About
I am head of the Department of Analytic Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Besides that, I serve on the International Relations Committee of the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA), and, between 2022 and 2024, I coordinated the activities of the pan-European Philosophy of Language and Mind Network.
Tomáš Marvan
Institute of Philosophy
Czech Academy of Sciences
Jilská 1, 110 00 Prague 1
(+420-2) 21183510
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CV
Professional appointments
- 2021– Department of Philosophy, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Assistant Professor (0.25 FTE)
- 2004–16 Department of Philosophy, Charles University, Prague, Adjunct Lecturer
- 2003–4 Department of Philosophy, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Assistant Professor (½-time)
- 1998– Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences, senior researcher (2014–16 vice-director for research; 2020– Head of the Department of analytic philosophy
Education
- 2014 Habilition in Philosophy, Masaryk University, Brno
- 2003 PhD., Philosophy, Charles University
- 1998 M. A., Philosophy, Charles University
Area of specialization
- Empirically informed philosophy of consciousness
Areas of competence
- Philosophy of language and mind
- Early modern philosophy, esp. Descartes and Hume
Committee work at the Czech Academy of Sciences
- Guarant of the international scientific cooperation within the project Enhancing professional development at the Institute of Philosophy, supported from Science, Research, and Education operational programme (EU structural grants), Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences (October 2020-December 2022)
- Member of the Council for International Relations of the Czech Academy of Sciences (2017-2021)
- Member of the Coordination Committee of the Czech Academy of Sciences (2017-2021)
- Member of various Search Committees at the Institute of Philosophy (since 2014)
Services to the profession
Editorial board and committee membership
- Deputy editor, Organon F
- Editorial board member, Frontiers in Psychololgy (since 2021)
- Editorial board member, Filosofie dnes (since 2009)
- Scientific Council of the Faculty of Arts, University of Hradec Králové (2016–2019)
Journal refereeing (selection)
- Psychological Review, Philosophy and the Mind Sciences, Minds and Machines, Frontiers in Psychology, Theory and Psychology, Cognitive Neurodynamics, International Journal of Philosophical Studies
Refereeing for grant agencies
- Jan Hus educational foundation, Grant agency of Charles University; VEGA (Slovak Republic); Inter-Excellence/COST (Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic)
Doctoral studies
- I have/had doctoral students at Charles University in Prague, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Masaryk University in Brno and at the University of Ostrava (6 students so far). I am a member of the Board for doctoral studies at the Department of philosophy at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (since 2015), and was a member of the Board for doctoral studies at the Department of philosophy and religious studies at Charles university in Prague (2010–15).
Mentoring
- 2016 Participated in Open Science mentoring programme of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Professional membership
- Member of the Council of the Division of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science and Technology (DLMPST; 2020-2023)
- Member of the Committee for the international relations of the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA; since 2020)
- Representing Department of analytic philosophy (IP CAS) in the Philosophy of Language and Mind Network (PLM; since 2017)
Related professional skills
- Languages: Czech (native), English (fluent), Latin (advanced), French (basic), German (basic)
Grants, Prizes and Awards
2020–2023
Grant Agency of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Research Grant Dual models of phenomenal consciousness
2017–2022
Mobility project with the Polish academy of sciences (prof. Marcin Milkowski), topic: Naturalistic Approaches to Consiousness and Content
2016
Short-term research stay at University of Gent and University of Antwerp (September 10 – September 24)
2016
Short-term research stay at Freie Universität Berlin (Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung; July 4–15)
2015
Study visit, School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh (July)
2014–16
Member of the research project Freedom and responsibility and their consequences for society, program Effective public policies (Strategy AV 21, Czech Academy of Sciences)
2013–15
Member of the EU funded project Research center for theory and history of science, Department of philosophy, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen (topic: theory of consciousness)
2009
Fellowship of the Jan Hus educational foundation
2005–6
Humboldt Research Fellowship, Humboldt University, Berlin (November to April)
2005
Otto Wichterle Award
2005
Curriculum Resource Center Grant, Central European University, Budapest (March 6–10)
2004
British Academy Visiting Fellow, Birkbeck College, University of London (January)
2002–4
Grant Agency of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Research Grant Subjectivity. New Approaches to a Classical Concept
2002
CIMO Fellowship, University of Helsinki (August to October)
2001
Research Stipend, University of Constance (July)
Organized conferences
Organized conferences, workshops and lecture series
- 2023 30th Conference of the European Society for Philosophy and Psychology, co-chair of the Local Organizing Committee
- 2023 Member of the Program Committee of the ninth EPSA Conference, Belgrade
- 2022 Conscious and Unconscious Mind: Commonalities and Differences, Prague, member of the organizing committee
- 2021 Member of the Program Committee of the third EENPS Conference, Belgrade
- 2021 Mental states, conscious and unconscious, workshop, Prague, member of the organizing committee
- 2021 Deleuze & Guattari Studies Camp and Conference 2021 (Prague), member of the Local Organizing Committee
- 2020– Series of lectures at the Department of analytic philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sceinces, main organiser (6 lectures so far)
- 2019 The XVI. International Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science and Technology (CLMPST), head of the Local Organizing Committee, member of the Program Committee
- 2016– Ernst Mach workshop, member of the Local Organizing Committee
- 2013 Workshop on the philosophical work of Bertrand Russell, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, member of the organizing committee
- 2011 Workshop on the philosophical work of Nelson Goodman, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, member of the organizing committee
- 2008 Workshop on the philosophical work of Donald Davidson, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, member of the organizing committee
- 2007 Workshop on the philosophical work of W. V. O. Quine, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, member of the organizing committee
Publications
Monographs
- D. Černý, A. Doležal, T. Doležal, P. Dvořák, T. Marvan, V. Mikeš, Svoboda vůle a otázka morální a trestní odpovědnosti [Freedom of the will and the question of moral and criminal responsibility]. Praha: Academia, 2016.
