Philosophy

The department of Philosophy does not have its own course or final specialisation, but participates in all of the faculty's courses. The curriculum's philosophical input is mainly thematically oriented: teaching and research is intended to contribute to conceptual clarification and reflection on scientific, social and cultural problems. The philosophical expertise of the department does not extend to all areas of philosophy. Instead, the emphasis is on four specialist areas or points of special interest relevant to the Arts and Culture programme (taken both historically and systematically): the philosophy of science (and its relationship to the cognitive sciences); technological philosophy (and its relationship to historical and socio-technological research); the philosophy of art and culture (including the modernism-postmodernism theme); and political and social philosophy (and its relationship to the social and political sciences).

Research

Almost all members of the department with a doctoral degree are members of the Netherlands Graduate School of Science, Technology and Modern Culture (WTMC). Examples of research themes are: political problems associated with the information society; evolutionary epistemology; philosophy of biology and the problems of complexity; the relationship between politics and technology; and the history and philosophy of the future.

In another area of research, problems associated with science, technology and modern culture are studied from both a cultural-philosophical and a political-philosophical perspective. The themes covered are: the identity of Europe; the history and meaning of progressive ideas in the art world; cultural identity and post-modern philosophy; traumas of modernity; tolerance as a social phenomenon; the normative approach; and the end of ideology.

Personnel

The following academic staff work at the department of Philosophy:

• Prof. Dr. M. Doorman

• Dr. P. Dorstewitz

• M. van der Drift

• Dr. R. Gabriëls

• Dr. M. Georgieva  
• D. Haen, MA

• Dr. R. Hendriks

• Dr. I. Kamphof

• B. Keller

• Dr. A. Kluveld 
• Prof. Dr. S. Koenis
• Dr. W. Nauta

• Dr. P. Peters

• Prof. Dr. H. Pott

• Dr. T. Sharon

• Dr. J. Spruyt

• Prof. dr. T. Swierstra (chair)

• Drs. T. van de Werff

• Prof. Dr. M. Verkerk

Secretary office:

• J. Graff

• J. Oud

Contact details:

Telephone: 043-3883319

Visiting address: Grote Gracht 90-92, 6211 SZ Maastricht