Olof Pettersson is associate professor in theoretical philosophy at Uppsala University, Sweden. Recent publications include “The Etymology of Hermes in Plato’s Cratylus” (in Proceedings from the XIth Symposium Platonicum Pragense, Brill), “Herdsmen and Stargazers: The Science of Philosophy in Plato’s Statesman” (in Polis) and “The Science of Philosophy: Discourse and Deception in Plato’s Sophist” (in Epoché). He is also editor and co-editor of several anthologies on ancient Greek philosophy, including Defending a Philosophical Life: Readings of Plato’s Apology (Rowan & Littlefield, 2018) and Plato’s Protagoras: Essays on the Confrontation of Philosophy and Sophistry (Springer 2017).
Pettersson specializes in ancient Greek philosophy with a particular interest in Plato. He received his doctorate in philosophy at Uppsala University, Sweden 2013 with a dissertation on Plato’s notion of appetite (epithumia). Pettersson is former assistant project manager for the international research project “Rational Self-Government: An Investigation of Personal Autonomy and its Platonic Origin”, hosted by Uppsala University and postdoc at the University of Bergen, Norway, on the project “Poetry and Philosophy” (on ancient Greek philosophy). Pettersson’s research has been funded by The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation (Stiftelsen Riksbankens Jubileumsfond), the Research Council of Norway (NFR), Birgit and Gad Rausings Foundation, the Sweden-America Foundation, among others.
His essays and reviews have appeared in such venues as Ancient Philosophy, Polis: The Journal for Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought, Epoché: A Journal for the History of Philosophy, Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Contemporary Political Theory. He has given public lectures throughout the world, including Keio University (Japan), University of Cambridge (UK), University of Groningen (Netherlands), CECTRRA / University of Abuja (Nigeria), University of Bergen (Norway), University of California, at Berkeley (USA), University of Tehran (Iran), and at the World Congress of Philosophy in Beijing (China).
His current research focus is on self-knowledge and its relation to politics, trying to harvest ancient wisdom to solve contemporary problems.
Academic Background and Education
2024 Chair, Södertörn Center for Ancient Philosophy.
2021 Fellowship, Burman, Uppsala Univ.
2020 Visiting Researcher, Helsinki Univ., Finland.
2019 Associate Professor (T.Phil.), Uppsala Univ..
2016 Research, “Rational Self-Government”, RJ, Uppsala Univ.
2013 Post.Doc., Univ. of Bergen (Norway)
2013 Ph.D., Theoretical philosophy, Uppsala Univ.
2010 Visiting Graduate Scholar, Classics, UC Berkeley.
2009 M.A., Theoretical philosophy, Uppsala Univ.
2006 B.A., Theoretical philosophy, Uppsala Univ.
Scholarships and Grants
2021 Burman fellowship, Uppsala Univ.
2016 RJ, “Rational Self-Government”, Uppsala Univ.
2014 NRF, Postdoc, “Plato and Poetry”, Univ. of Bergen, Norway
2013 Åke-Wiberg
2013 Birgit and Gad Rausings Foundation
2013 Pontus Wikner
2010 Sweden-America Foundation
2007 Göransson-Sandviken, G-H nation, Uppsala
2006 Royal Institute of Art (KKH), Konstnärligt utvecklingsmedel
Organized International Conferences etc (selection)
2019 “Power and Knowledge”, Uppsala Univ., 22-24 May.
2018 “Plato’s Alcibiades Revisited”, Cambridge (UK), 20-22 September.
2018 ”Plato on Poetry and Politics”, World Congress of Philosophy, Beijing (China), 13-20 August
2018 “Democracy and its Rivals: Political Thinking in and around Plato”, Bergen (Norge), 24-25 May
2018 ”Responsibility and Self-rule”, Uppsala, 1 February
2017 ”Paideia, Power and Persuasion: Political Thinking in and around Plato”, Bergen (Norge), 12-13 June
2016 ”Plato’s Use of Logos: A Workshop on Reason, Language and Knowledge”, Uppsala, 8 December.
2015 ”Poetry and Philosophy in the Light of Plato´s Apology”, Bergen (Norge), 10-12 June.
2014 ”Poetry and Philosophy in the Light of Plato’ Protagoras”, Bergen (Norge), 4-6 June.
Public Lectures, Papers & Scientific Presentations (selection)
2023. “Public Mirrors: Dialogue & Self-Knowledge in Plato”, Judgment, Pluralism, and Democracy: On the Desirability of Speaking with Others, International Conference, Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities, Bard College, New York (USA).