- T. Marvan, M. Polák, Vědomí a jeho teorie [Consciousness and its theory]. Červený kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2015, 160 pp.
- T. Marvan, Realismus a relativismus [Realism and relativism]. Prague: Academia, 2014, 147 pp.
- T. Marvan, Otázka významu. Cesty analytické filosofie jazyka [The question of meaning. Paths of analytical philosophy of language]. Prague: Togga, 2010, 202 pp.
Edited books
- J. Hvorecký, T. Marvan, M. Polák, Conscious and Unconscious Mentality. Examining their Commonalities and Differences. London/New York: Routledge.
- T. Marvan, H. Andersen, H. Chang, B. Löwe, I. Pezlar (eds.), Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science and Technology. Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Congress, Bridging Across Academic Cultures. Rickmansworth: College Publications, 2022.
- L. Dostálová, T. Marvan (eds.): Studie k filosofii Donalda Davidsona [Studies on the philosophy of Donald Davidson]. Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2009.
- T. Marvan, L. Dostálová (eds.): Quine: Nejen Gavagai [Quine: Not just gavagai!]. Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2008.
- T. Marvan, J. Hvorecký (eds.): Filosofie jazyka a mysli: Základní pojmy [Philosophy of language and mind: Basic concepts]. Plzeň: O.P.S., 2007.
- M. Zouhar, Tomáš Marvan (eds.), Svet jazyka a svet za jazykom/The World of Language and the World beyond Language. A Festschrift for Pavel Cmorej. Bratislava: Veda, 2007.
- T. Marvan (ed.), What Determines Content? The Internalism/Externalism Dispute. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2006.
- T. Marvan, L. Dostálová (eds.), W. V. Quine: Vybrané články k ontologii a epistemologii [Selected papers on ontology and epistemology]. Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2006.
Papers in peer-reviewed journals
- T. Marvan, M. Polák, Neurocentrist identity theory and neuro-phenomenal typing: A commentary on Manzotti's, “The boundaries and location of consciousness as identity theories deem fit”. Frontiers in Psychology 13, 15 November 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1058325
- T. Marvan, M. Polák, T. Bachmann, W. A. Phillips, Apical amplification—A cellular mechanism of conscious perception? Neuroscience of Consciousness 7 (2021), 2. niab036. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/niab036.
- T. Marvan, Was Wegner Rejecting Mental Causality? Theory and Psychology. Online first, March 29, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593543211000820.
- T. Marvan, M. Havlík, Is Predictive Processing a Theory of Perceptual Consciousness? New Ideas in Psychology 61 (2021), art. No. 100837.
- T. Marvan, M. Polák, Generality and Content-Specificity in the Study of the Neural Correlates of Perceptual consciousness. Philosophy and the Mind Sciences 1, 2 (2020).
- M. Polák, T. Marvan: How to Mitigate the Hard Problem by Adopting the Dual Theory of Phenomenal Consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology 10, 17 December (2019), article No. 2837.DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02837
- M. Polák, T. Marvan: Neural Correlates of Consciousness Meet the Theory of Identity. Frontiers in Psychology 9, 24 July (2018), article No. 1269. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01269.
- T. Marvan, M. Polák: Unitary and Dual Models of Phenomenal Consciousness. Consciousness and Cognition 56 (2017), November, 1–12.
