The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin

Arkadiusz Gut, PhD

 

• I teach at Catholic University of Lublin, where I am Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy.
• Recently my primary research interests are in philosophy of psychology, epistemology, philosophy of language and cognitive science. After finishing my studies at Catholic University of Lublin and two semesters support studies at Karl-Franzens Universität in Graz(Austria) and (one semester) research stipend at University of Sheffield I have published couple of papers on such issues as: theory of judgment, logical form, predicate logic, existence and second order predication. I wrote also a book „Gottlob Frege and the Problems of Contemporary Philosophy”.
• Since couple of years I have been working on the role of natural language in human cognition. In my research I refer to various schools of philosophy and include a wide range of empirical research in cognitive and developmental psychology, in particular. My studies also focus on investigation of theories that claim that language has conceptual priority over thought.
• I also examined in depth differentiation between thought and protothought. While working on conceptual investigations in philosophy, cognitive science and on empirical research in developmental psychology I have written recently couple of articles referring to this subject matter. In some of them I examine the role of vocabulary of counting words in development numerical concepts and arithmetical abilities.
• I analyze also the idea of development of “linguistic mind” and evaluate critically hypothesis that propositional thought and language emerge together.
• In some of my recently published papers I examined the hypothesis that public language is responsible for our ability to display second order cognitive dynamics. To investigate the alleged role of language in second order dynamics (our ability to think about our thoughts) I partly concentrate on the “theory of mind” or “mind reading” abilities of human beings. Evaluating series of experimental results (The false belief task and The appearance reality distinction) I try to undermine the strong claim that language is a necessary prerequisite for an acquisition of a meta-representational theory of mind and that the acquisition of language (conversational use of language) boosts exclusively the capacity for mind-reading.
• In 2009 I have published the book entitled “On the relation between Thought and Language”.

 

Education

• 1990-1996 Studies ( MA Program) Catholic University of Lublin, Poland,
• 1998-2003 Assistant Lectureship (PhD Program) Catholic University of Lublin, Poland,
• 1993 (one semester) Karl-Franazens Universität, Graz (Austria),
• 1995 (one semester) Karl-Franzens Universität, Graz (Austria),
• 2000 (one semester) University of Sheffield (Great Britain),
• 2001-2002 University of Wisconsin, (USA),
• 2003 - Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Catholic University of Lublin.

Awards and Grants

• 1993 Scholarship (one semester) supported by Austrian Government, Karl-Franzens Universität, Graz (Austria) (host Professor R. Haller).
• 1995 Scholarship (semester) supported by Austrian Government, Karl-Franzens Universität, Graz (Austria) (host Professor R. Haller).
• 1999 Award for young researchers founded by Foundation For Polish Science.
• 01.01.1999 - 31.12. 2000, PhD Research Grant founded by Ministry of Science and Higher Education, number 1 H01 A 021 16 (title: Logical Theory of Judgment – Philosophical Foundation).
• 2000 PhD Stefan Batory Foundation Scholarship University of Sheffield (host Professor D. Bell).
• 2001-2002 r. Fulbright Junior Advanced Research Grant, University of Wisconsin, USA.
• 2005 Fellowship, Visiting Associate Professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
• 30.06.2005-30.12.2007 Research Grant founded by Ministry of Science and Higher Education, number 1 H01A 024 29 (title: The relationship between Thought and Language).
• 2006 Scholarship at Polish Academia of Science (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology), awarded by Foundation for Polish Science.
• 2007 Recipient of Special KUL Chancellor Award.

Memberships and Other Activities

• Member of Polish Semiotic Society,
• Member of Society of Science of Catholic University in Lublin,
• Chair of Student Philosophical Association of Catholic University in Lublin,
• Organized National Philosophy weeks for the past 6 years at KUL,
• Prepared and led five radio programs on philosophy in Lublin Radio Station.
• Introduce and promote the idea „Philosophy for Childern” in primary schools.