Vittorio G. Hösle

Vittorio G. Hösle is the Paul G. Kimball Professor of Arts and Letters at the University of Notre Dame, holding concurrent professorships in Philosophy and Political Science. He serves as a Faculty Fellow at the Nanovic Institute and the Kroc Institute. His academic roles include founding director of the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study (2008–2013) and editorial leadership in interdisciplinary research initiatives. He has guest-taught globally, including in Brazil, India, Russia, Norway, Italy, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Dr. Hösle’s scholarly interests span systematic philosophy (metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics, political theory) and the history of philosophy (ancient and modern). His research focuses on just war theory, development theories, and interdisciplinary dialogues between philosophy and film, literature, and theology. He has authored over 50 books, including Morals and Politics (2004) and A Short History of German Philosophy (2017), and edited volumes on beauty, goodness, and truth. His work The Dead Philosopher’s Café (2000) is a widely translated introduction to philosophy.

Hösle’s awards include the Fritz-Winter Prize from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and fellowships at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences by Pope Francis (2013) and its Council (2017). His academic trajectory includes a Ph.D. (1982) and Habilitation (1986) from Tübingen University, Germany.