P. 1 Curriculum Vitae Prof. Dr. Jan Opsomer Director of the De Wulf

p. 1

Curriculum vitae Prof. Dr. Jan Opsomer

Director of the De Wulf-Mansion Centre for Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Philosophy Leuven, Institute of Philosophy, Kard. Mercierplein 2, BE-3000 Leuven

Professional Career: jobs

• Professor, Institute of Philosophy, K.U.Leuven, from 1/10/2010 • C3-Professor (Associate Professor) of Philosophy, Universität zu Köln, 2003-10 • Assistant Professor, U. of South Carolina, 2001-02 • Post-doctoral Fellow FWO, De Wulf-Mansion Center (K.U.Leuven), 1995-2000 • Post-doctoral Fellow of the Research Council, 1994-95 • Research Assistant at the KU Leuven, 1988-94

Studies:

University:

Ph.D. KU Leuven, 18.5.1994: dissertation “The history of Platonism and the interpretation of Plato in Plutarch’s Quaestiones Platonicae”, summa cum laude “with congratulations of the examination board”

Literary Theory (post-graduate / Masters), KU Leuven, 15/2/1990, summa cum laude

Classical Philology, KU Leuven: Teacher Training Certificate, 21/11/1988, magna cum laude licentie (= MA), 8/7/1988, summa cum laude kandidatuur (= BA), 8/7/1986, magna cum laude

BA in philosophy, KU Leuven, 23/11/1987, magna cum laude

Secondary school (Latin and Greek), Heilig-Hartcollege, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium (1978-1984, summa cum laude)

Academic awards • Prize of the Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België, 1996. • Kiwanis Prize 1999, University of Leuven research stays and fellowships; visiting professorships • Visiting Professor at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris (May 2011) • “Professeur invité” at the École doctorale CUSO de philosophie antique et médiévale, Université de Lausanne, 17-19.11.2010 • Senior Research Fellow at the Excellence Cluster 264 TOPOI, Research Group D-II "Physics and Metaphysics of Space“, Berlin (September 2010 - January 2011) • Visiting Fellow of King’s College London, Department of Philosophy, 1997-1998 • Junior Research Fellow of the Institute of Classical Studies, London, 1997-1998

Editorial boards: • Series Editor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Series 1, Leuven • Member of the Editorial Board of the Series Plutarchea hypomnemata, Leuven p. 2

• Member of the Advisory Board of the Series “Scripta Antiquitatis Posterioris ad Ethicam Religionemque pertinentia” (SAPERE, Göttingen) (since 2006); Member of the “SAPERE-Leitungskommission der Göttinger Akademie“ (since 2008) • Member of the International Editorial Board of the Series “Philosophica”, Sapienza Università Editrice (Rome) • Member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Philology (2014-) • Member of the Advisory Board of Symbolon. Studi e testi di filosofia, Catania • Member of the Executive Board of the Tijdschrift voor Filosofie (Leuven, 2014-) • Member of the Editorial Board of Les Etudes Classiques (Namur, 2001-) • Referee for the Series “Topoi. Berlin Studies of the Ancient World” (since 17.9.2010) • Member of the Board of Referees of the journal Athenaeum (Pavia, 2010-)

Supervision of PhDs and Habilitations: completed: M.E. Kenney (University of South Carolina, 2003); K. Hariskov (University of South Carolina, 2003); M. van Ackeren (Universität zu Köln, 2010, Habilitation) current: Philipp Steinkrüger; Bernd Hene; Mareike Hauer, R.D. Cliff as co-promoter: Alberto Kobec; Elsa Simonetti (co-tutela Padua), P. Torri (co-tutela Univ. degli Studi di Milano)

