Martin Hähnel

After studying philosophy at TU Dresden, Martin Hähnel received his doctorate from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in 2015 with a thesis on virtue ethics. After several stays abroad (including at Boston College and Oxford University) and various activities in third-party funded projects on medical ethics, he completed his habilitation at the University of Bremen in April 2024 on the topic of Neo-Aristotelian ethical naturalism. His research and teaching focus on virtue ethics, applied ethics (especially medical and AI ethics) and the history of philosophy.

Abstract: Robert Spaemann's statements on a broad spectrum of ethical and social issues have garnered significant attention, as have his philosophical essays, which have attracted a wide readership and been translated into numerous languages. The uniqueness of his ideas and the brilliance of his writing style justify this level of interest. Like many philosophers, Spaemann is prone to being labeled. He incorporates key concepts from history of philosophy—primarily from Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and others like Leibniz, Kant, Hegel, Lévinas, Anscombe—into his work without seeking a synthesis. This underscores the importance of furthering the philosophical discourse on Spaemann's views. The ongoing research project aims to advance Spaemann's thoughts, not only interpreting his ideas and arguments internally but also critically examining them and engaging with contemporary philosophical debates. This project focuses on Spaemann's deontological and virtue ethical justification of ethics, his critique of scientism and consequentialism by placing it within a philosophical-historical framework, and his perspective on the role and significance of philosophy. A particular focus is on exploring the different facets of Spaemann's concept of personhood.