophy, as well as ancient metaphysics, moral psychology, and argumentation theory. Other areas of expertise include ancient rhetoric, biology, and political theory. On the side, he works on the methodology of ancient philosophy and history of philosophy, and examines the influence of ancient philosophy on present-day debates.

Curriculum vitae

Selected publications

1. Rapp, Ch.: The Octopoid Soul. Stoic Responses to Aristotle’s Soul-Body-Hylomorphism, in: D. Charles (ed.), The Tradition of Aristotelian Hylomorphism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 83-105 (2023).
2. Rapp, Ch.: Epiktet. Handbüchlein der Moral, Fragmente, Unterredungen, mit Einleitung und Anmerkungen, Stuttgart: Kröner (2023).
3. Rapp, Ch, Primavesi, O.: Aristotle’s De Motu Animalium. Proceedings of the XIX. Symposium Aristotelicum, Oxford: Oxford University Press (2020).
4. Rapp, Ch.: Aristoteles zur Einführung, expanded sixth edition, Hamburg: Junius (2020), Modern Greek translation of the third edition: ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ ΣΤΟΝ ΑΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΗ, Athen: Ekdosis (2007).
5. Rapp, Ch.: The Liaison between Analytic and Ancient Philosophy, in: M.v. Ackeren (ed.), Philosophy and the Historical Perspective, (= Proceedings of the British Academy 214), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 120-139 (2019).
6. Rapp, Ch.: Metaphysik. Eine Einführung, München: C.H. Beck (2016). Turkish translation ÇAĞDAŞ METAFIZIĞE GIRIŞ, Istanbul: Runik Kitar (2022).
7. Rapp, Ch.: Aristotle and the Cosmic Game of Dice. A Conundrum in De Caelo II.12, in: Rhizomata 2, 161-186 (2014).
8. Rapp, Ch.: Vorsokratiker, in the series "Denker", revised second edition, München: C.H. Beck (2007).
9. Rapp, Ch.: What Use is the Doctrine of the Mean?, in: B. Reis (ed.), The Virtuous Life in Greek Ethics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 99-126 (2006).
10. Rapp, Ch.: Aristoteles, Rhetorik. Übersetzung, Einleitung und Kommentar, 2 volumes (= Aristoteles, Werke in deutscher Übersetzung, volumes. 4.1 - 4.2), Berlin: Akademie Verlag (2002).

Academic distinctions

• 2023 Distinguished Lecturer in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Toronto
• 2020 Sheila Kassman Memorial Lecturer, University College, London
• 2018 Ausonius Research Prize in Classics, University of Trier, awarded for a life's work
• 2015 Guest Professor, École normale supérieure, Paris
• 2011 - Member, Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina
• 2009 - 2012 Research Professor in LMUexcellent Programm
• 2008 - Corresponding member, Akademie für Wissenschaft und Literatur in Mainz
• 2008 Nellie-Wallace-Lecturer, Oxford University
• 2003 - 2004 Fellow, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin
• 2001 Heisenberg Scholarship, DFG

Research projects

• First Philosophy Symposium of the DFG, organised together with Prof. Barbara Vetter (FU Berlin) on the theme "Potentiality"
• Nature in Ancient Political Philosophy (2013-2019)
• Aristotle, the Middle Books of the Metaphysics, Cooperative Commentary
• Aristotle’s Moral Psychology of Persuasion

Teaching

Prof. Rapp's current courses can be found on LSF.

If you wish to write a thesis (BA or MA) under Prof. Rapp's supervision, please contact him by e-mail, including a few sentences outlining the planned thesis topic, in order to arrange an appointment.

Other activities

• 2022 - Steering Committee, Symposium Aristotelicum
• 2019 - Co-editor, Philosophical Studies in Ancient Thought, Basel: Schwabe, with Béatrice Lienemann and Christian Pfeiffer.
• 2015 - Co-editor, International Aristotle Studies, Baden-Baden: Nomos, with Carlo Natali und Lloyd Gerson.
• 2010 - Co-editor of the series Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca et Byzantina, Berlin: De Gruyter.
• 2009 - 2015 Co-editor, Phronesis – A Journal for Ancient Philosophy, Leiden: Brill.
• 2007 - Editor of the series Aristoteles, Werke in deutscher Übersetzung, begun by Ernst Grumach and continued by Hellmut Flashar, Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
• 2004 - Co-editor of the series Topics in Ancient Philosophy, Berlin: De Gruyter, with Ludger Jansen and Christoph Jedan.
• 2001 - 2024 Zeitschrift für philosophische Forschung, Frankfurt a.M.: Klostermann, editor and co-editor in various configurations.

Editorial Boards/Advisory Boards: Metaphysica, Peitho. Examina Antiqua, Phronesis, Rhizomata, Revue Philosophie ancienne, Ancient Philosophical Inquiry, Dialogoi: Ancient Philosophy Today, among others.