Other scholarly activities: Occasional refereeing: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, Germany); Forschungsschule A.R.T.E.S. (Köln); Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung; Agence Nationale de la Recherche (France); Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, Rome; Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences; Labex RESMED, Paris; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; University College London, tenure and promotion procedure; University of Würzburg, hiring and tenure procedure; University of Bochum, hiring and tenure procedure Refereeing for publications: Philosophia antiqua (Brill); Ancient Commentators on Aristotle; Elenchos (Bibliopolis); The International Journal of the Platonic Tradition; Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie; Rheinisches Museum; Les Etudes Classiques; Tijdschrift voor Filosofie; Ethical Theory and Moral Practice; The Journal of Neoplatonic Studies; Cambridge University Press; Springer; British Journal for the History of Philosophy; Athenaeum; American Journal of Philology; Universitaire Stichting External PhD examinator: VU Amsterdam; EPHS/Sorbonne, Paris; Paris I/Sorbonne; Genève; Trinity College Dublin; U. of South Carolina; Heidelberg; ENS Paris; Université Catholique de Louvain; Bochum External habilitation examinator: EPHE/Sorbonne, Paris Host for Research Fellows of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung: Dr. Fabienne Jourdan (2007-08); Dr. Angelo Giavatto (2008-09; 2009-2010); Alexandra Michalewski (2010-2012) Supervisor for Visiting PhD Students: Yohei Nishimura (2010, Tokyo), Géraldine Hertz (2010, Paris, Sorbonne), Sahan Evren (2010, Ankara), Mikhail Silian (2012-13, St-Petersburg)

Project funding: "Die Entstehung des platonischen Systems im frühen Mittelplatonismus, DAAD, Köln - Milano (Università degli Studi), 2006-2007, 5000 € "Die Philosophie Marc Aurels: Form und Inhalt“, Thyssen-Stiftung, 2007-2011, 205.000 €; "Der Philosoph und Kaiser Marc Aurel im interdisziplinären Licht", 2009, Thyssen-Stiftung, 6000 € Project Special Research Fund, Promoter (co-promoter: P. d’Hoine), The explanation of qualitative properties in Neoplatonic philosophy of nature and metaphysics, 2011-15, 347.123 € FWO-project G.0B74.12, Co-promoter (promoter: P. d’Hoine) The explanation of qualitative properties in Neoplatonic philosophy of nature and metaphysics, 2012-15, 145.078,80 € Promotor of a postdoctoral F+-Fellowship for Dr. Angela Ulacco, 1.5.2012-30.4.2013, 50000 € p. 3

GOA ZKC6078, Special Research Fund (as associated researcher, promoter Gerd Van Riel), 2012-17, 910000 €

Service (selection): • Member of the Research Council, University of Leuven (from Oct. 2011); Member of the Bureau of the Research Council (2014-2015) • Member of the Permanent Teaching Committee, Leuven • Member of the Doctoral Committe, Leuven, 2010-2014 • Member of the LECTIO Steering Committee, Leuven • Univ. Köln: Senatsbeauftragter für Universitätspreise, Köln, 2003-2010; Stellvertreten- des Senatsmitsglied, Köln, 2009-2010; Executive Board of the Philosophische Fakultät, Köln (2009-10); Kommission für Lehre, Studium und Studienreform), 2008-2010

Area of Competence: History of Philosophy, Metaphysics, Ontology, Epistemology, History of Science; Greek Literature

Area of Specialization: Ancient Philosophy: Neoplatonism and Ancient Commentators; Middle Platonism: history of epistemology, ontology, metaphysics, philosophy of nature

Publications (selection)

Dissertation:

Geschiedenis van het platonisme en Plato-exegese in Plutarchus’ Quaestiones Platonicae, Leuven, 1994. 714 p.

Books:

In Search of the Truth. Academic Tendencies in Middle Platonism (Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België, Klasse der Letteren, Nr. 163), Brussel, 1998, 332 p.

Jan Opsomer & C. Steel, Proclus. On the Existence of Evils. Translation with Introduction and Notes (The Ancient Commentators), London, Duckworth - Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 2003

Jan Opsomer & C. Steel, Proclus. Ten Problems concerning Providence (The Ancient Commentators), London, Bristol Classical Press, 2012. viii + 183 ISBN 9780715639245

Plutarch. Dialog über die Liebe. Amatorius. (with Herwig Görgemanns, Barbara Feichtinger, Fritz Graf, Werner Jeanrond (SAPERE, 10), Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck, 2006. 2., korrigierte und erweiterte Auflage (UTB 3501), Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck, 2011.

Edited books: (& M. Bonazzi) The Origins of the Platonic System. Platonisms of the Early Empire and their Philosophical Contexts (Collection d’Études Classiques, 23), Louvain - Namur - Paris - Walpole, MA, Peeters - Société des Études Classiques, 2009, 227 p.

