Frans de Haas
Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
- Name
- Prof.dr. F.A.J. de Haas
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2010
- f.a.j.de.haas@hum.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0003-4142-7150
Frans de Haas is a Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy / Director Dutch Research School of Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy.
Teaching
My teaching is mainly concerned with influential aspects of the philosophy of Antiquity and the Middle Ages. I am interested in the reception of Plato, Aristotle, Stoics and Sceptics in the philosophical commentary tradition of late Antiquity (200-600 CE) and beyond. Philosophers in Late Antiquity discuss critical questions and problems which have shaped the reception of ancient philosophy in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Early Modern period. Sometimes they have even managed to dominate modern interpretations of Plato and Aristotle.
Research
My current research focuses on Alexander of Aphrodisias (ca. 200 CE), who was the most influential interpreter of Aristotle in Late Antiquity. While occupying the chair in Aristotelian philosophy in Athens set up by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius in 176 CE, Alexander re-designed Aristotelianism in order to offer the best possible alternative to the Platonic, Stoic and Epicurean philosophies of his peers in Athens. The purpose of my research is to show how his famous adaptations of Aristotelian philosophy in e.g. the fields of logic, metaphysics, hylomorphism, psychology and freedom of action combine to make a new consistent Aristotelianism for the third century CE. It was this Aristotelianism that shaped Neoplatonism, as well as Medieval and Renaissance Aristotelianisms.
General interests that I have pursued throughout my career include Aristotle's philosophy of mind and philosophy of science, and their reception in later Antiquity. In addition, I am fascinated by the interplay between philosophy and the exact sciences like mathematics, astronomy and music in Antiquity.
More recently, I have developed an interest in the role of ancient western philosophy in intercultural philosophical debates, and the need to rewrite the history of ancient philosophy as an open-minded, rather than as a geographically and culturally closed, human endeavour. I am currently exploring the systematic and historical connections between innovations in Hellenistic philosophy and Asian philosophy, e.g. Scepticism and Buddhist philosophy.
I currently lead a research group with 8 PhD candidates in ancient philosophy working on projects involving Plato, Aristotle, Alexander of Aphrodisias, and Iamblichus. The group has been regularly expanded with visiting PhD candidates and postdocs from e.g. Brazil, China, and Denmark. In 2020-2022 Marie-Curie Fellow Sebastian Mateiescu (Romania) joins the group with his research on the relations between Neoplatonic commentaries on the Categories and the logical innovations in post-Chalcedonian Christian theology of the 5-7th centuries CE.
International cooperation
• The Chairs in Ancient Philosophy of Leiden, Utrecht and Leuven cooperate in the Centre for Ancient Philosophy (CAW in Dutch), which facilitates part of the training of Research MA and PhD students, and organizes regular meetings, lectures by invited speakers etc.
• Member and former president of the Academia Platonica septima Monasteriensis, a European network for research in Platonism, established in Münster (Germany).
• Team leader in the European programme From natural philosophy to science (2002-2007) funded by the European Science Foundation.
• Since 2012 I have established and developed cooperation with the School of Philosophy of Beijing Normal University (China), where I held a guest professorship at the Center for the Study of Sciences and Humanities in 2012-2015, and continue to teach regularly. I am also regularly invited as a speaker by other universities in China, including Peking University, Renmin University, and the China University for Politics and Law.
• Since 2003 I have been a member of the editorial board of the book series Philosophia Antiqua edited by Brill Publishers, since 2019 as editor-in-chief.
Curriculum vitae
Prof.dr. Frans A.J. de Haas (1963) studied Classics, and received his PhD in ancient philosophy from Leiden University (1995). He spent a year as a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Classical Studies (London) on a scholarship from the Niels Stensen Foundation. He was Research Fellow of the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences at Utrecht University (1997-2000), and Assistant Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at Nijmegen University (2000-2002). Since 2003 he is Full Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at Leiden University.
In the years 2004-2005 he was Dean of the (then) Faculty of Philosophy, in 2011-2017 Academic Director of the Institute for Philosophy. Since 2019 he leads the Leiden Centre for Late Antique and Medieval Studies (LAMS) established by Dr Bdaiwi, in cooperation with Dr Van den Berg. In 2019-2023 he is Director of the Dutch Research School in Philosophy (OZSW).
Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
- Faculty of Humanities
- Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte
Guest
- Faculty of Humanities
- Centre for the Arts in Society
- Griekse T&C
- Haas F.A.J. de (2023), De mixtione V–VI: common notions and bodies receiving bodies. In: Guyomarc'h G. & Haas F.A.J. de (Eds.), Studies on Alexander of Aphrodisias’ on mixture and growth. Philosophia Antiqua no. 170. Leiden-Boston: Brill. 83-99.
- Guyomarc'h G. & Haas F.A.J. de (Eds.) (2023), Studies on Alexander of Aphrodisias’ on mixture and growth. Philosophia Antiqua no. 170. Leiden-Boston: Brill.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2023), Ataraxia in Ancient Greek philosophy. In: Flavel S. & Robbiano C. (Eds.), Key concepts in world philosophies: a toolkit for philosophers. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2023), Alexander of Aphrodisias on the ancient debate on hylomorphism and the development of intellect. In: Charles D. (Ed.), The history of hylomorphism: from Aristotle to Descartes. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 174-196.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2021), Deduction and common notions in Alexander’s commentary on Aristotle’s metaphysics A 1–2, Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy/Philosophiegeschichte und logische Analyse 24(1): 71-102.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2020), Aristotle and Alexander of Aphrodisias on active intellectual cognition. In: Decaix V. & Mora-Márquez A.M. (Eds.), Active Cognition: Challenges to an Aristotelian Tradition. Studies in the History of Philosophy of Mind no. 23. Cham: Springer. 13-36.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2019), Intellect in Alexander of Aphrodisias and John Philoponus: divine, human or both?. In: Sisko J.E. (Ed.), Philosophy of Mind in Antiquity no. 1. London & New York: Routledge. 299-316.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2019), 'What appears good to us' in Aspasius and Alexander of Aphrodisias. In: Fink J.L. (Ed.), Phantasia in Aristotle's Ethics. Reception in the Arabic, Greek, Hebrew and Latin Traditions. Bloomsbury Studies in the Aristotelian Tradition. London-New York-Oxford-New Delhi-Sydney: Bloomsbury Academic. 15-36.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2018), Potentiality in Aristotle's psychology and ethics. In: Engelhard K. & Quante M. (Eds.), Handbook of potentiality. Dordrecht: Springer. 71-91.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2018), Themistius. In: Marmodoro A. & Cartwright S. (Eds.), A History of Mind and Body in Late Antiquity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 111-128.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2017), Aristoteles. In: Rebel F. (Ed.), Basisboek Westerse Filosofie. Leusden: ISVW Uitgevers. 36-48.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2016), Mixture in Philoponus: An Encounter with a Third Kind of Potentiality. In: Sorabji R.R.K. (Ed.), Aristotle Re-Interpreted: New Findings of Seven Hundred Years of the Ancient Commentators. London-Oxford-New York-New Delhi-Sydney: Bloomsbury Academic. 413-435.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2016), The human body and its natural environment: Aristotle, Alexander of Aphrodisias and the perceived threat of reductionism. In: Buchheim T., Meissner D. & Wachsmann N. (Eds.), SOMA. Körperkonzepte und körperliche Existenz in der antiken Philosophie und Literatur no. Sonderheft 13. Hamburg: Felix Meiner Verlag. 45-59.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2014), Presuppositions of moral action in Aristotle and Alexander of Aphrodisias. In: D'Hoine P. & Riel G. van (Eds.), Fate, Providence and Moral Responsibility in Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern Thought. Studies in Honour of Carlos Steel. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy: De Wulf Mansion Centre, series 1 no. 49. Leuven: Leuven University Press. 103-116.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2014), Aristotle and Alexander of Aphrodisias on hylomorphism in psychology. Problemas aristotélicos. Jornada de discusión 26 March 2014 - 26 March 2014.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2014), The new design of Peripatetic philosophy by Alexander of Aphrodisias. Aristotle Transferred 23 October 2014 - 25 October 2014.