Philosopher Luca Bertolino receives Rosenzweig Professorship in Kassel

Outside of the normal rotation, the professorship will also be filled in the winter semester this year. As part of a lecture on "Rosenzweig's 'new thinking'" and a seminar on his main work "The Star of Redemption", Bertolino will discuss Franz Rosenzweig's philosophy with students for one semester. Among other things, the focus will be on questions of the philosophy of religion. His inaugural public lecture entitled "Experience (and inexperience) of thought. Insights into dialogical philosophy" will be held by Bertolino on Wednesday, November 8 at 6 p.m. in room 0019 (Kurt-Wolters-Str. 5).

After studying philosophy, Bertolino completed his doctorate in philosophy and hermeneutics at the University of Turin, where he has been working as an associate professor of moral philosophy since 2015. He also teaches applied ethics in the Faculty of Humanities and Sports Ethics in the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences in Turin.

Bertolino was a visiting student at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and a visiting researcher at the Hermann Cohen Archive in Zurich. He is a recognized expert in the field of 19th and 20th century Jewish philosophy and a member of several specialist societies, including the founding member of the Hermann Cohen Society (2002; currently a board member), the International Rosenzweig Society e.V. (2004; currently a member of the Scientific Committee) and the European Association for Jewish Studies (since 2014).

Kassel is also not unknown to him: Bertolino took part in the "2nd International Franz Rosenzweig Congress" in Kassel in 2004, with a lecture on "Das Nichts und die Philosophie. Rosenzweig between idealism and a hermeneutics of religious experience". His numerous publications revolve in particular around his main focus of work on the philosophies of Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig and Martin Buber, but are also devoted to various topics of moral philosophy.

"With Mr. Bertolino, the University has gained an outstanding expert on the philosophy of Franz Rosenzweig, which means that the legacy of the philosopher of religion, who is closely associated with Kassel, can also be kept alive for our present day," says Prof. Dr. Dirk Stederoth, member of the appointment committee.