Final reminder: 3 Full-Time PhD Positions on Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Anti-Mathematicism and Anti-Abstractionism

[Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community]

Dear all,

This is to call your attention to:

3 Full-Time PhD Positions on Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Anti-Mathematicism and Anti-Abstractionism

 

The Centre Leo Apostel at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is pleased to announce the availability of three full-time PhD positions focused on the fascinating history of anti-mathematicism and anti-abstractionism in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These positions are part of a research project investigating the resistance to Isaac Newton’s natural philosophy and the broader emergence of the ‘new science’ during this transformative period.

 

Project Description

The spread of Isaac Newton’s (1642-1727) natural philosophy and the broader ‘new science’ was a complex and multifaceted process. While Newton’s ideas and the those of emerging ‘new science’ gained significant influence, they also encountered substantial resistance. This research project aims to deepen our understanding of how Newton’s natural philosophy and the ‘new science’ were received by examining the critiques they provoked. Despite their prominence, a comprehensive study of the anti-mathematical and anti-abstractionist criticisms raised against Newton’s experimental-mathematical philosophy and the ‘new science’ they faced remains lacking. These criticism challenged the notion that mathematics and abstract reasoning could yield adequate knowledge of the physical world.

This research proposal delves into the history of British anti-mathematicism and anti-abstractionism, shedding light on two distinct contexts. 1. First, we will conduct a systematic study of British anti-mathematical and anti-abstractionist critiques leveled against the emerging ‘new science’ and Newton’s natural philosophy within the realms of natural philosophy and philosophy. Two PhD dissertations will explore this first context, examining the works of e.g. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), Kenelm Digby (1603-1665), and George Berkeley (1685-1753). Candidates may propose alternative authors or cultural context beyond Britain. 2. Secondly, transcending the boundaries of natural philosophy, our aim extends to the poetic domain. We will examine how Newton’s natural philosophy and the ‘new science’ were critiqued in British poetry. One PhD dissertation will focus on this second context. Again, candidates may propose alternative authors or cultural context beyond Britain.

For a more detailed description of the research proposal, please contact steffen....@vub.be.

 

Requirements:

 

• Master’s degree: Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in a field relevant to the research proposal at the starting date of the contract.
• Dedicated team player: We seek individuals who are committed team players.
• Good language skills: Proficiency in both written and spoken English is essential.
• Knowledge of early modern science or philosophy: Familiarity with the history of early modern science or philosophy is desirable.
• Analytic and hermeneutical excellence: Outstanding hermeneutical and analytical skills are expected.
• Latin proficiency (optional): Knowledge of Latin is advantageous for certain subprojects.

 

Application: Interested applicants should submit their application to steffen....@vub.be. Your application should include:

 

• A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience;
• Transcripts of grades obtained for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees (including translations if required);
• A letter of recommendation that explains the candidate’s skills and suitability to the project;
• A writing sample (20-30 pages); and,
• A research statement (1-2 pages) that outlines the research plan for your PhD dissertation.

 

Deadline: The application deadline is Sunday 21 September 2025.

 

Starting date: Negotiable, but preferably as soon as possible.

 

Position details: The position is for a two-year term that can be renewed for an additional two years pending a positive evaluation.

 

This research project is funded by the Special Research Fund of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

 

For more information, please contact steffen....@vub.be.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Steffen Ducheyne

Professor of Philosophy

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Faculty of Languages and Humanities | 

Department of History, Archeology, Arts, Philosophy and Ethics | Centre Leo Apostel

Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels

ACADEMIA: https://vub.academia.edu/SteffenDucheyne

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffen-ducheyne-5641939/

PURE: https://researchportal.vub.be/en/persons/steffen-ducheyne

 

NEW MONOGRAPH: Physics in Minerva’s Academy. Early to Mid-Eighteenth-Century Appropriations of Isaac Newton’s Natural Philosophy at the University of Leiden and in the Dutch Republic at Large, 1687–c.1750 (Brill, 2025) available in Gold OA at https://brill.com/display/title/71395.