Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
The Department of the History of Philosophy brings together historians of philosophy and historians of science in a single teaching and research unit. As far as teaching is concerned, the department provides courses in the history of philosophy from Antiquity to the current age for the Faculty's Bachelor's, Master's and Research Master's programmes. As far as research is concerned, the department - under the name of Center for the History of Philosophy and Science - investigates the evolution of natural philosophy from Antiquity to the 21st century. It pays particular attention to the period between 1250 and 1700, and to the consequences of the fragmentation of the Aristotelian worldview into the manifold of modern scientific disciplines. This fragmentation of natural philosophy into different sciences, which no longer share common ontological and epistemological premises, raises important questions for contemporary philosophers, which are also addressed at CHPS.
Research and teaching topics include the notions of place/space, time, matter, motion, chance and necessity, but also soul, mind and cognition. Within the global academic landscape, CHPS is unique in approaching the history of philosophy and the history of science as historically intertwined phenomena. For this reason, it has attracted staff, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers from many countries, and functions as an international hub for scholars interested in the combination of the history of philosophy and the history of science. In addition to addressing academic peers, CHPS also reaches out to a wider audience to contribute to a better understanding of the historical trajectory that has led to today's science and technology-driven society.
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Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies is a compact, ambitious organisation with approximately 160 staff and nearly 900 students from the Netherlands and abroad. Our educational programme includes several top-notch degree programmes in both in-depth disciplinary fields of study and interdisciplinary and interfaculty studies. The faculty has innovative education and research programmes with a strong focus on current social issues.