Centre for Ethics as Study in Human Value invites graduates in Philosophy and neighbouring disciplines to apply for a PhD scholarship. Alongside conducting research in ethics and political philosophy, a key part of the Centre’s aim is to foster the development of the next generation of academics. To its PhD students, it offers an inspiring environment of a friendly community of researchers and doctoral students, a regular PhD seminar, and the opportunity to participate in conferences, workshops and seminars organised at the Centre. The students can use a well-furnished PhD room and a common room, as well as the Centre’s library. Full-time PhD students pay no tuition fee, receive an internationally competitive monthly stipend and have funding opportunities for travel.
The Centre for Ethics brings together international researchers in ethics and political philosophy to work on issues surrounding the distinctive value of human life. The Centre has working links with partner institutions including King’s College London, University of Melbourne, Åbo Akademi, or Tilburg University, and hosts prestigious research projects. (More information here: https://centreforethics.upce.cz/en)
Areas of possible research projects
- Climate justice, environmental and animal ethics
- The value of humanity, racism, sexism, homophobia, social exclusion
- Social and political emotions, postfactism, populism and demagoguery
- Philosophy of emotions, situated affectivity, Enactive ethics
- Virtue and vice epistemology, the ethics of knowledge
- Patriotism, nationalism, cosmopolitanism and liberal universalism
- Home, family, ethics of closeness and distance
- Good and evil, remorse, shame, punishment, forgiveness
- Ancient ethics, virtue ethics, Platonic ethics, Socratic dialogue
- Ethics and technology, AI, robotics, new media, digital ethics
- Morality in philosophy and art, ethics and literature
- Topics within the scope of the ERC CZ project “Combatting self-righteousness”
Practical information
Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult their Research Proposal with their prospective supervisor in advance. Possible supervisors and co-supervisors include: Ondřej Beran, Matej Cíbik, Laura Candiotto, Tomáš Hejduk, Niklas Forsberg, Antony Fredriksson, John Lippitt, Kamila Pacovská, Silvia Caprioglio Panizza.
We offer a funded PhD position within the ERC CZ project “Combatting self-righteousness - a vice of the digital age”, under the supervision of Prof John Lippitt. Please indicate your interest in this position in your Research Proposal and explain how your Proposal would contribute to/fit into the project’s themes.
The standard length of study is 4 years in the full-time study mode. The working language of the PhD programme and of the Centre is English and applicants should have a good grasp of academic English.
Application deadline: 30 April 2025
Interviews: mid May 2025
Decision: by the end of May 2025
Starting date: 1 October, 2025
Stipend: approx. 1000 EUR per month (no tuition fees)
Information about the programme and admission requirements: here
Contact for inquiries: Doc. Ondřej Beran (ondrej.beran@upce.cz)