In this reading group we dedicate ourselves to the work of Ethics by Baruch Spinoza. We explore together central concepts such as human freedom, the nature of feelings and the reason as a source of happiness. Our goal is to explore Spinoza's philosophical approaches and their significance for modern thinking.

This seminar deals with writings by Walter Benjamin. On the one hand, his most famous and influential essays and fragments on critique, history and experience will be read and discussed, and on the other, a special focus will be placed on his thinking on architectural themes.

In the Dialectic of Enlightenment (1944/1947), Horkheimer and Adorno examine the relationship between enlightenment and myth against the backdrop of the European catastrophes of the early 20th century. The reading group is to enable students to interpret, problematize and contextualize this enigmatic classic of modern philosophy and social thought.

In this reading group we deal intensively with Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy. We analyze topics such as morality, power and criticism of science based on jointly selected works. The aim is to explore philosophical approaches and their influence on modernity to understand and critically reflect on culture and science.

Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), an attempt to systematically understand the relationship between subject and object from human experience, had a lasting impact on epistemological, ethical and historical-philosophical ideas.

This lecture will give an overview of criticisms of reason from the 20th century to the present. Starting from Oswald Spengler to Horkheimer and Adorno, Wittgenstein and Feyerabend. Special attention will be given to the discussion of the empirical sciences.

In this reading group, we explore Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations.His reflections on language will be examinded, meaning, and understanding, questioning how words shape our perception of the world. Our aim is to engage critically with Wittgenstein’s thought and its impact on modern philosophy and culture. By all this, we train and cultivate our skills of text interpretation.