Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ruben Apressyan
© Universität Münster | Stefan Klatt

  • CV

    Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ruben Apressyan’s priority research topic at the Centre for Advanced Study is: “How to Deal with Cultural Goods in War and Post-war Times: An Ethical Analysis”. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the Centre.

    Ruben Apressyan received his degree “Candidate of Science, Philosophy” devoted to the concept of moral sense in 18th century ethical sentimentalism, from Lomonosov Moscow State University and his doctoral degree, “The idea of morality and principal normative-ethical programs” from the Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences.

    His books include Universality in Morality (ed., 2022), The Phenomenon of Moral Normativity: Critical Essays (together with Olga Artemieva and Andrey Prokofiev, 2018), Ethics (2018), History of Modern Ethics: Lectures and Papers (2014), Achilles’ Moral Change: The Sources of Morality in Archaic Society. A Study on the Homeric Epic (2013), Towards the Right to Lie (ed., 2011), Ethics and Ecology (ed., 2010), Public Morality: Philosophical, Normative-ethical, and Applied Issues (ed., 2009). He is the author of papers on moral philosophy, normative and applied ethics, history of philosophy, genealogy of morals (based on the Golden Rule), moral psychology, philosophical issues of war, (non)violence, education, and love.

    He was a co-editor (with Abdusalam Guseinov) of the Russian Encyclopaedic Dictionary in Ethics (2001) and a member of the Editorial Board of the Russian New Philosophical Encyclopaedia (2000–2001). He was a participant of an international project to develope a study handbook, Moral constraints on War: Principles and Cases and edited its Russian editions (2001, 2022).
     
    He taught moral philosophy and related subjects at Lomonosov Moscow State University, University for Humanities (Moscow), Free University (Russian university abroad), Novgorod State University, Wilfrid Laurier University (Canada), etc.

    As a member of UNESCO World Commission for the ethics of scientific knowledge and technology he served in the expert groups on teaching bioethics, environmental ethics, and ethics of climate change (2004–2011).

    He was a visiting fellow at Swedish Collegium for Advanced Studies, Uppsala University (2010), Lichtenberg Kolleg – The Göttingen Institute for Advanced Study (2016), and Ruhr University Bochum (2023). He has been a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Advanced Study “Access to Cultural Goods in Digital Change” since January 2024.

    He received an honorary doctorate of Uppsala University (2013) and was awarded a Medal of the Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences for advancement of Philosophy (2016), and a Medal of Russian Ministry of Science for contribution to the development of science and technology (2021).

