Markus Hilmar Wörner
(Emeritus Professor)

Markus Wörner was born in Potsdam/Germany. He read Philosophy, Theology and Communications Studies at the Universities of Marburg, Bonn and Oxford before working in the Department of Theology and Medieval Philosophy at the Free University of Berlin. He was appointed Professor of Philosophy at the National University of Ireland, Galway in 1987. In 1999 -2000, he was appointed Mercator-Professor of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft at the Free University of Berlin.

Contact Details

• E-Mail: markus.woernernuigalway.ie

Teaching

Wörner has taught a wide range of philosophy undergraduate and postgraduate courses, covering Ancient Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy, and Modern Philosophy. He has also contributed a History of Astronomy course to interdisciplinary programmes such as Physics and Astronomy.

Research and Writing

Wörner's early work focused on the Theory of Speech Acts and its development between J.L. Austin and J. Searle. It formed part of his Lectorate in Theology (="Licenciate)." His doctoral dissertation in Philosophy (Bonn 1976) is a detailed study of J.L. Austin's theory of language and action. It was published as Performative und Sprachliches Handeln, (Hamburg: Buske 1978).
His Habilitation in Philosophy (Berlin 1985) concentrated on Aristotle's theory of rhetorical communication. It was published as Das Ethische in der Rhetorik des Aristoteles, (Freiburg/Br. 1990).
A prominent aspect of Woerner's work from 1987-1995 was the edition, translation and interpretation of parts of the Summa Contra Gentiles of Thomas Aquinas. It appeared as Thomas von Aquin, Summe wider die Heiden (lat./deutsch), Buch IV, (Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft 1996. It was reprinted in 2001.
During his period as Visiting (Mercator) Professor at the Free University/Berlin he published a book discussing Aristotle's and Aquinas' theory of happiness. It appeared as Glückendes Leben, (Berlin: Morus 2000).
Research cooperation with members of different departments in Berlin, Belfast and Delhi concerning inter-religious communication formed another important aspect of Wörner's recent work. It appeared as Bongardt/Kampling/Woerner (eds:), Verstehen an der Grenze, (Münster: Aschendorff 2003).
At present he is writing a book in co-operation with Dr. Ricca Edmondson, called Return to Wisdom (forthcoming).

Recent Publications also include:

M. Wörner, Aristotle (384 - 322 BC), in: N. Smelser/P. Baltes (eds.), International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 2, Cambridge, Elsevier, 2002, 744 - 748
M. Wörner, Elements of an Aristotelian Theory of Political Discourse, in: D. Koutras (ed.), Aristotle's Political Philosophy and its Influence, Athens, To Lykeion, 1999, 56 - 73
M. Wörner, Glaubwürdigkeit, in: A. Hoelscher/R. Kampling (eds.), Glauben in Welt. Berlin, Morus 1999, 101 - 120
M. Wörner, Sokratische Widerlegungen, in: E. W. B. Hess - Luettich/W. Schmitz (eds.), Botschaften Verstehen - Kommunikationstheorie und Zeichenpraxis, Frankfurt/M., Lang 2000, 285 - 298
M. Wörner, Untimely Meditations on Ageing, the Good Life and a Culture of Friendship, in: R. Edmondson/C. Kelleher (eds.), Health Promotion: New discipline or Multi - Discipline, Dublin, Irish Academic Press, 2000, 78 - 93
M. Wörner, The Body of Proof and the Soul of Tragedy, in: D. Koutras (ed.), Aristotle's Poetics and the Art of Rhetoric, Athens, To Lykeion, 2003, 41 - 68

Professional Activities

Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Philosophical Studies (1990 - )
Editorial Board Member, Irish Philosophical Journal (l987 - )
Secretary of the National Committee for Philosophy of the Royal Irish Academy (l989-92, 1997-2000)
Member of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie (2003 - )
Fellow of Royal Astronomical Society (2003 - )
Member of Society for the History of Astronomy (2003 - )

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