Current affairs

Habilitation Dr. Dr. Sebastian Krügel (January 2026)

Our postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Dr. Sebastian Krügel, successfully completed his habilitation procedure at the Department of Economics at Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen on February 11, 2026. He has thus been granted the venia legendi for the field of Economics.

We warmly congratulate Dr. Dr. Krügel on his habilitation!

Guest Lecture at the Technical University of Munich in Freising (January 2026)

In January 2026, our postdoctoral researcher Raphael Max gave a guest lecture at the Technical University of Munich (Freising campus) on political theory, libertarian ideas, and their place in intellectual history: “Vivalibertarianism: ideas, roots, and contemporary practice.” The lecture examined why libertarian “freedom” rhetoric has recently regained political momentum—linking classic libertarian thought (Locke, Mill, Nozick) to contemporary debates on tech libertarianism, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Javier Milei. Together with students, he discussed how narratives around freedom, anti-elitism, and deregulation evolve in modern politics and digital public spheres—and where tensions emerge between anti-authoritarian claims and new forms of concentrated power.

Participation at the PPE Conference in New Orleans (November 2025)

In November 2025, our postdoc Raphael Max presented his research at the PPE Conference in New Orleans, focusing on “Consumers Prefer Sustainable Products to Sustainable Production.” Together with scholars from around the world, he discussed why consumers often value sustainable products more highly than sustainable manufacturing practices. His findings sparked lively interest and contributed important insights to the ongoing debate on consumer behaviour and sustainability.

Lecture series at the University of Augsburg (November 2025)

In November 2025, Sebastian Krügel gave a lecture as part of the lecture series “Interdisciplinary Perspectives on AI & Ethics” hosted by the University of Augsburg. Sebastian Krügel discussed the risk ethics of autonomous vehicles with scientists and students from a wide range of disciplines, as well as with numerous interested citizens.

Publication in the journal “Transportation Research Part A“ (November 2025)

A research article by the chair has been published in the journal “Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice” (rating A* according to „ABDC Journal Quality List“). In an international study with about 11,000 participants from several countries, Sebastian Krügel and Matthias Uhl addressed the question how risk attitudes in road traffic with automated vehicles differ across cultures. The findings suggest that they do not differ much. People in all countries think that automated vehicles should consider how severe accidents could be, not just how likely they are. This challenges the traditional view that automated vehicles should merely minimize the probability of an accident.

Publication in the Journal of Business Ethics (July 2025)

A research article by the chair has been published in the prestigious Journal of Business Ethics. Sebastian Krügel, Matthias Uhl, and Ingo Pies complement the intense normative debate on the moral limits of markets with a systematic investigation of attitudes among the general population. The results reveal a pronounced aversion to commodification in specific contexts. However, this aversion is mitigated when respondents are first asked to consider the general legitimacy of commodification. The results therefore highlight that reflection on general moral principles can weaken the aversion to commodification.

At the PPE Conference in London (July 2025)

At the PPE Conference in London (July 2025), Raphael Max participated as a panelist in the session “New Frontiers in PPE Pedagogy.” Together with Prof. Johanna Jauernig (Tulane University), Prof. Vaughn Baltzly (Texas State University), and Prof. Kobi Finestone (University of San Diego), he discussed innovative approaches and challenges in teaching Philosophy, Politics and Economics. The panelists explored new pedagogical concepts, interdisciplinary intersections, and the importance of fostering critical reflection in the education of future decision-makers.

Inaugural lectures Prof. Dr. Uhl und Prof. Dr. Graziotin (July 2025)

As part of the inaugural lectures at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, the focus was on humans and technology. Under the shared title “Human Factors in Technology – Implications for Software Engineering and Ethics,” Prof. Dr. Daniel Graziotin (Information Systems and Digital Technologies) and Prof. Dr. Matthias Uhl (Economic and Social Ethics) presented current perspectives from their research. Prof. Uhl addressed ethical questions at the intersection of technology and society, emphasizing how moral considerations are becoming increasingly relevant in evaluating technological developments. The evening concluded with a festive reception in the palace foyer, where many colleagues and guests from the faculty gathered.

Open day at the University of Hohenheim (July 2025)

During the Open Day at the University of Hohenheim, ethics and finance entered into a thought-provoking dialogue. Prof. Dr. Matthias Uhl and Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Burghof jointly hosted the event “Mammon vs. Morality: Reflections on the Ethics of Money,” which attracted a strong audience to the university's Balkonsaal despite the fine weather. Prof. Uhl opened with a philosophical-historical perspective on the love of money and the traditional prohibitions on usury and interest. Prof. Burghof followed with insights on money as a foundation of modern societies, its power, and the ethical significance of financial instruments such as derivatives. The event invited critical reflection on the moral dimensions of money and finance.

EBEN Conference 2025 (May 2025)

In May 2025, Prof. Dr. Matthias Uhl and Dr. Raphael Max participated in the EBEN Research Conference in Munich. Both scholars were invited speakers on separate panel discussions. Prof. Uhl presented recent empirical findings in the field of AI ethics, focusing on issues such as algorithmic fairness and societal responsibility. Dr. Max contributed to a panel on financial market ethics, addressing the moral implications of speculative investments and regulatory frameworks.

Transportation Research Symposium (May 2025)

In May 2025, Sebastian Krügel presented his research on the risk ethics of autonomous vehicles at the Transportation Research Symposium in Rotterdam. The conference was very well attended, with more than 1,300 participants from academia and industry. Sebastian Krügel presented the results of a large international study involving nearly 11,000 participants from eight countries on risk preferences in road traffic, which he conducted together with Matthias Uhl.