Paul Hasselkuß

I’m Paul. I work in the philosophy of mathematics and in the philosophy of science.

About

I am a PhD student at HHU Düsseldorf, working in the philosophy of mathematics and the history and philosophy of science. In particular, my research focuses on the relationship between the epistemology of mathematics and mathematical practice. Also, I am interested in experimental philosophy and in the late Wittgenstein.

In my PhD project, I investigate whether mathematical knowledge is ultimately justified on the grounds of sensory experiences (a posteriori) or not (a priori). Although the received view makes a strong case for an a priori classification, in recent years, two challenges have emerged. Naturalism (Quine 1951; Maddy 1990) argues that mathematics is continuous with the natural sciences and, therefore, justified on sensory grounds. Practitionism (Lakatos 1976; Putnam 1979; Kitcher 1984) argues that mathematics, as practised, has many features that could not be part of an a priori science. In my project, I develop an argument against Practitionism by defending a modal reading of the a priori/a posteriori distinction.

Curriculum Vitae

Full Higher Education

2016 – 20

Master of Arts in Theoretical Philosophy, HHU
Wittgenstein’s Family Resemblance. Conceptions and Ramifications
35.000 words, supervised by Markus Schrenk & David Hommen

2012 – 16

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy & History of Arts, HHU
Die Schönheit der Mathematiker [The Mathematician’s Beauty]
15.000 words, supervised by Alexander Becker & Markus Schrenk

Grants & Scholarship

Conferences

Events I organised received funding from institutions such as the German Society for Analytic Philosophy (GAP), the German Society for Philosophy of Science (GWP), the Région Grand Est, and the International Commission on the History of Mathematics (ICHM).

Two summer schools I organised were endorsed and generously funded by HHU.

Scholarship & Travel Bursary

For my Master’s studies, I was awarded a scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes).

I also received travel grants from institutions such as the GWP, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, HHU.

Teaching

Isabelle Keßels and I were awarded funding from HHU’s E-Learning-Förderfonds for our project on teaching experimental philosophy with blended learning strategies.

Publications

2022

  • “Familiy Resemblance and Context.” In Platonism. Contributions of the 43rd International Wittgenstein Symposium, edited by Herbert Hrachovec and Jakub Mácha. Kirchberg am Wechsel: ALWS. 64-66.
    Download

2021

  • “Wittgensteins Begriff der Familienähnlichkeit. Interpretationen von 1960 bis heute.” In Wittgenstein und die Philosophiegeschichte, edited by Dennis Sölch and Bernard Ritter. Freiburg: Verlag Karl Alber. 376-429. (with Markus Schrenk)
    Download

Employment History

2020 – Present

Research & Teaching Fellow, Department of Philosophy, HHU

2019 – Present

Web Administrator, Amnesty Service gGmbH
(100% subsidiary of Amnesty International Germany e.V.)

2016 – 20

Graduate Assistant, Department of Philosophy, HHU

2014 – 16

Student Assistant, Department of Philosophy, HHU

Talks

2025

  • What Practices Cannot Tell Us. A Problem for Aposteriorism About Mathematical Knowledge
    Erlangen, 5th International Conference of the German Society for Philosophy of Science
  • Wittgenstein, Open Texture and Mathematics
    Online, Wittgenstein and the Formal Sciences IV

2024

  • Theoretical Virtues in Mathematics. There’s More Than Beauty
    Belgrade, 34th Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics
  • What Practices Cannot Tell Us. A Problem for Aposteriorism About Mathematical Knowledge
    Münster, German Congress for Philosophy XXVI
  • What’s the Problem With Computer-Assisted Proofs?
    Brussels, Masterclass in the Philosophy of Mathematical Practices 2024
  • The Innocence of Mathematical Practices. A Problem for Aposteriorism
    Pavia, 7th International Meeting of the APMP
  • Wittgenstein on Family Resemblance and Open Texture
    Online, Colloquium of the Young Network for Wittgensteinian Philosophy
  • “The Safety Dilemma Put to the Test” (with Isabelle Keßels and Daian Bica)
    Online, XPHI UK Work in Progress Workshop Series

2023

  • What Practices Can(Not) Tell Us
    Brussels, Masterclass in the Philosophy of Mathematical Practices 2023
  • Assessing Surveyability. Reframing the Debate on Computer-Assisted Proofs
    Zürich, Formalize!(?) - 3