  • Publications

    Books

    • The Phenomenon of Moral Normativity: Critical Essays. Moscow: Institute of Philosophy, 2018. 196 p. (with Olga Artemyeva and Andrey Prokofiev (in Russian)).
    • Ethics: Text-book. Moscow: Knorus, 2017. 356 p. (in Russian).
    • History of Modern Ethics: Lectures and Papers. Мoscow: Direct-Media, 2014. 325 p. (in Russian).
    • Ethical Principles of Science Activity: Analytical Review and Draft Declaration for CIS. St.-Petersburg: Paster NIIEM Publishers, 2011. 36 p. (with Boris Yudin and Olga Kubar; Bilingual Russian-English edition (in Russian)).
    • Ethics: Textbook for Universities. Мoscow: Gardariki, 1998(-2008). 478 p. (with A. A. Guseynov (in Russian)).
    • The Idea of Morality and Principal Normative-Ethical Programs. Мoscow: Institute of Philosophy, 1995. 354 p. (in Russian).[http://www.philosophy.ru/iphras/library/book-old.html]
    • The Ascend to Morality. Мoscow: Editorial Progreso, 1991. 298 p. (Spanish (in Russian)).
    • Ethics: Textbook for Undergraduate Studies. Мoscow: Vyscshaya Shkola Publishers, 1987. 239 p. (with A. A. Guseynov,  A. P. Skripnik (in Russian)).
    • Comprehending the Good. Мoscow: Molodaya Gvardiya, 1986. 207 p. (in Russian).
    • Ethical Sentimentalism: Shaftesbury and Hutcheson. Мoscow: University Press, 1986. 80 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Universality in Morality. Moscow: Sadra, 2021. 480 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Morality and Universality. Issue III. Moscow: Gumanitariy, 2020. 163 p.; Issue. II. Moscow: Gumanitariy, 2019. 198 p.; Issue I. Moscow: Gumanitariy, 2018. 216 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. The Other. The Nearest and the Farthest: Proceeding of International Ethical-Political Correspondence Conference / Ed. Ruben Apressyan. Yerevan: Yerevan State University Press, 2017. 200 p.
    • Ed. Towards the Right to Lie. Мoscow: ROSSPEN, 2011. 390 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Ethics and Ecology. Novgorod Velikiy: NovMION, 2010. 368 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Public Morality: Philosophical, Normative-ethical, and Applied Issues. Мoscow: Alpha-М, 2009. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Philosophy and Ethics: Festschrift devoted to the 70th Anniversary of Professor Abdusalam Guseynov. Мoscow: Alpha-M, 2009.
    • Ed. Towards the Right to Lie. Special issue of Logos. 2008. No. 5, 215 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Violence and Nonviolence: Philosophy, Politics, Ethics: Proceedings of E-conference. Мoscow: MIOS, 2002. 192 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Moral Constraints of War: Principles and Cases. Мoscow: Gardariki, 2002. 408 p. (with Bruno Copiters and Nick Fotion (in Russian)).
    • Ed. Ethics: Encyclopedic Dictionary. Мoscow: Gardariki, 2001. 815 p. (with A. A. Guseynov).
    • Ed. Ethics: The New Old Problems. Мoscow: Gardariki, 1999. 255 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Civil Participation: Responsibility, Community, Power. Мoscow: Aslan, 1997. 180 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. The Experience of Nonviolence in the 20th Century: Social-Ethical Essays. Мoscow: Aslan, 1996. 288 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Morality and Rationality. Мoscow: Institute of Philosophy, 1995. 181 p. (in Russian).
    • Ed. Ethics of Nonviolence: Proceedings of International Conference. Мoscow: Philosophical Society, 1991. 242 p. (with A. A. Guseynov (in Russian)).
    • Ed. Marx, Engels, Lenin on Morality and Moral Education: Anthology (Preface, with V. G. Ivanov). Мoscow: Politizdat, 1985. 528 p. (in Russian).

    Papers (selected)