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2014), Dualism and the virtuous life: an Aristotelian contribution to an empirically responsible ethics. Beijing Forum 7 November 2014 - 9 November 2014.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2013), Hylomorphism and the requirements of the body-soul relationship. Workshop Current Issues in Aristotelian Scholarship.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2013), The Human Body and its Natural Environment. Körper. Soma und corpus in der antiken Philosophie und Literatur 7 October 2013 - 11 October 2013.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2013), Analysis in Alexander of Aphrodisias Quaestio I.1: how one might establish the first cause. Analysis and Synthesis in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 18 December 2013 - 20 December 2013.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2012), Commentary on Phys. VII.3, 247b1-247b13. In: Maso S., Natali C. & Seel G. (Eds.), Reading Aristotle Physics VII.3 "What is alteration?". Las Vegas Zürich Athens: Parmenides Publishing. 99-108.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2011), Wiskunde in Alexandrië, Lampas: Tijdschrift voor Nederlandse classici 44(4): 349-367.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2011), Aristoteles. In: Jurgens J.E. & Rebel F. (Eds.), Introductiecursus Inleiding tot de westerse filosofie. Amsterdam: Stichting Instituut voor Filosofie. 24-32.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2010) http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2010/2010-07-06.html. Review of: Brisson L. & Pradeau J.-F. (2008), Plotin. Traités 42-44. Sur les genres de l'être I, II et III. Paris: GF Flammarion .
- Haas F.A.J. de, Leunissen M.E.M.P.J. & Martijn M. (Eds.) (2010), Interpreting Aristotle's Posterior Analytics in Late Antiquity and Beyond. Leiden: Brill.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2010) Recensie. Review of: (2004), Aristoteles' Kategorienschrift in ihrer antiken Kommentierung. Tübingen: Mohr (Paul Siebeck). Gnomon 82: 200-203.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2010), Principles, conversion, and circular proof. The reception of an Academic debate in Proclus and Philoponus. In: Bénatouil T., Trabbatoni F. & Riel G. van (Eds.), Plato, Aristotle or both? Dialogues between Platonism and Aristotelianism in Antiquity. Hildesheim: Academia Verlag. 173-194.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2010), Priscian and Pseudo-Simplicius on the Soul. In: Gerson L.P. (Ed.), Cambridge History of Philosophy in Late Antiquity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 756-764.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2009), Philoponus and the Mathematization of Logic, Documenti e Studi sulla Tradizione Filosofica Medievale 20: 193-210.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2009), Know Thyself: Awareness in Plato and Aristotle. In: Riel G. van & Destrée P. (Eds.), Ancient Perspectives on Aristotle's De anima. Leuven: Leuven University Press. 49-69.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2009), Aporia 3-5: between universal science and first philosophy. In: Crubellier Michel & Laks André (Eds.), Aristotle's Metaphysics Beta. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 73-104.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2009), Review of: Slaveva-Griffin S. (2009), Plotinus on Number. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews 2009.10.11 [http://ndpr.nd.edu/review.cfm?id=17805] .
- Haas F.A.J. de (2008), Thinking about Thought. An inquiry into the life of Platonism. Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2008), Wijsgerige psychologie in de Oudheid: pendelen tussen natuurwetenschap en metafysica. In: Bakker P.M.M.J. (Ed.), Lichaam & ziel. Over de filosofische voorgeschiedenis van de psychologie. Amsterdam: Boom. 23-50.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2007), Plato en het onheil in de wereld. In: Kinneging A. & Wiche R.T.P. (Eds.), Van kwaad tot erger. Filosofie van het kwaad van Plato tot Hannah Arendt. Utrecht: Spectrum. 19-35.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2007), Thinking about Thought. An inquiry into the life of Platonism. Zovko Marie-Élise (Ed.), Platonism and Forms of Intelligence. .
- Haas F.A.J. de (2006), The status of physics in Plotinus and its Aristotelian background. ESF Exploratory Workshop Physics and Philosophy of Nature in Greek Neoplatonism. Castelvecchio Pascoli. [lecture].
