Philosophy

Philosophy is relevant to all areas of everyday life and scholarship. For this reason it is not simply part of the humanities and the social sciences, nor is its role confined to that of a debating partner for these fields of study. It contributes to discussions of basic questions in mathematics and the natural sciences as well as in medicine and technical areas. And above all philosophy is concerned with questions of law and justice, of society, economy and politics, of consciousness and self awareness, of language, education and art.

In the German-speaking world, following a long period of systematic philosophy, the history of philosophy came to the fore - in part in the form of the history of earlier ages, in part as the reception of that tradition, which, following the exile of its practitioners, became known as Anglo-American or also as analytical philosophy. Today two directions, among others, are evident: on the one hand, the transmission of analytical philosophy with its transcendental, hermeneutic and dialectic strands; and on the other hand, a systematic philosophy, which, however, gains its inspiration once more from the riches of philosophy´s past. Since the claim of philosophy to universally valid concepts and arguments is disputed, a third task presents itself: either to abandon the claim of the universal validity of philosophy and of universal human reason; or, particularly in this era of globalization, to renew the claim by means of intercultural and transcultural discourse.

The Fritz Thyssen Stiftung supports philosophy in its entire historical and systematic breadth, including periods and areas which are not in the mainstream of current research. In the history of philosophy the classical authors are to some extent emphasized; interpretations and commentaries, both within and without the Greek and German philosophical highpoints, can be supported. In systematic philosophy the Foundation supports pure research within the field of philosophy, for instance into theories of knowledge and of objects, moral argumentation and philosophical aesthetics. No less important are themes which call for an opening to other disciplines: in theoretical philosophy themes such as language, consciousness and intellect, openings to the neurosciences and the cognitive sciences; in practical philosophy, such themes as law, state and politics including their global perspectives, and openings to jurisprudence and the social sciences; and in philosophical aesthetics, not only the opening to literature but also to the fine arts, to architecture and to music.