    • “Moral Philosophy in the USSR: Key Trends of Change”, Studies in East-European Thought, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11212-023-09614-1.
    • “Ethical Studies in the Institute of Philosophy, 1922–1992”. Eticheskaya Mysl/Ethical Thought, 2023, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 130–154 (in Russian).
    • “The Principle of Reciprocity in the Old Testament Ethics”, 2021, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 100–116 (in Russian).
    • “The Problem of the Origin of Moral Norms: Social-Computational and Processual Approaches”, Voprosy Filosofii/Problems of Philosophy, 2022, No. 8, pp. 65–76 (in Russian).
    • “Ethical-Pandemic Discourse: Searching for a Normative Language”, Chelovek/The Human Being, 2022, No. 3, pp. 67–85 (in Russian).
    • “The Concepts of "Duty" and "Freedom" (Philosophy, Moralizing Reflection, and the "Dark" Matter of Language)”, Етически изследвания/Ethical Studies (online academic journal), 2021, Брой 6, Кн. 2, pp. 14–22 (in Bulgarian).
    • “The normative-ethical context of the Golden Rule”, Tekhnologos, 2021, No. 3, pp. 9–21 (in Russian).
    • “On Divergence of "Morality" and "Ethics"”, Eticheskaya Mysl/Ethical Thought, 2021, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 5–23 (in Russian).
    • “John Rawls’s Conception of Personal Moral Development”, Chelovek/The Human Being 2021, No. 3, pp. 125–134 (in Russian).
    • “Ethical and Communication Aspects of Digitization of Education”, Vedomosti prikladnoy etiki/Bulletin for Applied Ethics, Issue 57: Digitalization of Education and University Ethics / ed. Vladimir Bakshtanovsky, Tyumen: TIU-Press, 2021, pp. 102–112 (in Russian).
    • “Morality, Personality, the Human Soul”, The Human Soul: Essays in Honor of Nalin Ranasinghe, ed. P. Cicovacki. Wilmington, DЕ: Vernon Press, 2021, pp. 151–165.
    • “The Concept of Universality in Oleg Drobnitskii’s Moral Philosophy”, Studies in East European Thought, 2021, Vol. 73, Issue 1, pp. 95–112.
    • “Normativity and Self-awareness in Joseph Butler’s Ethics”, Vestnik Moscovskogo Universiteta. Series 7. Filosofia/The Moscow University Herald. Series 7. Philosophy, 2020, No. 5, pp. 91‒107 (in Russian).
    • “An Issue of Universality in the Soviet Ethics of the 1960s to the 1970s”, Eticheskaya Mysl/Ethical Thought, 2020, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 5–31 (in Russian).
    • “Forgiveness: The Conditions of Ethical Analysis”, Voprosy Filosofii/Problems of Philosophy, 2020, No. 10, pp. 28‒35 (in Russian).
    • “Neuroethics: Challenges and Oversights”, Filosofia. Higher School of Economics Journal, 2020, Vol. IV, No. 1, pp. 13–23 (in Russian).
    • “Imperativity – Repression – Autonomy”, Chelovek/The Human Being, 2020, T. 31, No. 1, pp. 61–85 (in Russian, with Igor Mikhailov).
    • “Refection and Ethics (Retrospective Notes to Julii Schreider’s Paper "Human Reflection and Two Systems of Ethical Consciousness" (1990))”, Psychologicheskie Issledovania, 2019, Vol. 12, No. 65‒66, pp.1‒17 (in Russian).
    • “The Issue of Sociability in the Early Modern Moral Philosophy”, Filosofskie Nauki/Philosophical Sciences, 2019, No. 11, pp. 7–24 (in Russian).
    • “The Universalization of Moral Judgements (Premises and Projections)”, Filosofskiy Zhurnal/Philosophy Journal, 2019, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 110–125 (in Russian).
    • “Moral-philosophical Basis for Psychological Studies of Conscience. Part II. Conscience in Moral Philosophy”, Psykhologicheskiy Zurnal/Psychological Journal, No. 3, pp. 44–52 (in Russian).
    • “Moral-philosophical Basis for Psychological Studies of Conscience. Part I. Psychological Researches on Conscience”, Psykhologicheskiy Zurnal/Psychological Journal, 2019, No. 2, pp. 38–46 (in Russian).
    • “A Conception of Social-Emotional Learning and Moral Education”, Voprosy Psykhologii/Problems of Psychology, 2019, No. 1, pp. 29–39 (in Russian).
    • “Two Versions of Universalizability Principle in Immanuel Kant’s Moral Philosophy”, Tomsk State University Journal of Philosophy, Sociology and Political Science, 2018, No. 6, pp. 104–111 (in Russian).
    • “Kant, Universality Test, and a Criterion of Morality”, Filosofskie Nauki/Philosophical Sciences, 2018, No. 11, pp. 70–85 (in Russian).
    • “Lukas van Leyden, Huizinga, and the Space of Play”, Eticheskaya Mysl/Ethical Thought, 2018, No. 2, pp. 116–128 (in Russian).
    • “Toward a Core Understanding of Morality” // Russian Studies in Philosophy, 2020, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 93–108.
