Two Fully Funded PhD Positions in History of Philosophy – Trinity College Dublin

The Department of Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin invites applications to our PhD programme, and is delighted to offer two full funded PhD positions as part of the recently introduced Provost’s Scholarships Initiative. These funded positions cover fees (either EU or Non-EU) plus an annual stipend of €16,000 per year for 4 years. Please see below for descriptions of the research projects within which Provost’s Scholars will work, and for a description of the further research strengths of the department.

We also welcome applications for our PhD programme in line with our research strengths in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion and ethics, as well as expertise in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, early modern philosophy, modern European philosophy and history of analytic philosophy. All applicants will be considered for the Postgraduate Ussher Fellowships.

Funded Position 1: Ancient Philosophy (Supervisor: Prof. Vasilis Politis)

Applications are invited for a funded PhD in Philosophy, to be supervised by Professor Vasilis Politis, on the topic of: Plato’s Essentialism. The successful applicant will be expected to demonstrate interest in one or more of the following themes under this general topic:

• How does Plato defend the commitment to the search for essences?
• What are distinctive features of Plato’s essentialism?
• What, according to Plato, is the role of essences in: thought and language; dialectic; science; metaphysics?
• What is the relation between Plato’s essentialism and his epistemology?
• Does Plato have an answer to the sceptic about essences?
• How does Plato’s essentialism compare to Aristotle’s?
• Is Plato’s essentialism relevant in contemporary philosophy?
• Is there a political and/or ethical dimension to Plato’s essentialism?

The successful applicant will demonstrate a combination of scholarly and philosophical ability, and will be expected to know some Greek already or be committed to learning Greek during and in preparation of his or her PhD programme.

Funded Position 2: Early Modern Philosophy (Supervisor: Dr. Kenneth Pearce)

Irish Philosophy in the Age of Berkeley

George Berkeley’s Principles (1710) and Dialogues (1713) are standard texts in Western philosophy curricula. No other Irish philosopher, and no other work of Berkeley’s, has achieved this ‘canonical’ status. However, there was a vibrant philosophical scene in Ireland in Berkeley’s lifetime, to which Berkeley was far from the only contributor. Studying this broader Irish philosophical discussion will improve our understanding of Berkeley and also of early modern philosophy more generally. This is in line with a new approach to the history of philosophy focused on philosophical conversations, rather than on the ‘grand systems’ of individual thinkers.

Proposals are invited for a fully funded PhD position within this project to be supervised by Dr. Kenneth Pearce. Proposals should adopt a contextual approach to the study of the philosophy of George Berkeley and/or other Irish philosophers of the same period, such as Robert Boyle, William King, or John Toland.

About the Provost’s Scholarships

The Provost’s Scholarships include funding to cover fees (either EU or Non-EU) plus an annual stipend of €16,000 per year for 4 years. The awards are made in connection to research projects, and those wishing to apply for one of the funded Provost’s Scholarships should indicate this clearly in their applications, and should ensure that their research proposals align with one of the research projects.

Prospective students are advised to contact the relevant supervisor if they are unsure whether their research project fits the advertised position.

About the Department

Based in the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, we are a small and student-friendly Department that offers a world-class programme in philosophy. There has been a rich tradition of philosophical excellence at Trinity since its foundation in 1592 and today the Department is a close-knit, lively intellectual community of researchers, teachers and students, which combines high-quality teaching with expansive research activity.

The Department of Philosophy has a well-established international reputation for innovative research across many areas of philosophy. While much of our research is in the broad analytical tradition, this is complemented by a strong interest in history of philosophy. We have special strengths in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion and ethics, as well as expertise in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, early modern philosophy, modern European philosophy and history of analytic philosophy.

The Department of Philosophy has a vibrant graduate community. Students who are accepted into the PhD programme at Trinity College are, as a matter of course, also enrolled in the Dublin Philosophy Graduate Programme. This programme, which combines the strengths and expertise of the philosophy faculties of Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin, integrates a rigorous taught component with a serious research element, giving it a unique and comprehensive character.

Research students are offered the chance to be teaching assistants for our undergraduate courses. Our students have been successful in attracting national and international research funding, including postgraduate and postdoctoral fellowships, and presenting their research at international conferences.

All applicants will automatically be considered for the Postgraduate Ussher Fellowships. These fellowships are available to new entrants on the PhD programme. The fellowships aim to support and develop gifted research students. They are competitive and are awarded on the basis of academic merit.

The initial deadline for all applications is 1st April. Applications received after the deadline will be considered, but they will not be considered for a Provost Scholarship or an Ussher Fellowships. Late applicants also run the risk that available places in the programme will be filled. All applications are to be made online via the TCD postgrad applications system.

For further information on the Department of Philosophy at TCD and our graduate programmes please visit: http://www.tcd.ie/Philosophy/courses/

For more information on scholarships, please visit: http://www.tcd.ie/Philosophy/postgraduate/phd-programme/fees-funding/index.php

Any queries should be directed to prospective supervisors or to Dr James Miller (jamiller@tcd.ie)

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