Archaeology is the only science that allows us to study the material traces left by most of human evolution. But what happens when we bring philosophy into the picture? A new series of papers demonstrates how philosophical reflection can enrich archaeological research - especially when grappling with the deep past.
Karel Kuipers and Marie Soressi, together with colleagues from the Erasmus School of Philosophy at Erasmus University Rotterdam, have just published three thought-provoking papers that explore the intersection of philosophy and archaeology.
- Curious about how philosophy can contribute to archaeological theory?
Read the paper by Hub Zwart (Professor of Philosophy at Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Marie Soressi, which explores how philosophical perspectives can inform archaeological approaches to deep history. - Wondering what "human" really means in the context of human evolution - when multiple human species still roamed the Earth?
Karel Kuipers’ and Julien Kloeg delve into philosophical anthropology and its potential to reframe our understanding of human evolutionary narratives. - Interested in what novels can reveal about our views on ancient encounters?
Susan Peeters leads a paper examining how novels shape our perceptions of the Neanderthal–Homo sapiens encounter.
These papers invite reflection, raise new questions, and show how collaboration between disciplines can open exciting avenues for research. This project is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) project “Neanderthals and us: How the golden age of Neanderthal research challenges human self-understanding” with file number 406.21.FHR.011.
Curious? Dive into the full papers and join the conversation on how philosophy and archaeology can shape each other.
Zwart, H., Soressi, M. 2025 Neanderthals and us: Towards a philosophy of deep history. Internationales Jahrbuch für philosophische Anthropologie, De Guyther Brill, Band 12, 2022, p. 7-28.
Kuipers, K. J., Kloeg J., Soressi M. 2025 What is ‘human’ in human evolution: Reconnecting philosophical anthropology and human evolution. Internationales Jahrbuch für philosophische Anthropologie, De Guyther Brill, Band 12, 2022, p. 89-110.
Peeters, S., Soressi, M., Jensen, S., Zwart, H. 2025 Close encounters of a human kind. On the need for distinction versus the longing for connection in Neanderthal – Homo sapiens encounters in science fiction. Internationales Jahrbuch für philosophische Anthropologie, De Guyther Brill, Band 12, 2022, p.161-176
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Press Officer: Eddie Adelmund (adelmund@esphil.eur.nl)