Marcel van Ackeren & Jan Opsomer, Selbstbetrachtungen und Selbstdarstellungen. Der Philosoph und Kaiser Marc Aurel im interdisziplinären Licht. Meditations and representations. The philosopher and emperor Marcus Aurelius in an interdisciplinary light. Akte des Interdisziplinären Kolloquiums Köln 23. bis 25. Juli 2009 (Schriften des Lehr- und Forschungszentrums für die antiken Kulturen des Mittelmeerraumes – Centre for Mediterranean p. 4

Cultures [ZAKMIRA], 9), Wiesbaden, Ludwig Reichert Verlag, 2012, 379 ISBN 978-3-89500- 929-7

Dutch Translation: Plato, Timaeus, in: Plato. Verzameld Werk, V, Kapellen (Pelckmans) - Baarn (Agora), 1999, 185-300

Articles (selection):

1. A Note on Plutarch Fragment 126, in: Hermes. Zeitschrift für klassische Philologie, 120, 1992, 248-249 2. L’âme du monde et l’âme de l’homme chez Plutarque, in: Manuela García Valdés (ed.), Estudios sobre Plutarco: ideas religiosas. Actas del III Simposio Internacional sobre Plutarco, Oviedo 30 de abril a 2 de mayo de 1992, Madrid, 1994, 33-49 3. Wat weten we over de goden? Polemieken over filosofie en religie in Cicero’s De natura deorum, in: Kleio, 25, 1996, 175-190 4. Divination and Academic “Scepticism” according to Plutarch, in: L. Van der Stockt (ed.) Plutarchea Lovaniensia (Studia Hellenistica, 32), Lovanii, 1996, 164-194 5. Ζητήατα: structure et argumentation dans les Quaestiones Platonicae de Plutarque, in: José Antonio Fernández Delgado (ed.) Aspectos Formales de la Obra de Plutarco. IV Simposio Español sobre Plutarco, Salamanca 25.5.1994-28.5.1994, Madrid, Ediciones Clásicas, 1996, 71-83 6. Plutarch, Favorinus versus Epictetus on the Philosophical Heritage of Plutarch. A Debate on Epistemology”, in: Judith Mossman (ed.), The Intellectual World of Plutarch, London, Classical Press of Wales - Duckworth, 1997, 17-39 7. Quelques réflexions sur la notion de Providence chez Plutarque, in: Carlos Schrader - Vicente Ramón - José Vela (ed.), Plutarco y la Historia. Actas del V Simposio Español sobre Plutarco, Zaragoza, 20-22 de Junio de 1996, Zaragoza, 1997, 343-356 8. Plutarch’s defence of the Theages, in defence of Socratic philosophy?, in Philologus. Zeitschrift für Klassische Philologie, 141, 1997, 114-136 9. The Rhetoric and Pragmatics of irony/εἰρωνέια, in: Orbis, 40, 1998, 1-34 10. Anamnese en ervaring, in: Tijdschrift voor Filosofie, 61, 1999, 563-584 11. (& C. Steel), Evil without a cause. Proclus’ Doctrine on the Origin of Evil, and its Antecedents in Hellenistic Philosophy, in: Th. Fuhrer - M. Erler - K. Schlapbach (eds), Zur Rezeption der hellenistischen Philosophie in der Spätantike, Stuttgart, Steiner, 1999, 229-260 12. Antiperistasis: A Platonic Theory, in: A. Pérez Jiménez et al. (ed.), Plutarco, Platón y Aristótele, Madrid, Ediciones Clásicas, 1999, 417-430 13. (& R.W. Sharples), Alexander of Aphrodisias, De intellectu 110.4: ‘I heard this from Aristotle’. A modest proposal, in: The Classical Quarterly, 50, 2000, 252-256 14. Deriving the three intelligible triads from the Timaeus, in: A. Ph. Segonds - C. Steel (eds), Proclus et la Théologie Platonicienne. Actes du Colloque International de Louvain (13-16 mai 1998), Leuven, University Press - Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2000, 351-372 15. Proclus on demiurgy and procession in the Timaeus, in: M.R. Wright (ed.), Reason and Necessity. Essays on Plato’s Timaeus, London - Swansea, Duckworth - Classical Press of Wales, 2000, 113-143 16. Neoplatonist criticisms of Plutarch, in: A. Pérez Jiménez et al. (eds), Estudios sobre Plutarco. Misticismo y religiones mistéricas en la obra de Plutarco, Madrid - Málaga, 2001, 187-199 17. Who in Heaven is the Demiurge? Proclus’ exegesis of Tim. 28C3-5, in: Ancient World, 32, 2001, 52-70 18. Proclus vs Plotinus on Matter (De mal. subs. 30-7), in: Phronesis, 46, 2001, 154-188 19. Is a planet happier than a star? Cosmopolitanism in Plutarch’s On Exile, in: Ph. A. Stadter - L. Van der Stockt (ed.), Sage and Emperor. Plutarch, Greek Intellectuals, and Roman Power in the Time of Trajan (98-117 A.D.), Leuven University Press, 2002, 281-295 20. La démiurgie des jeunes dieux selon Proclus, in: Les Études Classiques, 71, 2003, 5-49 p. 5

