Prof. Dr. Nikos Psarros

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Nikos teaches Philosophy at the University of Leipzig since 1998. After obtaining his PhD 1988 in Nuclear Chemistry at the University of Marburg he worked for several years on various research projects in the fields of Oral Microbiology and Biochemistry of Oral Cariogenic Bacteria, as well on Nuclear Waste Management. During this period he strengthened, however, his ties to Philosophy, especially to Philosophy of Science. These ties were established during his studies of Chemistry and Philosophy at the Universities of Würzburg and Marburg. 1992 he was granted a fellowship from the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft for research work on Philosophy of Chemistry, followed by a habilitation grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation). With this thesis Nikos obtained 1998 his habilitation and also the academic status of a Privatdozent (Reader). It is the first habilitation thesis devoted to the Philosophy of Chemistry that has been ever accepted by a German university. The habilitation thesis was published 1999 under the title Die Chemie und ihre Methoden (Chemistry and its Methods) by Wiley-VCH. The book deals with the methodical reconstruction of the language of chemistry not only with regard to the clarification of epistemological problems, e.g. the concept of the chemical element or the status of chemical theorems, and aims at providing a conceptual basis for the development of ethical discourses in this science. Together with Klaus Ruthenberg and Joachim Schummer, Nikos belongs to the first generation of philosophers of Chemistry in Germany and to the pioneers of Philosophy of Chemistry worldwide.

1998 a Heisenberg Fellowship of the German Research Foundation enabled him to expand his research work to the fields of Ontology, Philosophy of Nature and Philosophical Anthropology. Philosophy and History of Chemistry, however, remained always within the scope of his philosophical interests.

Nikos continues since 2004 his research and teaching work as Professor extraordinary of Philosophy at the University of Leipzig. His philosophical objective is to bridge the gap between the Platonic/Aristotelian ontological tradition and the modern pragmatist and phenomenological philosophical currents. His work in Philosophy of Science is focussed on the dialectical and historical relations between social practices and the ontological foundations of Nature and Mind. His teaching activities include the realisation of the newly introduced BA and MA study curricula at the University of Leipzig.

Nikos’ more detailed CV can be found here and a German version here.