1984.
Graduated Gymnasium. Abitur. Leistungskurse*: Biology and chemistry.
*(Course which seeks to impart additional knowledge to a basic knowledge using a
style similar to university teaching.)
1984 – 1988.
Studies in Philosophy, History and German Literature, University of Hamburg.
1984 – 2000
(intermittently).
Private tutor in German, English, History, Swedish, Biology, Chemistry.
April 1986, April
1988. Held scholarship
and took part in philosophical conferences, Inter-University-Center in
Dubrovnik.
May 1988
(24th-27th). Gave lecture at Jubiläumskongress
“Schopenhauer in unserer Zeit” (Schopenhauer in our time) at the University of Hamburg.
November 1987 –
August 1988. Work as
scientific advisor for Prof. Alfred Sohn-Rethel, University of Bremen (Topic:
“Theory of nature and economy” in antiquity, the Middle Ages and modern
times). Gave lecture on “Sohn-Rethel and Frankfurt School” at the University
of Bochum.
September 1988
– December 1990. Held scholarship at Department
of the Institute for the History of Ideas, Svenska Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Worked on thesis, Der Gewinn des Symbolischen (The Triumph of the
Symbolic. The Non-Deductability of Theories of Nature from Social Sructures as
claimed in Critical Theory: K. Marx. G. Lukács, F. Borkenau, E. Bloch,
Horkheimer/Adorno, H. Marcuse, A. Sohn-Rethel. Dissertation compares their
results with Ernst Cassirer’s Philosophy of Symbolic Forms).
June
1991. Ph. D. in
philosophy in Hamburg (magna cum laude).
January 1992 –
August 1992. Work at Euro
Schule in Hamburg. Taught adults (of German origin) from East-European
countries in German.
May
1995. Lecture at the University of Hamburg on
“Ernst Cassirer Universität Hamburg?”
December
1995 (12th).
Lecture at Evangelische Studentengemeinde Leipzig on
“Soll eine Menschheit
sein? Was spricht gegen eine Aufhebung der Menschheit durch natale
Enthaltsamkeit?”
April
1996 (22nd and 24th).
Lectures at Bundeswehrhochschule Hamburg and at the University of Leipzig on
“Kommunikation mit extraterrestrischer Intelligenz”.
Spring 1995 – Summer 1997. Lecturer in Philosophy at the Universities of Hamburg and Leipzig. Gave following seminars (titles translated):
Hamburg:
(1995) “Stations in Philosophical Anthropology”
(J.G. Herder, K. Marx, M. Scheler, H. Plessner, E. Cassirer, A. Gehlen, H.
Blumenberg)
(1997) “Future Generations and Mankind”
(A. Schopenhauer, G. Simmel, H.
Jonas, R.M. Hare, D. Parfit, J. Narveson, T. Govier)
Leipzig:
(1995) “Philosophy and Ecology”
(R. Descartes
and F. Bacon in the view of modern interpreters)
(1995-96) “Future Generations”
(A. Schopenhauer, J. St. Mill, H. Jonas, J.
Narveson, R.M. Hare, D. Parfit)
(1996) “Topics in practical ethics. An introductory course for school teachers”
(P. Singer).
August
1996 – May 1999 (intermittently). Visiting
Scholar at Rice University (Houston / Texas).
October 2007 (9th) and June 2008 (10th). Gave inhouse training at DSO
(Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplanation) on the topic of "Brain-related
death criteria and the definition of life".
Juli
2008 (28th). Lecture at University of Lübeck / Institut für
Medizingeschichte und Wissenschaftsforschung on "Lebewesen oder Organismus? Sprache und Ethik in Grenzfällen"
(Living Beings or Organisms? Language and Ethics in Borderline Cases).
August 2009 (21st).
Lecture at the 23rd EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE AND
HEALTHCARE. Sources and Perspectives of Bioethics.
19 - 22 August 2009, Tübingen
Title:
"Towards a Mentalistic Definition of the Beginning and the End of a
Life. Reflections on Embryos and Brain-Death"
November
2009 (14th).
Lecture
at Symposion
Hirntod und Hirntoddiagnostik, carried out by Deutsche Stiftung
Organtransplantation and Universitätsmedizin der Johannes
Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Title:
"Der philosophische Hintergrund hirnbezogener Todeskriterien"
November 1999 – present. Work for translation office and as freelance translator. Work on publications.
Memberships
European Society for Philosophy of Medicine
and Health Care
The Nicolai Hartmann Society
VEBU - German Vegetarian Union