About Us

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies is a leading institution of its sort not only in the Czech Republic but also in the context of Central Europe. The faculty consists of experts with international reputation who conduct teaching which stems from their own research in the fields of philosophy and religious studies. As teachers, our experts initiate students, during the opening terms (Bachelor studies), in the art of thinking. With the advanced students (Master studies, Ph.D. studies), then, they share and develop the results of their original research. As for teaching, it is characterized with emphasis upon quality and thematic variety. The aim is to provide sutdents with education satisfying high international standards. As for research, the aim and standard is to treat the topics in internationally relevant a recognizable way.

The results of this long-term strategy are very positive, including an ever-increasing number of international (mainly English, German, and French) publications in prestigious journals and publishing houses. The Department ranks for a long time as No. 1 among academic institutions in the Czech Republic in the field of humanities. The subject of philosophy at Charles University ranks traditionally high in the QS World University Ranking by Subject.

The Section of Philosophy deals with philosophical thought in its almost entire systematic and historical range. Teaching as well as research thus cover both the main currents in contemporary thought in the chief philosophical disciplines and specializations concerning the history of philosophy, from antiquity to the present day. Other specializations cultivated by our experts include philosophy of language, philosophy of art, philosophy of mind, philosophical hermeneutics, philosophy of history, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of science, etc.

The Section of Logic focuses on the research of both classical and non-classical logics, primarily from a modern perspective that views logic as a universal tool for analyzing the concepts of truth and inference across a wide range of disciplines, from the humanities to the technical sciences. The emphasis is placed on acquiring theoretical knowledge in logic and on developing the ability to apply it in various interdisciplinary contexts. Core research and teaching topics within the section include the application of classical, non-classical, and modal logics in philosophy and computer science (especially AI), alongside the investigation of the concepts of truth and proof in mathematics and the natural sciences, including the axiomatization of mathematical sciences, the philosophy of mathematics and set theory, and the relationship between truth and proof.

The Section of Religious Studies deals both with particular religious traditions and with general theoretical reflection on religion. We pay particular attention to ancient religions (ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, and Old Norse religion) in order to better understand the general modus operandi of myths, rituals, and symbolic thought and action. At the same time, we are interested in the ways in which these symbolic forms function in contemporary Western secular society, including social myths, conspiracy theories, secular rituals, consumerism, and popular culture. We also study the transformations of religiosity in late modern societies, where institutional religions increasingly give way to more diffuse lifestyle-oriented forms inspired by alternative spirituality and implicit religion..

You can find about our department´s research from the CVs available at our staff page.