معرفی
Sebastian Schmidt is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Zurich's Department of Philosophy (Faculty of Philosophy) and Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg's African Center for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (ACEPS). Holding a doctorate summa cum laude from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, he specializes in epistemology and metaethics with cross-disciplinary expertise spanning philosophy of mind, metaphilosophy, Wittgenstein's late work, and ancient philosophy.
His educational background includes:
- Doctorate in Philosophy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2015-2020)
- Master of Arts in Philosophy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2013-2015)
- Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and German Studies, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2011-2014)
Dr. Schmidt's research interrogates the intersection of epistemic and moral responsibility, with seminal contributions to understanding epistemic blame, doxastic dilemmas, and mental agency. His work uniquely bridges analytic epistemology with Wittgensteinian insights and ancient philosophical traditions, examining how normative constraints govern belief formation in both individual and social contexts. Recent projects critically engage with applied epistemic phenomena including genocide denial, vaccine refusal, and climate change discourse.
Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2019-2025) reveals a methodological evolution from pure epistemology toward socially embedded normative frameworks. While maintaining rigorous focus on foundational questions of rationality and evidence, his scholarship increasingly addresses structural epistemic injustices and collective responsibility, demonstrating how theoretical epistemology informs urgent contemporary crises through interdisciplinary lenses.
Dr. Schmidt has secured competitive research funding including an SNF Postdoc Mobility Fellowship (2022-2023) supporting collaborative work at the University of Southern California and University of Glasgow, alongside prior support from the German National Academic Foundation. His teaching portfolio includes advanced epistemology courses at the University of Zurich.
He actively contributes to two major research collectives: the Zurich Epistemology Group on Rationality (ZEGRa) at UZH and the African Center for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (ACEPS), facilitating transnational dialogue between European and African epistemological traditions.