2022

  • Family Resemblance and Context
    Kirchberg am Wechsel, 43rd International Wittgenstein Symposium 2022
  • Familienähnlichkeit und Lebensform
    Aix-en-Provence, Le concept de «vie» dans l’histoire de la philosophie

2021

  • Mathematical Knowledge as Social Knowledge?
    Online, 32nd Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics
  • Social Dimensions of Mathematical Knowledge? Lessons From Mathematical Practice
    London, PSGC 2021 “From Theory to Practice”
  • The Epistemic Role of Social Values in Mathematics
    Salzburg, SOPhiA

2019

  • Are Computer-Assisted-Proofs Really Complex?
    Strasbourg, 30th Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics
  • Differences and Similarities in the Notion of Family Resemblance
    Sofia, 130 years Ludwig Wittgenstein: 1889-2019
  • Computers and the King’s New Clothes. Remarks on Two Objections Against Computer Assisted Proofs in Mathematics
    Prague, 6th International Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science and Technology (CLMPST)
  • Are Computer-Assisted-Proofs Really Complex? Complexity, Simplicity and Insight in Mathematics
    Bonn, Simplicities & Complexities
  • Konzeptionen von Sprache und Wahrheit bei Nietzsche und Wittgenstein
    Düsseldorf, Wittgenstein und die Philosophiegeschichte

2018

  • The Mathematician vs. the Computer. On the Surprising Dislike for Computer-Assisted Proofs in Mathematics
    Salzburg, SOPhiA
  • Computer-Assisted Proofs and the Question of Complexity vs. Beauty in Mathematics
    Brussels, Masterclass in the Philosophy of Mathematical Practice
  • Ästhetik der Mathematik?
    Bochum, Colloquium of the Chair for History and Philosophy of Science (Helmut Pulte)
  • Is Mathematics Beautiful? A Non-reductive View on Aesthetic Judgements in Mathematics and Science
    Bucharest, Graduate conference on History and Philosophy of Science
  • Schöne Mathematik? Funktion und Bedeutung ästhetischer Werte in der mathematischen Forschung
    Gießen, dia:logos

2017

  • Aesthetic Values in Mathematical Inquiry
    Salzburg, SOPhiA

Organised Conferences

2025

  • P3: Pluralism, Pragmatism, Perspectivism
    Summer School exploring recent approaches to engaging with the post-positivist legacy in philosophy of science. HHU, co-organised with Daian Bica.
    Homepage

2024

  • What Do We Talk About When We Talk About (Scientific) Practices?
    3rd Düsseldorf Graduate Workshop for Philosophy. HHU, co-organised with Daian Bica.
    Homepage

2023

  • Problem Posing: Aesthetical and Other Considerations
    Virtual Workshop, HHU & Københavns Universitet, co-organised with Deniz Sarikaya.
    Homepage

2022

  • Philosophy of Mathematics Beyond the Armchair?!
    Summer School on Experimental Methods. HHU, co-organised with Deborah Kant and Deniz Sarikaya.
    Homepage
  • Logic and its Philosophy 2
    Virtual Mini-Workshop in Celebration of UNESCO World Logic Day. HHU, co-organised with Sara Ipakchi.
    Homepage

2021

  • Logic and its Philosophy
    Virtual Mini-Workshop in Celebration of UNESCO World Logic Day. HHU, co-organised with Sara Ipakchi.
    Homepage

2020

  • Axiomatics: Ancient and Contemporary Perspectives
    31st Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics. Humboldt University of Berlin, co-organised with Tiago Hirth, Deborah Kant, Deniz Sarikaya, Tobias Schütz, Anna Kiel Steensen, and Benjamin Wilck.
    Homepage

2019

  • Mathematical Cultures, Values and Norms
    30th Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics. University of Strasbourg, co-organised with Gatien Ricotier, Tiago Hirth, Deborah Kant, Rosie Lev-Halutz, Nicolas Michel, and Benjamin Wilck.
    Homepage
  • On What There Isn’t. Imagination, Impossibilities & Counterfactual Reasoning
    2nd Düsseldorf Graduate Workshop for Philosophy. HHU, co-organised with Till Gallasch, Sara Ipakchi and Jessica Struchhold.
    Homepage

2018

  • What Do We Do When We Do Metaphysics?
    1st Düsseldorf Graduate Workshop for Philosophy. HHU, co-organised with Till Gallasch, Sara Ipakchi and Jessica Struchhold.
    Homepage

Contact

Department of Philosophy
Heinrich Heine University
Universitätsstr. 1
40225 Düsseldorf