Research Foci

Discussing the pressing questions of our time is the main focus of our research endeavours. You can find further information on the work of our institutes, endowed chairs, projects or networks on their respective websites. Among others our research focuses on the following topics:
The School of Athens (Raffael)


Philosophical Anthropology and the Philosophy of Mind

Our goal is to educate personalities which can handle complex problems and which can give orientation. To achieve this a fundamental understanding of the human individual is necessary. Our research addresses questions about the place of mind or spirit in the world, the challenges of the digitalisation for human life and the question about a flourishing life.

Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics

Another research focus consisting in several projects and initiatives is the Practical Philosophy, in particular in the disciplines of Business and Economic Ethics, Ethics of Sustainability, Medical Ethics, Ethics of Media and Digitalisation as well as Social Philosophy and Political Ethics. We occupy ourselves with challenges such as the representation of future generations in democracies, the interdisciplinary question about upholding dignity in the process of dying or the challenge of successful intercultural communication in the 21st century.

Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Theology Gotteslehre

Philosophy and Theology have always been concerned with the relationship between faith and reason. As a Jesuit university we feel obliged to these questions which are not only of historical interest. In this interdisciplinary research field we scrutinize questions like the rationality of religious beliefs and convictions, questions about the relationship of Philosophy and Theology as well as the role of religion in global and secular societies.