Reception of Kurt Gödel’s Philosophical Notebooks

Gödel is well-known and highly respected for his seminal contributions to mathematical logic.
The reception of his philosophical thinking, which has so far concentrated on his philosophy
of mathematics, has, however, been mostly negative or sceptical. He is, for example, widely
regarded as holding onto “pre-critical” mathematical realism, which is untenable by modern
standards of philosophical rigor.
However, the recent edition of Kurt Gödel’s Philosophical Notebooks has opened new
perspectives on his philosophy of mathematics along with new aspects of his general
philosophical thinking, including the metaphysics of concepts and ideas, the ethical conduct
of life, agency, and free will.
The proposed topical collection is intended to counter both the narrow focus on Gödel’s
philosophy of mathematics as well as the currently prevailing interpretation of the latter.
Moreover, it has the aim of shedding new light on his views on topics that have so far not
commonly been associated with Gödel, such as his thoughts on agency and free will or
individual applied ethics. The proposed topical collection intends to appeal to philosophers in
theoretical and practical philosophy alike, as well as to philosophically inclined logicians and
mathematicians.
Appropriate topics for submission:
- Mathematical Platonism
- Concepts and ideas
- Heuristics in mathematics
- Mathematics and ethics
- Applied ethics
- Agency
- Role of religion in Gödel’s philosophy
Deadline for submission is 1st of October 2025; Submissions to the Topical Collection will
undergo the normal Synthese reviewing process