- Algra K.A., Haas F.A.J. de, Ophuijsen J.M. van & Steel C.G. (2006), Griekse en Romeinse Filosofie. Leiden: syllabus.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2005), The discriminating capacity of the soul in Aristotle's theory of learning. In: Salles R. (Ed.), Metaphysics, Soul and Ethics in Ancient Thought - Themes from the Work of Richard Sorabji.. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 321-344.
- Algra K.A., Haas F.A.J. de, Ophuijsen J.M. van & Steel C.G. (Eds.) (2005), Griekse en Romeinse Filosofie. Leiden: Universiteit Leiden.
- Haas F.A.J. de & Mansfeld J. (Eds.) (2004), Aristotle, De generatione et corruptione I. Proceedings of the Symposium Aristotelicum. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2004), Introduction to: Joannes Philoponus, Commentaria in Aristotelis De generatione et corruptione. In: Lohr C. (Ed.), CAGL. Stuttgart-Bad Canstatt: Frommann-Holzboog. 5-15.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2004), Context and strategy of Plotinus treatise on the genera of being (Enn. VI.1-3 [42-44]). In: Celluprica V. & D'Ancona C. (Eds.), Proceedings of the conference Aristotele e i suoi esegeti neoplatonici. Logica e ontologia nelle interpretazioni greche e arabe. Rome: Bibliopolis. 39-53.
- Algra K.A., Haas F.A.J. de, Ophuijsen J.M. van & Steel C.G. (Eds.) (2004), De Antieke Wijsbegeerte. Leiden: Universiteit Leiden.
- Haas F.A.J. de & Mansfeld J. (2004), Editor's introduction. In: , Aristotle, De generatione et corruptione I. Proceedings of the Symposium Aristotelicum. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1-6.
- Algra K.A., Haas F.A.J. de, Ophuijsen J.M. van & Steel C.G. (Eds.) (2003), De Antieke Wijsbegeerte. Leiden: Universiteit Leiden.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2003), Tussen Plotinus en Stephanus, Kunst en Wetenschap 12(1): 11-12.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2003), Late Ancient Philosophy. In: Sedley D. (Ed.), Cambridge Companion to Greek and Roman Philosophy. Cambridge: CUP. 242-270.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2002), Modifications of the Method of Inquiry in Aristotle's Physics I.1. An essay on the dynamics of the ancient commentary tradition. In: Leijenhorst C.H., Lüthy C.H. & Thijssen J.M.M.H. (Eds.), The Dynamics of Aristotelian Natural Philosophy. Leiden: Brill. 31-56.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2001), Did Plotinus and Porphyry disagree on Aristotle's Categories?, Phronesis 46(4): 492-526.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2001), Simplicius. On Aristotle On Categories 5. In: , On Aristotle On Categories 5, 6. London: Duckworth. 1-92.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2001) Genesis elucidated. Review of L. Fladerer, Johannes Philoponos De opificio mundi. Spätantikes Sprachdenken und christliche Exegese. Stuttgart-Leipzig 1999. Review of: , L. Fladerer, Johannes Philoponos De opificio mundi. Spätantikes Sprachdenken und christliche Exegese. Stuttgart-Leipzig 1999. no. 2. Classical Review 51: 300-302.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2001), De daden van Diogenes: denken, doen en de anekdote, Splijtstof September: 52-92.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2000) Recensie van Aristoteles.Ethica Nicomachea.Vertaald, ingeleid, aantekeningen:Ch.Pannier & J.Verhaeghe. Groningen:Hist.Uitg,1999.Nicomachean Ethics Books VIII&IX. Translated:M.Pakaluk. Edited:J.L.Ackrill & L.Judson,Clarendon Aristotle Series,Oxford UP,1998. Review of: , Ch.Pannier & J.Verhaeghe. Groningen:Hist.Uitg,1999.Nicomachean Ethics Books VIII&IX. Translated:M.Pakaluk. Edited:J.L.Ackrill & L.Judson,Clarendon Aristotle Series,Oxford UP,1998. Nexus 26: 218-224.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2000), Mathematik und Phänomene. Eine Polemik über naturwissenschaftliche Methode in Simplikios, Antike Naturwissenschaft und ihre Rezeption : 107-129.
