Thorsten Helfer

Thorsten.Helfer(at)uni-saarland.de
Bldg. A2.3, Room 0.11,
Tel. +49 (0)681 302-2301

Interests

Currently, I am particularly interested in theories of well-being, value theory in general, normativity and rationality. In my PhD thesis I investigate what the concept of desire is that proponents of Desire-Satisfactionism should accept. It is astonishing to see that only few proponents of Desire-Satisfactionism give any analysis for the concept of desires at all. The two most prominent accounts of desires in this area are behaviour-based concepts of desire and pleasure-based concepts of desire. In my thesis I establish what Desire Satisfactionism demands of the underlying concept of desire. E.g. Desire-Satisfactionism should have some theory of Ill-Being that must be compatible with the underlying concept of desire, the underlying concept of desire must satisfy the resonance constraint, the concept of desire must account for strengths of desire etc. I consider what concept of desire can satisfy those demands. Even aside from these demands there are puzzeling problems for the concept of desire itself that include problems with idealization, representation and intentionality. I investigate what concept of desire leads to the most plausible version of Desire-Satisfactionism.

Within the interdisciplinary project Explainable Intelligent Systems (https://explainable-intelligent.systems) I also recently started doing research on questions about explainable AI and the ethical implications of the use of AI. Furthermore, I am interested in the ethical implications of the digitalization of the healthcare sector and I will do ethical monitoring within the Ethical and Legal Implications Project within the Health AI network (https://health-ai.de/).

Furthermore, my area of interest also include metaethics and population ethics. I also have a keen interest in logical positivism and empiricism, and the practical philosophy of Immanuel Kant and David Hume.

Biography

• 04/2018 – present: Research Fellow (substitution), Konstanz University, Department of Philosophy, AG Rosenthal, Prof. Jacob Rosenthal.
• 04/2018 – present: Research Fellow, Saarland University, Department of Philosophy, Research Project Explainable Intelligent Systems, Prof. Ulla Wessels
• 08/2018 – 03/2023: Research Fellow, Saarland University, Department of Philosophy, Lehrstuhl für praktische Philosophie, Prof. Christoph Fehige and Prof. Ulla Wessels
• 04/2016 – present: PhD Student, Saarland University, Department of Philosophy, Lehrstuhl für praktische Philosophie, Prof. Christoph Fehige and Prof. Ulla Wessels
• 08/2019 – 01/2020: Visiting Scholar, University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Philosophy
• 03/2018 – 07/2018: Research Fellow (substitution for parental leave), Saarland University, Department of Philosophy, Lehrstuhl für praktische Philosophie, Prof. Christoph Fehige and Prof. Ulla Wessels
• 09/2016 – 12/2016 and 09/2017 – 02/2018: Research Assistant, Saarland University, Department of Philosophy
• 07/2015: M.A., Philosophy, University of Konstanz. Thesis: “Purely Implicit Reasons and Prudential Hedonism”
• 05/2013: B.A., Philosophy, University of Konstanz. Thesis: “Moral und Ästhetik – Eine Untersuchung über die Zusammenhänge am Beispiel von Jesse Prinz”

Awards

• 12/2015: »VEUK Preis« for an extraordinary Master of Arts degree in philosophy by the Verein der ehemaligen der Universität Konstanz
• 12/2013: »VEUK Preis« for an extraordinary Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy by the Verein der ehemaligen der Universität Konstanz

Presentations (selection)

• Talk, Saarland University, Workshop on Welfare, July 2023 (coming up)
• “Ill-Being, Desire-Satisfactionism and the Concept of Desire”, Humboldt University, XXI Congress of the German Society for Analytic Philosophy, September 2022
• “Vagueness of Desires (in Well-Being)”, University of Salzburg, Austria, Salzburg Conference for Young Analytic Philosophy, September 2021
• “Vagueness of Desires (in Well-Being)”, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, XXV Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Philosophie, September 2021
• Commentary on “Hidden Desires: A Unified Strategy for Defending the Desire-Satisfaction Theory” by Xiang Yu, University of Colorado, Boulder, 13^th Rocky Mountain Ethics Congress, August 2020
• “Hedonism and the Object View”, Humboldt University, Research Colloquium (Prof. Kirsten Meyer), June 2020
• “Hedonism and the Object View”, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe – Saarbrücken Colloquium of Philosophy, February 2020
• “Philosophische Dimensionen des Klimawandels”, Filmhaus Saarbrücken, Ringvorlesung KlimaKrise KlimaSchutz, January 2020
• “Hedonism and the Object View”, University of Colorado, Boulder, Center for Values and Social Policy, October 2019
• “There is Still Hope for the Resonance Constraint”, Saarland University, Workshop in Practical Philosophy, May 2019
• “The Resonance Constraint of Well-Being”, Saarland University, Workshop in Practical Philosophy, November 2018
• “Two Dilemmas for Desire-Fulfilment Theories”, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 15^th Conference of the International Society for Utilitarian Studies, July 2018
• “A Pleasure-Based Concept of Desire and Desire-Fulfilment in Well-Being”, University of Konstanz, Research Colloquium (Early Lunch Philosophy), February 2018
•  “Between Intuitions: The Satisfaction Requirement in Desire-Theories of Well-Being”, Saarland University, Research Colloquium, May 2017
•  “Two Kinds of Naturalism and Hare's Property of the Good”, University of Konstanz, Research Colloquium (Prof. Dina Emundts), November 2014
• “Moral und Ästhetik – Eine Untersuchung über die Zusammenhänge am Beispiel von Jesse Prinz”, University of Konstanz, Research Colloquium (Prof. Dina Emundts), January 2013

