In the Koselleck project Reflexive Rationality of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Spohn at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Konstanz a Research Position in Philosophy / Economics — either as Ph.D. position for 3 years (part time 65% E13) or as a Postdoc position for 2 years (full time 100% E13) — is to be filled at June 1, 2020, or at the earliest convenient date. An extension of this position is possible.

The Koselleck project is about the following issues: The paradigm of homo oeconomicus, as explicated in modern decision and game theory, shapes extensive parts of our social sciences. These theories count as delivering a basically complete normative ideal and hence serve as the critical reference point of behavioral, psycho-, and neuroeconomics, which attempt to overcome the empirical deficiencies of those theories. In contrast to this mainstream, the present project takes game and decision theory to be normatively deficient and thus attempts to improve the normative ideal of a homo oeconomicus and to thereby shift the point of attack of empirical criticism. The project does so by rigorously theorizing ‘reflexive ascent’. According to it, a person considers not only her possible actions and their possible consequences, but also her possible (future) decision situations, which entail those actions. This will provide a systematization of so-called dynamic choice, a systematic treatment of (pre-)commitment and self-binding, and in particular a new fundamental equilibrium concept for game theory, which promises a novel treatment of cooperation and indeed a unification of non-cooperative and cooperative game theory.

A more detailed description of the Koselleck project is found here. Applicants are requested to study this description. The researcher is supposed to contribute in particular to section 3 of that description. This requires competences in microeconomics, decision theory, and/or (practical) philosophy and, by the time the position starts, a master*s degree for the Ph.D. position or a Ph.D. for the postdoc position. He or she will be well embedded not only at the Department of Philosophy, but also at the Department of Economics (Prof. Dr. Urs Fischbacher); he or she will be associated to the Graduate School of Decision Sciences and will find an outstanding research environment at our excellence university.

Applications including a CV, a letter of motivation, a list of publications, possibly a writing sample and a list of courses taught, and copies of academic degree certificates are to be submitted via this application portal no later than February 29, 2020. He is also responsive to any questions concerning this position. For any questions concerning this position please contact Prof. Spohn: wolfgang.spohn@uni-konstanz.de