I am a philosopher of science and conceptual theoretical biologist working on conceptual questions in and about the life sciences. My main research interests are evolutionary theory, scientific explanations, classification in the sciences, natural kinds, connections between classification and nature conservation, and research ethics and responsibility. Officially I am Professor of Philosophy of Science and Technology in the Institute of Philosophy and the Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences (CELLS) at Leibniz Universität Hannover. Next to the day job I also am Associated Faculty in the Socially Engaged Philosophy of Science Group (SEPOS) at Michigan State University; an elected Fellow of The Linnean Society of London; Council Member of the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB); a founding member and current member of the Steering Committee of the German Society for the Philosophy of Science (Gesellschaft für Wissenschaftsphilosophie, GWP); one of three founders and Editors in Chief of the Springer book series History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences; and one of three Editors in Chief of the Journal for General Philosophy of Science.
I am from The Hague, die mooie stad achter de duinen on the Dutch North Sea coast. I was educated at Aloysius College and Leiden University, and I am an alumnus of L.V.V.S. Augustinus in Leiden. I divide my time between East Lansing, Michigan, and Hannover, Germany. But: Zoo ik ièts ben, ben ik een Hagenaar.
(Banner picture: sunrise over Maumee Bay, Lake Erie, seen from Lost Peninsula, Toledo, Ohio; smaller picture: Capital City River Run 5k, 2022, Lansing, Michigan.)
At my university I run a small working group in the philosophy of the life sciences ("the Reydon Lab", I suppose). The group currently consists of the following people:
Alumni:
Institute of Philosophy
Leibniz Universität Hannover
Lange Laube 6 (Room 217)
30159 Hannover, Germany
Email: reydon [at] ww [dot] uni-hannover.de
Web: LUH Institute of Philosophy
Map: here
Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences (CELLS)
Leibniz Universität Hannover
Otto-Brenner-Straße 1 (Room 811)
30159 Hannover, Germany
Email: thomas [dot] reydon [at] cells [dot] uni-hannover.de
Web: CELLS
Map: here