Stephan A KauferJohn Williamson Nevin Memorial Professor of Philosophy, Department Chair of Philosophy
Education
Yale College, BA (1991)
Stanford University, PhD (1999)
Research
My primary research interest is Heidegger. I have looked mostly at his early work, up to and slightly beyond Being and Time, trying to make sense of his views on logic, his existential conception of the self, and his interpretation of Kant. I have also written on the development and demise of 19th century logic in the neo-Kantian tradition. Currently, I am writing a series of papers on various topics on Division Two of Being and Time. And Anthony Chemero and I are co-writing a book on phenomenology and cognitive science, to be published by Polity Press.
Reviews PHI213: 17th and 18th Century Philosophy: A survey of main currents in Western philosophy from Descartes through Kant, emphasizing
how the figures replaced the intellectual foundations of the medieval world with assumptions
heavily influenced by the Scientific Revolution. PHI217: Existentialism: Existentialism is a label for a loose grouping of writers who investigate the personal
and individual nature of one's relation to the world and to others. These writers
focus especially on questions about truth, commitment, responsibility, freedom and
death. This class surveys some main texts in the existentialist tradition, with readings
from Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Sartre, Camus, Nietzsche and Kundera. PHI218: Nietzsche: In-depth study of Nietzsche's thought through close reading of his major writings.
There is a focus on literary and philosophical aspects of his writings. PHI317: Kant and German Idealism: Close examination of the two most important and influential views of the German idealist
tradition: Kant's critical philosophy and Hegel's historicist reaction to it. PHI319: 20th Century Continental Philosophy: Close examination of the key texts of phenomenology and hermeneutics. We will study
writings from Heidegger, Gadamer, Habermas and others. FND106: Art/Life: This class looks at a range of views on the nature of art, imitation, representation,
and reality. There will be readings from Homer, Plato, Nietzsche, and others.More About Professor Kaufer
Grants & Awards
Publications
Presentations
Course Information
Philosophy Courses
Foundations Courses