PhD student position in philosophy of mathematics, Konstanz (Germany)

At the Department of Philosophy (Theoretical Philosophy / Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller) there is currently a vacancy for a Part-time Ph.D. student Position (Salary Scale 13 TV-L, 50%). The position will be immediately available; an early start is preferred. The position will be granted initially for 12 months, with an option for an extension for a second year; funding for a third year will be applied for once the project is under way.

The position is advertised as part of the new research project "Kulturen der mathematischen Forschung: Identitätspraktiken im Hinblick auf nationale Mathematikkulturen und Beweisstile" (Cultures of mathematical research: identification practices with respect to national cultures of mathematics and styles of proof). The principal investigators of this project are Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller (Konstanz) and Prof. Dr. Benedikt Löwe (Hamburg & Amsterdam). The hired applicant will be based in Konstanz and it is the intention that the applicant be enrolled as a Ph.D. student and receive a Ph.D. degree in philosophy at the Universität Konstanz, but the project involves active and regular interaction with the Universiteit van Amsterdam and the Universität Hamburg, including extended research visits of up to one semester.

This research project deals with the question of whether there is mathematical content to national mathematical cultures: clearly, there are differences in the mathematical styles of researchers from different countries. But are these differences more than superficial? In other words, can these differences be explained in purely mathematical terms. The project aims to approach this question with empirical means using techniques from the digital humanities (national literary cultures) and qualitative and quantitative empirical social studies.

The deadline for applications is 12 February 2015. For more information, see http://www.uni-konstanz.de/stellenangebote/?cont=stellausw&seite=2015/.