Philosophy

14. May 2025

Philosophical walk through Vienna

A philosophy of history, relativism and despair

From Café Central to the University of Vienna, philosopher Martin Kusch takes us for a walk through Vienna's intellectual scenes. Examining how past philosophers like Wittgenstein worked through issues of their time, Kusch finds the tools to tackle troubles of our own. We discuss post-truth debates in the current political climate and the despair of unspeakable pain.

14. April 2025

Quantum physics

When there is no reality without observation

Quantum research is not just changing our technological reality, but also our conception of reality itself. Časlav Brukner, quantum physicist at the University of Vienna, explains why we simply cannot speak of an existing reality prior to observation. What does this bizarre outcome mean for the nature of physical reality? Philosopher Anne Sophie Meincke offers some clues.

22. October 2024

Guest article by

Lars J.K. Moen

Rudolphina Experts: Political Psychology

The Personality of Trump’s ‘Personality Cult‘

Unscathed by all scandals, Donald Trump's popularity among his loyalists could still secure him another term as U.S. president. Why are these voters willing to ‘ride or die‘ with Trump? University of Vienna political philosopher Lars Moen examines the psychological roots.

10. October 2024

Rudolphina Experts: Philosophy of Technology

Healing a world in crisis: AI as a double-edged sword

Can we rely on technology to save the planet? Tackling this issue requires a multidisciplinary approach. International scholars agree that environmental and social impacts must be assessed across all stages of AI development, as our experts explain in this guest article.

6. June 2024

Tackling AI bias

Can AI be fair?

AI has a problem with gender-sensitive language, prefers white men and spreads misinformation – because it has learned from us. We asked a computer linguist, an AI ethicist and a technology researcher from the University of Vienna: How can we make AI more equitable?

4. April 2024

Artificial Intelligence

Moraliser, plagiarism engine, miracle machine: How well do we know AI?

The breakneck speed at which artificial intelligence is developing makes it difficult to predict where it is heading. Our researchers say: Instead of getting ever bigger and faster, we should now take the time to really understand AI.

28. March 2024

Rudolphina Reads

"Why AI Undermines Democracy" by Mark Coeckelbergh

How do we keep AI from disrupting the foundations of democracy? Mark Coeckelbergh, Professor of Philosophy of Media and Technology at the University of Vienna, explores this question in his latest book. He argues that there is no need for doom-thinking and outlines possible solutions for richer participation in a functioning democracy.

19. December 2023

Semester question

"If we want a future it will be material"

In the interview, material scientist Mark Miodownik from UCL, who will deliver the keynote address at the panel discussion on the semester question on January 15th, explains what matters today in the development of new materials.

29. November 2023

Guest article by

Anne Sophie Meincke

Rudolphina Experts: The problem of free will

Free by Nature: The Biological Roots of Free Will

Whether our will is free is a question over which generations of philosophers have racked their brains. In this article, philosopher Anne Sophie Meincke explains the puzzling dilemma of free will and argues how biology can contribute to a solution.

20. September 2023

AI ethics

Why we need global governance frameworks for artificial intelligence

An interdisciplinary body of experts, including three academics affiliated with the University of Vienna, supports Austria in the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Rudolphina asked them why AI governance requires a global approach and which possibilities and risks this entails.