2019. “Epistemic Authority: Reason and Language in Plato and Fricker”, Power and Knowledge, International Symposium, Uppsala University (Sweden).
2018. “Know Your Place: Power and Authenticity in Plato’s Alcibiades I”, Plato’s Alcibiades Revisited, International Conference, Cambridge (UK).
2018. “Herdsmen and Stargazers: The Science of Philosophy in Plato’s Statesman”, World Congress of Philosophy, Beijing (China).
2018. “Democratic Anarchy: The Power of Drama in Plato’s Statesman”, Democracy and Its Rivals: Plato’s Statesman and Laws, International Symposium, Bergen (Norway).
2018. “Tragic Voices: Socrates and the Etymology of ‘Hermes’”, Language and Reality in Ancient Philosophy, University of Groningen (Netherlands).
2017. “Commerce, Theft and Deception: The Etymology of Hermes in Plato’s Cratylus”, XI International Plato Symposium: Cratylus, Prague (Czech Republic).
2017. “Politics of the Voice: Writing & Speaking in Plato’s Phaedrus”, Paideia, Power and Persuasion: Political Thinking in and around Plato, International Symposium, Bergen (Norway).
2017. “The Tragedy of Language in Plato’s Cratylus”, Uppsala (Sweden).
2016. “The Language of Illusory Wisdom: Plato and Self-Understanding in an African context”, CECTRRA, Abuja (Nigeria).
2015. “Myth, Language and Self-Understanding in Plato’s Sophist”, Plato and Poetry Workshop, Athens (Greece).
2015. “Socrates’ Failure: Language and Lies in Plato’s Apology”, International Symposium, Bergen (Norway).
2015. “The Legacy of Hermes: Deception and Dialectics in Plato’s Cratylus”, Bergen (Norway).
2014. “Fighting Shadows: On the Language of Politics in Plato’s Apology”, Plato and Poetry Workshop, Athens (Greece).
2014. ”Dangerous Voices: Written and Spoken Discourse in Plato’s Protagoras”, International Symposium, Bergen (Norway).
2014. ”The Hazards of the Voice: On Human Trust in Discursive Proficiency in Plato”, Bergen (Norway) .
2014. ”Idle Talk: On Dialectic and Rhetoric in Plato’s Protagoras”, Plato and Rhetoric, International Conference, Keio University (Japan).
2014. ”Hazardous Intercourse: Rhetoric, Poetry and Dialectic in Plato’s Protagoras”, Uppsala (Sweden)
2013. ”Written and Spoken Discourse in Plato’s Protagoras”, Bergen (Norway).
2013. ”Plato’s Republic and the Ring of Gyges”, Bergen (Norway).
2013. ”Platon och Poesin”, Forskning pågår – Antikens filosofi, National Workshop, Uppsala (Sweden).
2012. ”Reason and Appetite: The Psychology of Political Reluctance in Plato’s Republic”, Appetite, Voluntariness and Virtuous Action: A Workshop in Ancient Philosophy, Uppsala (Sweden).
2010. “Language, Search and Aporia in Plato’s Seventh Letter”, Celebration of World Philosophy Day, Tehran (Iran).
2010. “Becoming Authentic: on Discourse and Deception in Plato’s Phaedrus”, PMP Research Seminar, University of Helsinki (Finland).
2010. “Philosophy and Search in Plato’s Seventh Letter”, Townsend Working Group in Ancient Philosophy, Department of Classics, University of California at Berkeley (USA).
2007. “An Aporetic Notion of the Good – the Republic 505e”, University of Helsinki (Finland).
2007. “Thinking Dead Thoughts: On the Vacuum of Love and the Parents of Eros in Plato and Sarah Kofman”, Åbo Academy (Finland).
2006. “The Escaping Chôra”, The Nordic Phenomenology Symposium, Södertörn University-College (Sweden).
Learned Societies and Other Merits
2015 Ancient Philosophy Society
2013 The International Plato Society
2010 Platonsällskapet: Nordiskt Sällskap för Antikens Idétradition.
References
Professor Anthony A. Long
aalong@berkeley.edu
Department of Classics, University of California at Berkeley
7233 Dwinelle Hall #2520
Berkeley, CA 94720-2520
USA
Professor Pauliina Remes, Uppsala University,
pauliina.remes@filosofi.uu.se
Department of Philosophy, Uppsala University
Box 627, 751 26 Uppsala (Sweden)
Professor Vigdis Songe-Møller
vigdis.songe-moller@uib.no
Department of Philosophy, University of Bergen
Postboks 7805, 5020 Bergen (Norway)