21. Syrianus on Homonymy and Forms, in: G. Van Riel et al. (eds), Platonic Ideas and Concept Formation in Ancient and Medieval Thought, Leuven University Press, 2004, 31- 50 22. Plutarch’s De animae procreatione in Timaeo: Manipulation or Search for Consistency? in: P Adamson et al. (eds), Philosophy, Science and Exegesis in Greek, Arabic and Latin Commentaries, I, London, Institute of Classical Studies, 2004, 137-162 23. Plutarch’s Platonism Revisited, in: M.Bonazzi - V. Celluprica (eds) L’eredità platonica. Studi sul platonismo da Arcesilao a Proclo, Napoli, Bibliopolis, 2005, 161-200 24. (& C. Steel), Did Christian Neoplatonism Evolve Directly From the Ancient Philosophical Tradition?, in: P.A. Miller et al. (eds), History in Dispute, 20, Classical Antiquity and Classical Studies, Detroit - New York - San Francisco, Thomson Gale, 2005, 204-211 25. A Craftsman and his Handmaiden. Demiurgy According to Plotinus, in: T. Leinkauf - C. Steel (eds), Plato’s Timaeus and the Foundations of Cosmology in Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Leuven University Press, 2005, 67-102 26. Demiurges in Early Imperial Platonism, in: R. Hirsch-Luipold (ed.), Gott und die Götter bei Plutarch, Berlin - New York, de Gruyter, 2005, 51-99 27. To Find the Maker and Father. Proclus’ Exegesis of Tim. 28C3-5, in: Études Platoniciennes, 2, 2006, 261-283 28. Drittes Bett, Artefakt-Ideen und die Problematik, die Ideenlehre zu veranschaulichen, in: D. Fonfara (ed.), Metaphysik als Wissenschaft, Freiburg - München Alber, 2006, 73-88 29. Eros in Plutarchs moralischer Psychologie, in: Plutarch. Dialog über die Liebe. Amatorius. Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck, 2006, 208-235; 2nd, rev. ed.: Tübingen, 2011, 217-244 30. Éléments stoïciens dans le De E apud Delphos de Plutarque, in: J. Boulogne et al. (eds), Les platonismes des premiers siècles de notre Ère. Plutarque, Bruxelles, 2006, 147-170 31. Was sind irrationale Seelen? in: M. Perkams - R. M. Piccione (ed.), Proklos. Methode, Seelenlehre, Metaphysik (Philosophia antiqua, 98), Leiden - Boston 2006, 136-166 32. Proclus et le statut ontologique de l’âme plotinienne, in: Études Platoniciennes, 3, 2006, 195-207 33. The Place of Plutarch in the History of Platonism in: P. Volpe Cacciatore - F. Ferrari (ed.), Plutarco e la cultura della sua età, Napoli, 2007, 281-309 34. Eros and Knowledge in Plutarch’s Amatorius, in: J. Ma Nieto Ibáñez et al. (eds), El amor en Plutarco. Actas del IX Simposio Internacional de la Sociedad Española de Plutarquistas, León, 28, 29 y 30 de septiembre 2006, León, Universidad de León. Secretariado de Publicaciones, 2007, 149-169 35. Plutarch on the One and the Dyad, in: R. Sorabji - R.W. Sharples (ed.), Greek and Roman Philosophy 100 BC to 200 AD, London, 2007, 379-395 36. Some problems with Plotinus’ theory of matter/evil. An ancient debate continued, in: Quaestio, 7, 2007 [2008], 165-189 37. Weshalb nach Julian die mosaisch-christliche Schöpfungslehre der platonischen Demiurgie unterlegen ist, in: C. Schäfer (ed.), Kaiser Julian ‘Apostata’ und die philosophische Reaktion gegen das Christentum, Berlin - New York, de Gruyter, 2008, 127-156 38. The integration of Aristotelian physics in a Neoplatonic context: Proclus on movers and divisibility, in: R. Chiaradonna – F. Trabattoni (ed.), Physics and philosophy of nature in Greek Neoplatonism. Proceedings of the European Science Foundation exploratory workshop, Leiden - Boston, Brill, 2009, 189-229 39. M. Annius Ammonius: a Philosophical Profile, in: M. Bonazzi – J. Opsomer (eds), The origins of the Platonic system, Louvain, 2009, 123-186 40. Eine platonische Abhandlung über die freimütige Rede. Plutarchs De adulatore et amico, in: Geist und Sittlichkeit. Ethik-Modelle von Platon bis Levinas, E. Düsing et al. (eds), Würzburg, Königshausen & Neumann, 2009, 91-119 41. Olympiodorus, in The Cambridge History of Philosophy in Late Antiquity, vol. 2, ed. by Lloyd Gerson, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 697-710 42. Arguments non-linéaires et pensée en cercles. Forme et argumentation dans les Questions Platoniciennes de Plutarque, in: X. Brouillette et al. (eds), Les dialogues platoniciens chez Plutarque, Leuven University Press, 2011, 93-116 p. 6