    • “Genesis of the Golden Rule”, Russian Studies in Philosophy, 2020, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 109‒123.
    • “Conceptualizing Morality in Early Modern Philosophy”, Russian Studies in Philosophy, 2020, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 124‒137 (in Russian).
    • “Don-Juanism: Value Dispositions, Preferences, Manners”, Russian Studies in Philosophy, 2020, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 138‒149.
    • “The Normative Regulation of Behavior”, Chelovek/The Human Being, 2018, No. 1, pp. 5–19 (in Russian).
    • “The Other in the Golden Rule”, The Other. the Nearest and the Farthest: Proceedings of International Conference, October 15, 2017, ed. Ruben Apressyan, Yerevan: Yerevan State University Press, 2017, pp. 7–13 (in Russian).
    • “The Limits of Nonviolence in Reactive Action”, Nonviolence as a Way of Life, Vol. 1, eds. P. Cicovacki, K. Hess. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2017, pp. 261–270.
    • “Primary Moral Values in Social-Ethical Discourse”, Ethics & Global Political Theory: The Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate and Critical Perspectives on Integral Human Development, eds. V. Turchynovskyy and O. Bila. Lviv: Ukrainian Catholic University Press, 2016, pp. 9–25.
    • “The Phenomenon of Universality in Ethics: Forms of Conceptualization, Voprosy Filosofii/Problems of Philosophy, 2016, No. 8, pp. 79–88 (in Russian).
    • “The Sources of Moral Normativity”, Eticheskaya Mysl, 2016, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 5–19 (in Russian).
    • “Historical and Normative Evolution of the Idea of Moral Autonomy”, Diskursy etiki, 2015, No. 9–10, pp. 13-33 (in Russian).
    • “Agape”, Chelovek/The Human Studies, 2015, No. 2, pp. 42–56; No. 3, pp. 26-39 (in Russian).
    • “The Concept of Moral Sense in Fancis Hutcheson (Early Period), Eticheskaya Mysl/Ethical Thought, Issue 15, ed. Abdusalam Guseynov. Moscow: Institute of Philosophy, 2015, pp. 170–200 (in Russian).
    • “Reunderstanding of the Golden Rule: Paul Ricoeur’s Two Studies”, Paul Ricoeur: Human – Society – Civilization, eds. Irina Blauberg and Irena Vdovina. Moscow: Kanon+, 2015, pp. 316–337 (in Russian).
    • “The Problem of Autonomy in Francis Hutcheson”, Filosofskie Nauki/Philosophical Sciences, 2014, No. 11, pp. 9–18 (in Russian).
    • “Homeric Ethics: Prospective Tendencies”, in: Ancient Ethics, eds. Jörg Hardy and George Rudebusch. Göttingen: V&R unipress, 2014, pp. 67–84.
    • “Engineering Ethics: Context and Configuration”, Vedomosti prikladnoy etiki/Bulletin for Applied Ethics, Issue 42, eds. Vladimir Bakshtanovsky and Vladimir Novoselov. Tyumen: Tyumen State Oil and Gas University, 2013, pp. 62–74 (in Russian).
    • “Power and Society in Russia: a Value Approach to Legitimacy”, Power and Legitimacy – Challenges from Russia, eds. Per-Arne Bodin, Stefan Hedlund and Elena Namli. London; New York: Routledge, 2013, pp. 118–132.
    • “The Principle of Toleration: Under What Conditions?”, The Journal of Philosophical Research, 2012, Vol. 37: Supplement, pp. 223–227.
    • “The Words of Love: Eros, Philia, and Agape”, Filosofia i kultura/Philosophy and Culture, 2012, No. 8, рp. 27–40 (in Russian).
    • “Achilles’ Moral Change: Towards Initial Genealogy of Morality”, Filosofskiy Zhurnal/Philosophical Journal, 2011, No 1, pp. 115–133 (in Russian).
    • “The Practices of Mercy”, in: Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov: Art, Creativity, and Spirituality, eds. Predrag Cicovacki and Maria Granik. Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, 2010, pp. 115–129.
    • “Abdusalam Guseynov’s Three Concepts of Morality”, in: Russian Philosophy Continues: From the 20th Century to the 21st, ed. B.I. Pruzhinin. Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2010, pp. 258–311 (in Russian).
    • “The Golden Rule in Aristotle’s Ethics”, in: Philosophy and Ethics: Festschrift devoted to the 70th Anniversary of Professor Abdusalam Guseynov. Moscow: Alpha–M, 2009, pp. 157-170 (in Russian).
    • “Trends and Obstacles in International Scientific Links”, in: The Social Sciences and Humanities: Research Trends and Collaborative Perspectives, ed. L. Pipiya. Moscow: ISS RAS, 2009, pp. 64–84.
    • “Pour une ethique la force”, Diogène, 2008 (Juillet), No. 223, pp. 19–37; “The Ethics of Force: Against Aggression and Violence”, Diogenes, 2009, No. 222, pp. 95–109.
    • “Giordano Bruno’s Ethics of the Heroic Enthusiasm”, Eticheskaya Mysl/Ethical Thought, Issue 9 / Ed. Abdusalam Guseynov. Moscow: Institute of Philosophy, 2009, pp. 44–64 (in Russian).
