Research Professorship: Hannes Leitgeb (LMU Munich), Humboldt Research Award
Research Professorship
Prof. Dr. Hannes Leitgeb (Univ. Bristol) is research professor at the philosophical faculty of the Heinrich Heine University in Duesseldorf from February to July 2009, on the basis of a research award of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation (nominated and hosted by Professor Gerhard Schurz, University of Duesseldorf).
Professor Leitgeb is a leading international scientist in mathematical and philosophical logic, analytic philosophy and cognitive science. He has made important and generally recognized contributions to the theory of truth and modality in type-free logical systems. In his work on neuronal networks he showed that neuronal networks can be employed as a semantics for systems of non-monotonic reasoning. He thereby established a bridge between the symbolistic and the connectionistic paradigm in cognitive science. During his stay in Germany he will (among other things) continue his research on reasoning systems based on neuronal nets, with the aim of extending them to systems of inductive learning. Thereby he will cooperate with members of the Chair of Theoretical Philosophy in Duesseldorf and of the DFG Research Unit FOR 6500 "Functional Concepts and Frames".