43. Virtue, fortune, and happiness in theory and practice, in: G. Roskam - L. Van der Stockt (eds), Virtues for the people. Aspects of Plutarchan ethics, Leuven University Press, 2011, 151-173 44. Plutarch on the division of the soul, in: R. Barney et al. (eds), Plato and the divided self, Cambridge University Press, 2012, 311-330 45. In defence of geometric atomism: explaining elemental properties, in: C. Horn - J. Wilberding (eds), Neoplatonism and the Philosophy of nature, Oxford University Press, 2012, 147-173 46. Mathematical explanation and the philosophy of nature in late ancient philosophy: Astronomy and the theory of the elements, in: Documenti e studi sulla tradizione filosofica medievale, 23, 2012, 65-106 47. Self-motion according to Iamblichus, in: Elenchos, 33.2, 2012, 259-290 48. The lives and opinions of Socrates and Stilpo as defended by Plutarch against the insidious yet ignorant attacks of Colotes, in: Aitia [En ligne], 3 | 2013, URL : http://aitia.revues.org/677 ; DOI : 10.4000/aitia.677 49. Syrianus, Proclus, and Damascius, in: F. Sheffield – J. Warren (ed.), Routledge Companion to Ancient Philosophy, New York and London, 2013, 626-642. 978- 0415991261 50. Plutarch and the Stoics, in: M. Beck, A Companion to Plutarch (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World), Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2014, 88-103. 51. The Middle Platonic doctrine of conditional fate, in: P. d’Hoine et al. (eds), Fate, Providence and moral responsibility in Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern thought. Leuven University Press, 2014, 137-167. 52. A Much Misread Proposition from Proclus’ Elements of Theology (Prop. 28), in: The Classical Quarterly, 65.1, 2015, 433-438 53. Iamblichos, in: Grundriss der Geschichte der Philosophie, begründet von Friedrich Ueberweg, völlig neubearbeitete Ausgabe, Die Philosophie der Antike, Band 5: Philosophie der Kaiserzeit und der Spätantike, Basel, Schwabe (forthc.) 54. Plutarch’s unphilosophical lives: philosophical, after all?, in: M. Bonazzi - S, Schorn, Usi filosofici della biografia, Turnhout, Brepols, 2015 (forthc.)

Other publications (selection):

1. The entry Plutarch of Chaeronea, in: Donald M. Borchert (ed.), Encyclopedia of Philosophy 7, Detroit - New York - San Francisco et. al., Macmillan, 2006, 647-649 2. The entries “Albinus of Smurna” - “Alkinoos” - “Ammonios, M. Annius” - “L. Apuleius of Madaurus” - “Atticus” - “Derkullides” - “Dionusodoros, Maecius Seuerus” - “Eudoros of Alexandria” - “Gaius (Platonist)” - “Noumenios of Apameia” - “Ofellius Laetus” - “Papyrus Berol. 9782 (Anonymous in Theaetetum)” - “Plutarch of Khaironeia, L. Mestrius”, in: Keyser - G. Irby-Massie (eds), Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists, London - New York, Routledge, 2008, 53, 60-61, 66, 119-120, 180, 241-242, 266, 310, 334, 583, 586- 587, 614, 674-676 3. “Middle Platonism” for the podcast “The history of philosophy without any gaps”hosted by Peter Adamson (KCL), , episode 81, recorded 15.3.2011, sent 20.5.2012, http://www.historyofphilosophy.net/platonism-opsomer.

For a complete list, see https://www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/nl/person/00015972.