- T. Marvan, Hume o nutnosti, svobodě a odpovědnosti [Hume on necessity, freedom and responsibility]. Filosofický časopis 65 (2017), 2, 221–235.
- T. Marvan, Explanandum teorie vědomí: marné hledání konsenzu? [Explanandum of the theory of consciousness: a futile search for the explanandum?] Filosofie dnes 9 (2017), 2, 60–73.
- T. Marvan, Conceptual Relativity Meets Realism in Metaphysics. European Journal of Analytic Philosophy 12 (2016), 2, special issue “Putnam’s Path”, 27–41.
- T. Marvan, M. Havlík: Default Mode Network and the Problem of Determining Intrinsic Mental Contents. Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric 40 (2015), 1, 145–160.
- T. Marvan, Aristotelská koncepce vědomí v minulosti a dnes [Aristotelian notion of consciousness in the past and today]. Aithér 6 (2015), 11, 76–83.
- T. Marvan, Lze rozřešit spor mezi realismem a konstruktivismem? [Could the debate between realism and consctructivism be solved?] Filosofie dnes 7 (2015), 2, 96–103.
- T. Marvan, Romulus, Scott a Klára Issová. Kdy vlastní jména zkracují deskripce? [Romulus, Scott, and Klára Issová. When proper names abbreviate descriptions?] In Dostálová, Marvan and Soutor (eds.), Studie k filosofii Bertranda Russella, 27–41.
- T. Marvan, Searle on External Realism and ʻPrivileged Conceptual Schemeʼ. Organon F 19 (2012), Supplementary Volume Issue 2, 31–39.
- T. Marvan, Jeden svět stačí [One world is enough]. In Dostálová and Marvan (eds.), Studie k filosofii N. Goodmana, 45–53.
- T. Marvan, Is Rorty a Linguistic Idealist? Human Affairs 21 (2011), 3, 272–279.
- T. Marvan, Pojem reprezentace: Rorty vs. „novověká tradice“ [The notion of representation: Rorty vs. the modern tradition]. ProFil 11 (2010), 2, 37–46.
- T. Marvan, Dyskusja Davidson-Quine na temat znaczenia i wiedzy. Krótky przewodnik. Analiza i egzystencja 4 (2008), 7, 109–123.
- T. Marvan, The Davidson—Quine Dispute on Meaning and Knowledge: A Concise Guide. Teorie vědy 16 (2007), 1, 113–128.
- T. Marvan, Putnamovy realismy a pojmová relativita [Putnam’s realisms and conceptual relativity]. Studia Neoaristotelica 3 (2006), 1, 3–16.
- T. Marvan, Co vlastně říká Quinova teze o neurčitosti překladu? [What does Quine’s thesis of the indeterminacy of translation really say?] Aluze 10 (2006), 2, 94–100.
- T. Marvan, Obstacles to the Relativity of Truth. Organon F 13 (2006), 4, 439–450.
- T. Marvan, Quine a realismus [Quine and realism]. Reflexe 31 (2006), 61–76.
- M. Lasonen, T. Marvan, Davidson's Triangulation: Content-Endowing Causes and Circularity. International Journal of Philosophical Studies 12 (2004), 2, 177–195.
- T. Marvan, Dva druhy pojmového relativismu [Two kinds of conceptual relativism]. Organon F 10 (2003), 2, 148–156.
- T. Marvan, Interpretability, Perceptual Sensibilities and Triangulation. Sats – Nordic Journal of Philosophy 4 (2003), 2, 93–107.
- T. Marvan, Externalismus, pojmový relativismus a třetí dogma empirismu [Externalism, conceptual relativism and the third dogma of empiricism]. Filosofický časopis 50 (2002), 3, 479–490.
- T. Marvan, Brandomian Aporia (and One Way Out). Danish Yearbook of Philosophy 37 (2002), 91–100.
- T. Marvan, Spor o povahu jazyka: Davidson a Dummett [On the nature of language: Davidson and Dummett]. Filosofický časopis 45 (1997), 4, 585–596.
Special issues
- L. Dostálová, T. Marvan, M. Soutor (eds.): Studie k filosofii Bertranda Russella [Studies on the philosophy of Bertrand Russell]. Supplementary issue of Filosofický časopis, 2013.
- L. Dostálová, T. Marvan (eds.): Studie k filosofii N. Goodmana [Studies on the philosophy of N. Goodman]. Supplementary issue of Filosofický časopis, 2012.
- T. Marvan, David Mik (eds.), special issue of Filosofický časopis (50, 2002, 3) on externalism and internalism in contemporary philosophy of mind and language.
