Research at the Chair of Theoretical Philosophy (Prof. Dr. Axel Hutter): at the intersection of classical German and analytic philosophy
The Chair of Theoretical Philosophy conducts research at the intersection of classical German philosophy and analytic philosophy. In this way, systematic issues of theoretical philosophy are freshly evaluated and discussed.
Underpinning our methodolodgy is the conviction that the gulf between "continental" and "analytic" philosophy must be overcome and transformed into a new way of thinking which is capable of combining the strengths of both traditions.
Research at the Chair is therefore orientated around the canons of both classical German philosophy (Kant, Fichte, Schelling, Hegel and their successors) and analytic philosophy (Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein and their successors).
Lively research through projects, events and partnerships
The research profile manifests itself in research projects, which form part of a PhD or habilitation or are funded externally. Moreover, researchers at the Chair organize and attend international conferences and workshops, which are dedicated to specific current research questions. Individual research visits and partnerships by researchers at the Chair complement the research profile.
The Chair offers the Th|Phil Workshop to support interested students and future researchers.
Research focus: developing a modern philosophy of mind
Research at the Chair concentrates on problems from the four big subject areas of theoretical philosophy: epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language and philosophy of mind. Of central importance here is the concept of "mind", because it reveals the connection between these subject areas.
It is our goal to develop a contemporary philosophy of mind, which takes the metaphysical content of this concept seriously, especially in relation to freedom, and which is capable of defending and vindicating this content in the face of challenges from the present intellectual climate, which is science-orientated and critical of metaphysics.
The aim is to criticize reductionist tendencies as well as metaphysical overreach in order to be able to introduce philosophy as an independent and self-confident interlocutor into the interdisciplinary discourse in a fruitful way.