2 PhD positions on the Ethics of Cooperation

The Department of Philosophy at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has two vacancies for PhD researchers on the Ethics of Cooperation.

Project 1: Cooperation and diachronic rationality
Why cooperate (e.g. reduce one’s energy consumption, adhere to the corona measures, or get a vaccine) even when one’s individual contribution makes no difference and seems like a mere waste of one’s efforts? Recent suggestions to solve this “inefficacy problem” have instrumental and expressive components and involve consequentialist and Kantian justifications. This project will work on a new response in terms of commitment and rationality over time.

Project 2: Cooperation and taking responsibility
When many people have to cooperate in light of important ends (e.g. fighting a pandemic or climate change), it often happens that some agents take too much responsibility, and others too little. Much work has been done on how to fairly attribute moral responsibility for the consequences of our past actions, but less attention has been given to what taking responsibility comes to and when it can be fitting or (un)fair. This project will develop an account both of the nature of taking responsibility and of the relevant fittingness and fairness norms governing what people should take responsibility for.

The projects will be carried out in close collaboration, and will be supervised by dr. Jan Willem Wieland and dr. Phil Robichaud. The projects are embedded in the research group Moral and Political Philosophy of Martin van Hees. Project descriptions are available upon request by writing to j.j.w.wieland@vu.nl or p.robichaud@vu.nl.

Your duties

• conduct research on the project’s topic, resulting in a PhD dissertation and journal publications
• participate in the weekly research activities of the research group Moral and Political Philosophy (and related national and international events
• participate in the teaching activities of the research group Moral and Political Philosophy (max. 10% of your time), and attain a University Teaching Qualification
• participate in the VU PhD training program