Jerôme Schickschneit

Research Assistant: June 2023 – October 2024

Jerôme is an interdisciplinary academic pursuing a Master’s degree in Philosophy, with a background in sociology, social work, and experience as a freelance artist in dance, theatre, and performance. His research interests include epistemology, ontology, philosophy of mind, aesthetics, ethics, social sciences, and the philosophy of psychology. Currently, his work focuses on four key areas: (i) the concept of 'transformative experience' and its implications for theories of the self; (ii) the phenomenology of (political) emotions; (iii) the critical analysis of subjectivity and intersubjectivity in contemporary psychology; and (iv) advocating the recognition of 'childhood' as a crucial issue in (theoretical) philosophy.

In his Master's thesis, Jerôme develops a phenomenological critique of the main psychological positions in the current 'theory of mind' debate, which addresses issues related to other minds, social cognition and social understanding. He critiques the two dominant accounts - 'theory theory' and 'simulation theory' - arguing that their heavy reliance on inferential and analogical reasoning neglects the crucial role of empathy and embodied emotion. Jerôme proposes an alternative approach drawing on the classical phenomenological theories of Husserl and Stein, as well as insights from contemporary scholars such as Zahavi, Gallagher, and Fuchs.