Book chapters
- T. Marvan, The Brain-Based Argument for Unconscious Sensory Qualities, in J. Hvorecký, T. Marvan and M. Polák (eds.), Conscious and Unconscious Mentality. Examining their Nature, Similarities and Differences. New York/London: Routledge 2024.
- J. Hvorecký, T. Marvan and M. Polák, Mapping the contrasts and parallels between the conscious and unconscious mind, in J. Hvorecký, T. Marvan and M. Polák (eds.), Conscious and Unconscious Mentality. Examining their Nature, Similarities and Differences. New York/London: Routledge 2024.
- T. Marvan, M. Polák: Neurální koreláty vědomí a teorie identity [Neural correlates of consciousness and the theory of identity]. In James Hill and Jindřich Karásek (eds.), Pojem vědomí: jeho jednota a rozmanitost [The notion of consciousness: Its unity and diversity]. Praha: Karolinum, 2017, pp. 99–112.
- T. Marvan, Hume o bohu a náboženství [Hume on God and religion]. In David Hume, Dialogy o přirozeném náboženství. Praha: Dybbuk, 2013, pp. 9–32.
- T. Marvan, Davidsonovy argumenty proti empirismu [Davidson’s arguments against empiricism]. In Dostálová and Marvan (eds.), Studie k filosofii Donalda Davidsona, Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2009, pp. 63–78.
- T. Marvan, Quine a Goodman: Fyzikalismus a fakta. In: Marvan and Dostálová (eds.): Quine: Nejen Gavagai, Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2008, pp. 111–122.
- T. Marvan, Goodman’s Arguments for Worldmaking and Their Critics. In Zouhar and Marvan (eds.), Svet jazyka a svet za jazykom/The World of Language and the World beyond Language. A Festschrift for Pavel Cmorej, Bratislava: Veda, 2007, pp. 212–225.
- T. Marvan, Konstanty Quinovy filosofie [The constants of Quine’s philosophy]. In W. V. Quine: Vybrané články k ontologii a epistemologii, Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2006, pp. 4–31.
- T. Marvan, Smyslové vnímání jako druh „myšlení“ u Descarta [Sensory perception as a form of thought in Descartes]. In Jiří Fiala and Michal Polák (eds.), René Descartes: Scientia & conscientia. Plzeň: Nakladatelství ZČU, 2006, pp. 70–83.
- T. Marvan, Körner o nemožnosti transcendentální dedukce. In Břetislav Horyna (ed.), Kant redivivus. Brno: Masarykova universita, 2004, pp. 95–103.
Reviews and critical notices
- T. Marvan, review of Zdravko Radman (ed.), Before Consciousness: In Search of the Fundamentals of Mind. Metapsychology Online Reviews 21, 40, Oct 3 2017.
- S. Dach, T. Marvan, critical notice of Alex Rosenberg, The Atheist’s Guide to Reality. Science and Education 23 (2014), 3, pp. 695–706.
- T. Marvan, review of Patricia Churchland, Touching a Nerve. Organon F 21 (2014), 1, pp. 121–134.
- T. Marvan, critical notice (in Czech) of Sam Harris, The Moral Landscape, and Patricia S. Churchland, Braintrust. Teorie vědy 33 (2011), 3, pp. 481–497.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Massimo Pigliucci, Nonsense on Stilts. Teorie vědy 33 (2011), 4, pp. 654–660.
- T. Marvan, critical notice (in Czech) of Paul Boghossian, Fear of Knowledge, and Steven D. Hales, Relativism and the Foundations of Philosophy. Filosofie dnes 2 (2010), 1, pp. 45–53.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Radim Šíp, Richard Rorty. Mezi jazykem a zkušeností. Aluze 13 (2009), 1, pp. 90–93.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Lynn Hankinson Nelson and Jack Nelson, On Quine. Organon F 13 (2007), 1, pp. 126–128.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Daniel Dennett, Sweet Dreams. Reflexe 31 (2006).
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Colin McGinn, Making of a Philosopher. Filosofický časopis 53 (2005), 3, pp. 476–478.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Darrell Wheeler, On Davidson. Aluze 9 (2005), 1, pp. 199–201.
- T. Marvan, review of Gábor Forrai, Reference, Truth and Conceptual Schemes. Organon F 10 (2003), 2, pp. 227–231.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Joseph Almog, What Am I. Filosofický časopis 51 (2003), 5, pp. 881–883.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Robert Brandom, Articulating Reasons. An Introduction to Inferentialism. Organon F 9 (2002), 4, pp. 469–472.
