History of Philosophy

Addressing some of the deepest and oldest questions about reality and human life.

The University of Notre Dame Australia is a leading Australian centre for research in the History of Philosophy. Our researchers have expertise especially in the ancient, medieval, and early modern periods in the Western intellectual tradition, and we host a number of externally-funded projects in these areas. We publish History of Philosophy research in leading academic journals and book presses, supervise research Masters and PhD students, host events and visiting scholars, and collaborate with Australian and international partners in our research projects.

Meet our people

Associate Professor David Bronstein
Associate Professor in Philosophy

Dr Nathan Lyons
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy

Professor Peter Harrison
Professorial Research Fellow in Science and Religion

International partners

We are proud to be partnering with the University of Notre Dame (Indiana) to co-host two international History of Philosophy conferences in 2024 and 2025.

Meet our partners

Professor Therese Cory
John and Jean Oesterie Associate Professor of Thomistic Studies
Director, History of Philosophy Forum

Professor Sean Kelsey
Rev. John A. O'Brien College Professor of Philosophy
Steering Commitee, History of Philosophy Forum

Externally Funded Projects

Grant

Virtue with Aristotle: Recovering an Ancient Ethical Theory for Our Time

Grant

Nature-Culture Continuities in Medieval Philosophy and Theology

Events

Reading Group on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
February-November 2024. A once per month reading group, meeting in person and online, and organised in partnership with UNDA’s Institute for Ethics and Society and School of Philosophy and Theology.
Becoming Good: Virtue and Moral Development in Ancient Ethics
1-2 August 2024. Conference in partnership with UNDA’s Institute for Ethics and Society. Keynote speakers: Roger Crisp (Oxford), Margaret Hampson (St. Andrews), Sukaina Hirji (Penn), Marta Jimenez (Emory), Rachana Kamtekar (Cornell), and Rachel Singpurwalla (Maryland).
Notre Dame Winter School on Aristotle’s Ethics
5-7 August 2024. Masterclass in partnership with UNDA’s Institute for Ethics and Society. Instructors: Roger Crisp (Oxford), Margaret Hampson (St. Andrews), Sukaina Hirji (Penn), Marta Jimenez (Emory), Rachana Kamtekar (Cornell), and Rachel Singpurwalla (Maryland).
Nature in the History of Philosophy
21-22 October 2024. Conference co-hosted with Notre Dame USA’s History of Philosophy Forum. Keynote speakers: Therese Cory (ND USA), Sean Kelsey (ND USA), Calvin Normore (UCLA), Deborah Brown (Queensland), and Alexander Hampton (Toronto).