    • “The Case of Ahiqar (Towards the Origination of Morality)”, Filosofia i kultura/Philosophy and Culture, 2008, No. 9, pp. 74–86 (in Russian).
    • “Categorical Imperative: Morality – Law – History”, Voprosy Filosofii, 2007, No. 7, pp. 167–175 (in Russian).
    • “Immanuel Kant and the Ethics of Moral Sense”, in: Immanuel Kant: Heritage and Project, ed. Nelly Motroshilova. Moscow: Kanon+, 2007, pp. 259–271 (in Russian).
    • “Ethical Issues in John Locke’s Essay on Human Understanding”, Istoriko-filosofskiy ezhegodnik. 2006 (Historical-Philosophical Yearbook. 2006), eds. Nelly Motroshilova and Maira Solopova. Moscow: Nauka, 2006, pp. 132–151 (in Russian).
    • “«Revenge Is Mine, I Will Repay»: On the Normative Contexts and Associations of the Commandment «Resist Not Evil»” / Transl. by Stephen Shenfield // Russian Studies in Philosophy, 2009, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 8–27.                                                                                   Revised version: On the Commandment, “Resist Not Evil” // Ethics and the Challenge of Secularism: Russian and Western Perspectives / Ed. D. Bradshaw. Washington, D.C.: Council for Research in Values & Philosophy, 2013, pp. 49–62.
    • “The Idea of Tolerance in Today Russia”, in: Russia and the West: Missed Opportunities, Unfulfilled Dialoge / Ed. E. Waegemans. Brussels: Contractfotum, 2006, pp. 19–26.
    • “Obedience and Responsibility in Different Types of Military Ethics”, Professional Ethics, Vol 10, 2003, No. 2, 3 and 4, Summer, Fall and Winter 2002, pp. 231–244.
    • “Civil Disobedience – in Political Theory and Social Practice (John Rawls and Mohandas Gandhi)”, Gandhi Journal. May 2003.
    • “Metanormative Content of Just War Principles”, Polis, 2002, No. 3, pp. 385–403 (in Russian).
    • “Introduction, Moral Constraints of War: Principles and Cases” / Eds. Bruno Coppiters and Nick Fotion. New York: Westview Publishers, 2002, pp. 1–24.
    • “Last Resort, Moral Constraints of War: Principles and Cases” / Eds. Bruno Coppiters and Nick Fotion. New York: Westview Publishers, 2002, pp. 101-128.
    • “Ethical Criteria for Space Use – a Russian Perspective”, Space Use and Ethics. Vol I: Papers / Eds. W. Bender, R. Hagen, M. Kalinovski and J. Scheffran. Münster: Agenda Verlag, 2001, pp. 93–104.
    • “The Functional Characteristics of Philanthropy”, in: Philanthropy in Russia: Social and Historical Studies. St.Petersburg: Liki Rossii, 2001, pp. 41–55 (in Russian).
    • 82 Entries in: Ethics: Encyclopedic Dictionary / Eds. R.G. Apressyan, A. A. Gusseinov. Moscow: Gardariki, 2001 (in Russian).
    • “Towards the Idea of Civil Society”, Sandham: Journal of Centre for Studies in Civilizations, New Delhi: Vol I, No. 1, January-June 2001, pp. 93–110.
    • “Talion and the Golden Rule: A Critical Analysis of Associated Contexts” / Transl. by James E. Walker // Russian Studies in Philosophy. Issue 41:1. Summer 2002, р. 46–64.
    • “Violent Speech”, Peace Review: A Transnational Quarterly, Vol 10, No. 4, December 1998, pp. 573–578.
    • “Mahatma Gandhi's Heritage and Contemporary Russian Experience”, Stepaniants M.T. Gandhi and the World Today: A Russian Perspective, New Delhi: Rajendra Prasad Academy, 1998, pp. 79–84.
    • “Business Ethics in Russia”, Of Business Ethics, Vol. 16, No. 14, Oct. 1997, pp. 1561-1570; The revised version of a paper: «Business Ethics in Russia». The First World Congress of Business, Economics and Ethics. Tokyo: ISBEE, 1996, pp. 52-58.
    • “The Ideas of Freedom and Liberty in the Russian Mentality”, Concerned Philosophers for Peace Newsletter, Vol 14, No. 2, Fall 1994, pp. 12-18.
    • “The Year of People Power”, The Ploughshares Monitor. March, [Waterloo, Canada], 1992, Vol. XIII, No. 1, pp.1-4.
    • 42 Entries in: A Dictionary of Ethics. Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1991.
    • “Altruismus und Kollektivismus”, Ethische Aspekte der sozialistischen Lebensweise. Berlin: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 1985, pp. 78–88.
    • “Die sittliche Entwicklung der Persönlichkeit in der sozialistischen Gesellschaft”, Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie, 1979, No. 5, pp. 646–653.
    • “Shaftesbury on the Moral Sense”, Filosofskie Nauki, 1979, No. 6, pp. 149–152 (in Russian).
    • “The Concept of Benevolence in Frencis Hutcheson's Moral Philosophy”, Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta: Filosofiya (Moscow State University Bulletin. Philosophy), 1977, No. 3, pp. 61–71 (in Russian).