The Center for Metaphilosophical Research is an independent higher research and teaching institution. Its goal is to introduce and promote the ideal of metaphilosophically informed philosophy as a new paradigm for doing, teaching, studying, and administering philosophy. The Center initiates and supports theoretical, practical, historical and aesthetical discourses on philosophy and the implementation of metaphilosophical knowledge in philosophical practice. One of the current major tasks is the edition of the first general handbook in metaphilosophy (Springer/Metzler, 2024-2026). The CMPHR will organize conferences and workshops, summer schools, and courses.
The Center roughly follows the line drawn in Lewin’s work “Metaphilosophy as a Unified Discipline”: It is open to different discourse formations and is not limited to any school or tradition. The CMPHR is also interested in fighting and preventing structural epistemic and rational injustice in philosophy in general and in professional academic philosophy in particular. It is against any form of psychic or physical violence, hate, arrogance, discrimination, elitism, and gatekeeping. Epistemic humility and honesty, which includes the questioning of one’s own position and authority are the key virtues required to enter the metaphilosophical discourse.
History
The idea for the CMPHR was born during two research projects of Michael Lewin between 2021 and 2023 and the planning phase of the “Handbuch Metaphilosophie” with Daniel Minkin. Several scholars from different parts of the world, including Nicholas Rescher and Timothy Williamson, have supported the initiative. The conference “What is Metaphilosophy?”, co-organized with Richard Raatzsch in September 2022, the author of “Philosophiephilosophie”, can count as the first conference of the Center.
People
Director: Michael Lewin
Administrative Assistant: Polina Lewin (M.A.)
Associated Members:
Daniel Minkin (co-editor of Handbuch Metaphilosophie)
Network
[The list will be updated shortly.]