- T. Marvan, review of The Oxford Francis Bacon, vol. IV and XIII. Acta Comeniana 15/16 (2002), pp. 372–374.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Jaroslav Peregrin, Meaning and Structure. Filosofický časopis 50 (2002), 4, pp. 686–688.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of the Slovak translation of Richard Rorty, Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (trans. by Ĺubica Hábová). Organon F 8 (2001), 1, pp. 107–111.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Petr Koťátko, Význam a komunikace. Aluze 5 (2001), 1, pp. 161–162.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Wilfrid Sellars, Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind. Filosofický časopis 48 (2000), 3, pp. 520–523.
- T. Marvan, review of Elmar J. Kremer (ed.), Interpreting Arnauld. Acta Comeniana 37 (1999), pp. 244–249.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Donald Davidson, Čin, myseľ, jazyk. Filosofický časopis 47 (1999), 2, pp. 317–320.
- T. Marvan, review (in Czech) of Anton Hügli, Poul Lübcke (eds.), Philosophielexikon. Personen und Begriffe der abendländischen Philosophie von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart. Filosofický časopis 46 (1998), 3, pp. 500–502.
- T. Marvan, review of Roger Ariew and Marjorie Grene (eds.), Descartes and His Contemporaries: Meditations, Objections, and Replies. Acta Comeniana 36 (1997), pp. 271–278.
Responses and polemics
- T. Marvan, Quine, Goodman a otázka mnohosti světů. Odpověď P. Stojanovi [Quine, Goodman and the question of the multiplicity of worlds. A response to P. Stojan]. Filosofický časopis 57 (2009), 1, pp. 93–103.
- I. Blecha, T. Marvan: Reference a realismus pohledem fenomenologie a analytické filosofie [Reference and realism through the lens of phenomenology and analytical philosophy]. Reflexe 36 (2009), pp. 93–114.
- Svoboda, pojmy a pravidla: Ještě k Brandomovu Articulating Reasons [Freedom, concepts and rules: Once more on Brandom’s Articulating Reasons. Organon F 10 (2003), 4, pp. 446–449.
Interview
- F. Focquaert, T. Marvan, Free Will Skepticism, Just Deserts and Justice without Retribution. An Interview with Farah Focquaert. Tijdschrift voor filosofie 80 (2018) 1, pp. 93–105.
Translations of philosophical works into Czech
- David Hume, Dialogues on Natural Religion. Prague: Dybbuk, 2013. Revised edition to appear in 2021.
- Göran Rossholm, Ars Combinatoria in Beckett’s Novel Watt. In K. Císař and P. Koťátko (eds.), Beckett: Filosofie a literatura. Praha: Filosofia, 2010, pp. 165–185.
- James Hill, Descartes and cogitare: A Reply to Professor Sobotka. Reflexe 33 (2007), pp. 91–96.
- Jean-Luc Marion, L’altérité originaire de l’ego. Meditatio II, AT VII, 24–25. In P. Glombíček and J. Kuneš (eds.), Cogito, ergo sum. Praha: Filosofia, 2006, pp. 129–177.
- Crispin Wright, Does Philosophical Investigations I, 258–60 Suggest a Cogent Argument against Private Language? In P. Glombíček (ed.), Soukromý jazyk, pravidla a Wittgenstein. Praha: Filosofia, 2006, pp. 139–211.
- (With J. Kolář) Donald Davidson, Subjective, Intersubjective, Objective. Prague: Filosofia, 2004.
- Paisley Livingston, Text, Version, Work: Borges’ Pierre Menard and the Ontology of Literature. In Karel Císař and Petr Koťátko (eds.), Text a dílo: případ Menard. Praha: Filosofia, 2004, pp. 81–109.
- Göran Rossholm, À propos Menard. In Karel Císař and Petr Koťátko (eds.), Text a dílo: případ Menard. Praha: Filosofia, 2004, pp. 111–133.
- (With P. Glombíček and P. Zavadil) René Descartes (et alii), Meditations on the First Philosophy. Objections and Replies to the Meditations. Prague: OIKOYMENH, 2003.
- René Descartes, The Search for Truth (the French part), in Filosofický časopis 51, 2003, 5, pp. 855–863.
- Fabrice Pataut, An Anti-Realist Perspective on Language, Thought, Logic and the History of Analytic Philosophy: An Interview with Michael Dummett, in Filosofický časopis 47 (1999), 4, pp. 589–617.
- Donald Davidson, Dialectic and Dialogue. Filosofický časopis 47 (1999), 2, pp. 181–189.
- (With P. Glombíček) René Descartes, The Principles of Philosophy (An Abridged version, together with Descartes‘ two letters to Princess Elisabeth). Prague: Filosofia, 1998.