Christine Clavien

Philosophy of Sciences
Moral philosophy
Cognitive and Evolutionary Sciences (Biology / Anthropology / Psychology / Experimental economics)

Philosophy of science

• Conceptual and methodological difficulties related to interdisciplinary approaches to specific research topics such as cooperation, altruism or normative behaviour. I am currently particularly interested in the ways biologists and economists use the notion of altruism
• The controversy between group selection and the Hamiltonian view: a) Comparative analysis of the epistemic value of both approaches as a way to explain the evolution of altruism; b) Investigation on the psychological reasons for defending one view instead of the other

Experimental philosophy

I try to gain a better understanding of the psychological processes underlying moral punishment. In particular, a) is there a psychological tendency towards moral punishment and b) does self-regarding calculus pervade human motivation to punish moral norm violations?

Moral philosophy

• Methodological reflexions on how to unfold the relationship between theoretical inquiry and experimental work on moral judgement
• Interest in gaining a better understanding of: a) how people evaluate situations, b) how people are moved to act, and c) how can facts and experimental data be integrated in moral justification?

Degrees
1995: Maturité latin-anglais, Lycée-Collège cantonal de la Planta, Sion
2002: Graduate degrees in philosophy, history and logic, University of Neuchatel
2005: Graduate certificate of teaching in higher education (Zertifikatskurs Hochschullehre), Hochschuldidaktik, University of Bern
2008: PhD (philosophy), Universities of Neuchâtel and Paris I (co-supervision)
Title: L'éthique évolutionniste : de l’altruisme biologique à la morale
Distinction: Summa cum laude
Referee: Daniel Andler, Ronald de Sousa, Jean Gayon, Nicolas Perrin, Daniel Schulthess, Dan
2009: Postdoc, Columbia University

Research exchanges
1999 – 2000 : Erasmus exchange, Freie Universität, Berlin
2005 – 2006 : Winter sem., University of Paris 1/CNRS (IHPST), supervision: Prof. Jean Gayon
2006 – 2007 : Winter sem., University of Manchester, supervision: Prof. Peter Goldie
2009: Spring sem., Columbia University, supervision: Philip Kitcher

Awards
Erasmus grant
Co-supervision grant (Switzerland-France)
Swiss National Science Foundation fellowships for prospective researchers
post-doctoral CREUM grant, University of Montréal (declined)
Fondation 450ème grant, University of Lausanne

Employment
2008 – today: Junior Post-Doctoral Lecturer I , University of Lausanne
2006: Editorial work, University of Lausanne
2002 – 2007: Teaching, University of Neuchâtel