- Haas F.A.J. de (2000), Recollection and Potentiality in Philoponus. In: Kardaun M. & Spruijt J. (Eds.), The Winged Chariot. Collected Essays on Plato and Platonism in Honour of L.M. de Rijk. Leiden: Brill. 165-184.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1999) Review of Di Liscia, D.A., Kessler, E., and Methuen, C., eds. Method and Order in Renaissance Philosophy of Nature: The Aristotle Commentary Tradition. Aldershot-Brookfield: Ashgate, 1997. Review of: , Di Liscia, D.A., Kessler, E., and Methuen, C., eds. Method and Order in Renaissance Philosophy of Nature: The Aristotle Commentary Tradition. Aldershot-Brookfield: Ashgate, 1997. no. 3. Renaissance Studies 13: 349-352.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1999), Mixture in Philoponus. An Encounter with a Third Kind of Potentiality. In: Thijssen J.M.M.H. & Braakhuis H.A.G. (Eds.), The Commentary Tradition on De generatione et corruptione: Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern. Studia Artistarum no. 7. Turnhout: Brepols. 21-46.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1999), Is de wereld uniek? Methode en metafysica in Aristoteles en Plato, Filosofie. Tweemaandelijks tijdschrift van de Stichting Informatie Filosofie 9(2): 2-20.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1999) Review of Gerson, L.P. Plotinus. The Arguments of the Philosophers. London: Routledge, 1994. Review of: , Gerson, L.P. Plotinus. The Arguments of the Philosophers. London: Routledge, 1994. no. 1. Mnemosyne 52: 104-112.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1998), Philoponus on Theophrastus on Composition in Nature. In: Ophuijsen J.M. van & Raalte M. van (Eds.), Theophrastus. Reappraising the Sources. New Brunswick-London: Transaction Publishers. 171-189.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1998), De fysica van de boogschutter. Proeven aan de Griekse commentaren op het oeuvre van Aristoteles (en Plato), Lampas: Tijdschrift voor Nederlandse classici 31(5): 395-411.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1997), John Philoponus' New Definition of Prime Matter. Aspects of its Background in Neoplatonism and the Ancient Commentary Tradition. Leiden-New York-Köln: E.J. Brill.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1997) Review of J.E. Annas, Interpretazione dei libri M-N della Metafisica di Aristotele. La filosofia della matematica in Platone e Aristotele (Introduzione e traduzione di Giovanni Reale), Milaan 1992. Review of: , J.E. Annas, Interpretazione dei libri M-N della Metafisica di Aristotele. La filosofia della matematica in Platone e Aristotele (Introduzione e traduzione di Giovanni Reale), Milaan 1992. no. 2. Mnemosyne 50: 229-231.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1997), Aristotle's Fourteenth Aporia and the Three Dimensions in Later Neoplatonism. Cleary J.J. (Ed.), The Perennial Tradition of Neoplatonism. . Leuven: Leuven University Press. 347-368.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1996) Rev. of Ch. Lohr, J. Philoponi Commentariae Annotationes in libros Priorum Resolutivorum Aristotelis. Übersetzt von G. Dorotheus. Neudruck der Ausgabe Venedig 1541 mit einer Einleitung von K. Verrycken & Ch. Lohr (CAGL 4),Stuttgart-Bad Canstatt 1994. Review of: , Ch. Lohr, J. Philoponi Commentariae Annotationes in libros Priorum Resolutivorum Aristotelis. no. 1. Classical Review 46: 172-172.
- Haas F.A.J. de (1994) Review of I. Hadot (ed.), Simplicius. Commentaire sur les Catégories, fasc. I + III [Philosophia Antiqua 50-51], Leiden 1990. Review of: (1990), I. Hadot (ed.), Simplicius. Commentaire sur les Catégories, fasc. I + III [Philosophia Antiqua 50-51], Leiden 1990.. 47 no. 5. Leiden: Brill. Mnemosyne 47(5): 698-702.