Predoctoral Research Assistant (75%, i.e. 30 hrs/wk; for 30 months, with the possibility of a six-month extension) (EXPIRED)

Predoctoral Research Assistant (75%, i.e. 30 hrs/wk; for 30 months, with the possibility of a six-month extension), for a project on

Self-Consciousness and Personal Identity in Eighteenth-Century Practical Philosophy with a focus on Kant.

Theoretical issues concerning self-consciousness and identity can often be crucial to understanding central issues in practical philosophy, such as the nature of agency and the issue of self-determination. For example, the ability to determine our own self with respect to actions presupposes that we are conscious of our own self in some way. How does eighteenth-century philosophy, and Immanuel Kant’s philosophy in particular, account for this relation between a theoretical and a practical relation to one’s own self, and how are these accounts to be evaluated? These are questions to be dealt with in this research.

The project is formally embedded within the Institut für Philosophie, Arbeitsbereich Geschichte der Philosophie, at the University of Graz and will be carried out under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Udo Thiel within the context of the Research Group on The Enlightened Subject: Sameness and Self from Condillac to Reinhold  (Austrian Science Fund – FWF Project No: 29862-G16). 

Job Specification:

• Work on a PhD thesis project under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Udo Thiel

• Provide research assistance

• Discuss relevant material und cooperate with the project leader

• Provide assistance for organizing workshops und conferences relating to the project

Professional Qualifications:

• Masters (or equivalent) with a thesis in eighteenth-century philosophy of mind or practical philosophy.

• Knowledge of Kant’s philosophy. Broad knowledge of eighteenth-century philosophy (English, French and German language sources).

• Fluency in English and German. Working knowledge of French and Latin.

• Familiarity with the philological and interdisciplinary aspects of historical work in philosophy.

Personal Profile:

• Strong communication and organizational skills

• Independent and self-motivated

• Excellent writing skills

• Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team

• Reliability