Research profile of the Chair of Theoretical Philosophy (Prof. Dr. Axel Hutter)

Research at the Chair is focused on classical German philosophy and analytic philosophy. Research practice consists of research projects and events, as well as the education of future researchers in the form of doctoral studies and habilitation.

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.

Externally funded research projects at the Chair of Theoretical Philosophy

TitelePeopleFunded byDuration
Things in Themselves and Transcendental IdeasDAAD01.10.2022 - 30.09.2024
Realities of Logic?Dr. Thomas OehlPostdoc Support Fund01.04.2023 - 30.09.2023 (completed)
System and NegationPascal ZambitoAlexander von Humboldt Stiftung01.01.2022 - 31.12.2022 (completed)
The Interplay of Speculation and Imagination in Hegel's Encyclopedic SystemDr. Kazimir DriloFritz-Thyssen-Stiftung2011 - 2014 (completed)

PhDs and Habilitations at the Chair of Theoretical Philosophy

  • Fabian André Schäfer, M.Phil., M.A., "Subjektivität bei Wittgenstein" (working title)
  • Clemens Schmalhorst, M.A., "Sich vollbringender Pragmatismus. Brandom, Luhmann und Hegel" (working title)
  • Ariél Giménez, "Die objektive Notwendigkeit der Kategorien der Freiheit in der Kritik der Praktischen Vernunft von Immanuel Kant" (working title)
  • David-Benjamin Berger, M.A., "Charakter bei Kant" (working title)
  • Thomas Enthofer, M.A., "Logik als Metaphysik" (working title)
  • Satoshi Immanuel Kitazume, M.A., "Sprachdenken als philosophische Methode" (working title)
  • Nicolás A. Silva Sepúlveda, M.A., "Dinge an sich und transzendentale Ideen. Eine Untersuchung über die kritische Unterscheidung zwischen Erscheinungen und Dingen an sich." (working title)

  • 2020 Lei He, "Der Sinn von Kants Kritik der Teleologie"
  • 2020 Thomas Oehl, M.A., "Die Aktivität der Wahrnehmung und die Metaphysik des Geistes. Eine aktualisierende Lektüre von Hegels Philosophie des Geistes"
  • 2017 Xing Nan, "Kant on Intuition and Experience"
  • 2017 Nicolò Cristante, "Logos und Wahrheit. Eine Interpretation der hegelschen Doktrin der Sprache und deren logischen Inhalts"
  • 2017 RA Franz-Alois Fischer, M.A., "Das Recht und seine Voraussetzungen. Eine rechtsphilosophische Rekonstruktion von Hegels Rechtsbegriff"
  • 2012 Anne Sophie Meincke (Spann), M.A., "Auf dem 'Kampfplatz' der Metaphysik: Kritische Studien zur transtemporalen Identität von Personen"
  • 2011 Franz Knappik, M.A., "Im Reich der Freiheit. Hegels Theorie autonomer Vernunft"
  • 2010 Christian Georg Martin, M.A., "Ontologie der Selbstbestimmung. Eine operationale Rekonstruktion von Hegels 'Wissenschaft der Logik'"
  • 2009 Thomas Wyrwich, M.A., "Moralische Selbst- und Welterkenntnis. Die Deduktion des kategorischen Imperativs in der Kantischen Philosophie"

No habilitations are currently in progress.

  • 2019 Dr. Christian Martin, "Die Einheit des Sinns. Untersuchungen zur Form des Denkens und Sprechens"
  • 2011 Dr. Michael Reder, "Religion im Kontext der Säkularisierung. Die neue Aufmerksamkeit für Religion in der politischen Philosophie"

Placement Record

  • Christian Georg Martin:
    Director and Professor of Philosophy including History of Philosophy
    Institut für Philosophie (since 2023)
  • Xing Nan:
    Assistant Professor
    Department of Philosophy, Peking University (since 2017)
  • Philipp Schwab:
    Junior Professor of Philosophy, with a focus on classical German philosophy and its reception; Leader of the Emmy Noether junior research group (DFG) "Das Absolute und die Differenz: Der Dialog zwischen Schelling und Hegel 1794-1842"
    Freiburg im Breisgau (since 2015)
  • Arne Zerbst:
    President of Muthesius Kunsthochschule, Kiel (since 2014)
  • Franz Knappik:
    (Associate) Professor, University of Bergen, NOR (since 2016); Research associate, HU Berlin (since 2011)
  • Anne Sophie Meincke (Spann):
    PI, research project "Bio-Agency and Natural Freedom", Universität Wien, AUT (since 2019); Senior Research Fellow, University of Southampton, UK (since 2018); Research Fellow, University of Exeter, UK (since 2014); Project team member, LFU Innsbruck, AUT (since 2011)
  • Omri Boehm:
    Assistant/Associate Professor, NSSR New York, USA (since 2010)
  • Thomas Wyrwich:
    Research associate, LMU Munich (since 2009)
  • Paul Ziche:
    Professor of History of Modern Philosophy (Chair), Utrecht University, NL (since 2008)