Foundation For
Philosophical Orientationis orient oneself. Orientation precedes everything else,
all perceiving, thinking, and acting;
it decides which directions we pursue.
It seems simple but is very complex,
and it has so far hardly been explored.
Our Mission
The Foundation for Philosophical Orientation (FPO) is based on the philosophy of orientation, as developed by Werner Stegmaier, and strives to promote, research, and further develop this philosophy in theory and practice in academia and among the general public.
The FPO provides a place and a platform for philosophical research and investigation into not only the conditions and structures of human orientation, but also to what extent philosophical orientations are necessary, possible, and beneficial in everyday life. It seeks to philosophically reflect and confront the vast reorientations humanity is facing in the 21st century.
The FPO is neither for profit, nor does it follow any political or religious aims. It wants to support and promote orientation research not only in academia, but also in cooperation with people who are not able to withdraw into quiet rooms for reflection and who are professionally confronted with surprising situations – entrepreneurs and their employees, politicians, diplomats, journalists, lawyers, doctors, teachers, ministers, artists, athletes, marketeers, and many others. They all develop skills and competences of orientation that philosophy has traditionally passed over.
News and Updates
Check out our newest podcast with FPO's dissertation fellow 2023-24, Nicolás Wiggenhauser. Host Reinhard G. Mueller discusses with him the scientific field of...
After we received 32 applications for our FPO doctoral dissertation fellowship, we engaged in a careful two-stage selection process, first by examining the written...
Announcing a New Seminar: "Spinoza's Ethics: A Radical Reorientation of Metaphysics" to Start on June 18, 2024. Apply by June 13, 2024! The seminar is organized by Dr....
Announcing a New Seminar: "Orientations to and beyond the Logos": to Start on May 16, 2024. Apply by May 10! Logos has always been a fundamental concept of Western...
Announcing a New Seminar! Throughout the ages, we have oriented ourselves in different ways to that which is changing. Change, or later: “the new,” has been connected...
In his short auto-biographical text, "Which Way to Go? How I Became the Philosopher of Orientation," Werner Stegmaier narrates his life story from the historical...
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: We're offering again our annual FPO doctoral dissertation fellowship for the academic year 2024-25: - $30,000 for a 12-months-long fellowship -...
Announcing two new essay translations: "In the Luminous Abysses: Shamanism, Trance, and Ecstasy in Ancient Greece" and "Parmenides, priest of Apollo Oúlios, and the...
In our most recent Orientations Press publication Nietzsche on the Art of Living: New Studies from the German-Speaking Nietzsche Research (2023) – download it here for...
Activities and Projects
Philosophical orientation cannot and should not only be studied, but it must also prove itself in practice. Therefore, the FPO will pursue a variety of projects, some academic in nature, many intended for the general public. The planned projects will continuously be developed and expanded.
PhD Dissertation Fellowships
Philosophical Prize Competition
Virtual Seminar
The Philosophy
of Orientation
A New Philosophical Approach
Philosophy has, from its very beginnings and throughout history, continually reoriented itself. Today, institutionalized at universities, philosophy oftentimes seems confined to either making terms more precise or to justifying moral norms. The philosophy of orientation, as Werner Stegmaier has developed it over several decades, instead observes and reflects how different philosophies orient themselves from different standpoints, in different perspectives, and within different horizons.