Philosophical Excellence

The Marc Sanders Foundation awards biennial essay prizes for early-career scholars in many core areas of philosophy, administered by some of the most distinguished philosophers in the world. The Foundation, in collaboration with the APA, also funds graduate student prizes.

Support Philosophical Excellence: To make a gift contribution in support of philosophical excellence, please visit our Contribute Page, and select “Philosophical Excellence” from the drop-down menu.

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APA Graduate Student Prizes

The Marc Sanders Foundation has partnered with the Eastern Division of the APA to establish three annual APA graduate student prizes for the best papers in mind, metaphysics, epistemology or ethics. Prize winners will receive a monetary award of $1000 and their papers will be presented at the Eastern Division of the APA. Applications for these prizes are to be submitted to the Eastern Division Program Committee of the APA. Details can be found on the APA Website.

Early Modern Philosophy

The Sanders Prize in the History of Early Modern Philosophy is a $5,000 biennial prize biennial essay competition open to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. or students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible and should direct inquiries to Donald Rutherford, editor of Oxford Studies in Early Modern Philosophy at drutherford@ucsd.edu.

Epistemology

The Sanders Prize in Epistemology is a $5,000 biennial prize administered by Tamar Szabó Gendler, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Vincent J. Scully Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University, and open only to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. or students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible.

Metaethics

The Sanders Prize in Metaethics is a $5,000 biennial prize administered by Russ Shafer-Landau, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and open only to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. or students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible.

Metaphysics

The Sanders Prize in Metaphysics is a $5,000 biennial prize administered by Dean Zimmerman, Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University, and open only to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. or students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible.

Political Philosophy

The Sanders Prize in Metaphysics is a $5,000 biennial prize administered by Peter Vallentyne, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Missouri. The competition is open only to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. or students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible and should direct inquiries to the Editors of Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy, c/o Peter Vallentyne (vallentynep@missouri.edu).

Philosophy of Mind

The Sanders Prize in Philosophy of Mind is a $5,000 biennial prize administered by David Sosa, the Temple Centennial Professor in the Humanities and Chair, Department of Philosophy, at the University of Texas at Austin, and open only to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. and students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible.

Philosophy of Religion

The Sanders Prize in Philosophy of Religion is a $5,000 biennial prize administered by Dean Zimmerman, Professor, and open only to scholars who are within fifteen (15) years of receiving a Ph.D. or students who are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Independent scholars may also be eligible.

Contact Us

The Marc Sanders Foundation would be happy to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us (e-mail is preferred) about any questions you might have.

Kori Hensell

Program Director,

Marc Sanders Foundation
kori@marcsandersfoundation.org