Teaching

• “Wünsche und ihre Rolle in der Praktischen Philosophie“ (Desires and their Role in Practical Philosophy) Konstanz University, Summer Term 2023
• “Ethik in den Religionen” (Ethics in Religion) Saarland University, Winter Term 2022
• “Logischer Positivismus und Empirismus” (Logical Positivism and Empiricism) Saarland University, Summer Term 2022
• “Peter Singer: Practical Ethics” Saarland University, Winter Term 2021
• “Food Ethics“ Saarland University, Summer Term 2021
• “Berühmte Argumente der Philosophie des Geistes” (Famous Arguments in the Philosophy of Mind) Saarland University, Winter Term 2020
• “Das Gute Leben – Theorien des Wohlergehens” (The Good Life – Theories of Well-Being) Saarland University, Summer Term 2020
• “Klimaethik” (Climate Ethics) Saarland University, Winter Term 2019
• “Die Wiege der Analytischen Philosophie: Logischer Positivismus und Empirisimus” (The Cradle of Analytic Philosophy: Logical Positivism and Empiricism) Saarland University, Summer Term 2019
• “Lernwerkstatt Gleichheit und Differenz: Pädagogische Praxis und philosophische Theorie der demokratischen Schule” Saarland University, Summer Term 2019
• “Immanuel Kant: Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten” (Groundworks of the Metaphysics of Morals) Saarland University, Winter Term 2018
• “Lernwerkstatt Gleichheit und Differenz: Pädagogische Praxis und philosophische Theorie der demokratischen Schule” Saarland University, Summer Term 2018
• “Handlungsgründe und Wünsche” (Reasons and Desires) Saarland University, Summer Term 2018
• “Wohlergehen, Wünsche und Lust: ein Lektüreseminar” (Well-Being, Desires and Pleasure) Saarland University, Winter Term 2017

As teaching assistent:

• “Nietzsche und die Religion” (Nietzsche and Religion) University of Konstanz, Summer Term 2014
• “Einführung in die Erkenntnistheorie” (Introduction to epistemology) University of Konstanz, Summer Term 2013 – 2016
• “Logisch Semantische Propädeutik” (Introduction to logic) University of Konstanz, Winter Term 2013 – 2015
• “Einführung in die Philosophie des Geistes” (Introduction to the philosophy of mind), University of Konstanz, Winter Term 2012
• “Formale Logik” (Formal logic), University of Konstanz, Winter Term 2012 – 2014

Conference Organisation

• “Workshop on Welfare” (with Jonas Harney), Saarland University, July 2023 (coming up)
• “Workshop on Welfare” (with Jonas Harney), Saarland University, June 2022
• “Workshop on Welfare” (with Jonas Harney), Saarland University, July 2021
• “Karlsruhe – Saarbrücken Colloquium of Philosophy” (with Jonas Harney), Saarland University, February 2019
• As research assistant: “Neo-Kantian Perspectives on the Exact Sciences“ by Francesca Biagioli and Marco Giovanelli, University of Konstanz, January 2016
• As research assistant: “Im Zweifel für den Zweifel? – Neue Arbeiten zum Skeptizismus“ (Contemporary Works on Skepticism) by Jochen Briesen, University of Konstanz, December 2012

Voluntary Engagement and Membership

• Member of the Gesellschaft für Analytische Philosophie e.V. (German Society for Analytic Philosophy)
• Member of Algoright e.V. (A German society for ethical digitalization)
• Member of the Gesellschaft für Utilitarismusstudien e.V. (German Society for Utilitarian Studies)
• Member of the Gesellschaft für Philosophie- und Ethikdidaktik e.V. (German Society for Pedagogy for Philosophy and Ethics)
• Member of the Scientists for Future Saarland
• Member of the Saarländischer Landesverband der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Demokratiepädagogik (German Society for Pedagogy of Democracy)