Pauline Kleingeld, professor of philosophy at the University of Groningen, has been named as one of the winners of this year’s Spinoza Prize.

The prize, awarded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), is 2.5 million euros (approximately $2.8 million) and is known as one of the highest distinctions for research in the Netherlands. Professor Kleingeld is one of four winners of the prize this year.

The NWO recognized Professor Kleingeld as “an astute and versatile researcher”:

A groundbreaking interpretation of Kant’s ethics and political philosophy provides new perspectives on moral universalism, autonomy, free will and cosmopolitanism. She also critically assesses Kant’s racist and sexist prejudices. Thanks to her original approach and ideas, she has become an internationally renowned Kant expert who also builds important bridges to current philosophical discussions and behavioural sciences research.

You can learn more about her research here and here.

Despite being named after a philosopher, the Spinoza Prize is rarely won by philosophers. In its 25 year history it has been awarded to only two other professors of philosophy besides Professor Kleingeld: Johan van Benthem (Amsterdam) in 1996 and Lodi Nauta (Groningen) in 2016. The other awardees this year work in chemistry and biology.

The NWO had previously awarded Professor Kleingeld a €745,000 grant in 2018.

(via Martin Lenz, Fré Moorrees, Michael Gregory)