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Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesDean's Office, Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesJakobi 2, r 116-121 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of History and ArchaeologyJakobi 2 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Estonian and General LinguisticsJakobi 2, IV korrus 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Philosophy and SemioticsJakobi 2, III korrus, ruumid 302-337 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Cultural ResearchÜlikooli 16 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Foreign Languages and CulturesLossi 3 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0School of Theology and Religious StudiesÜlikooli 18 50090 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Viljandi Culture AcademyPosti 1 71004 Viljandi linn, Viljandimaa EST0Professors emeriti, Faculty of Arts and Humanities0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Arts and Humanities0Faculty of Social SciencesDean's Office, Faculty of Social SciencesLossi 36 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of EducationJakobi 5 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Johan Skytte Institute of Political StudiesLossi 36, ruum 301 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0School of Economics and Business AdministrationNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of PsychologyNäituse 2 50409 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0School of LawNäituse 20 - 324 50409 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Social StudiesLossi 36 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Narva CollegeRaekoja plats 2 20307 Narva linn, Ida-Virumaa EST0Pärnu CollegeRingi 35 80012 Pärnu linn, Pärnu linn, Pärnumaa EST0Professors emeriti, Faculty of Social Sciences0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Social Sciences0Faculty of MedicineDean's Office, Faculty of MedicineRavila 19 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational MedicineBiomeedikum, Ravila 19 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of PharmacyNooruse 1 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of DentistryL. Puusepa 1a 50406 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Clinical MedicineL. Puusepa 8 50406 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Family Medicine and Public HealthRavila 19 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Sport Sciences and PhysiotherapyUjula 4 51008 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTProfessors emeriti, Faculty of Medicine0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Medicine0Faculty of Science and TechnologyDean's Office, Faculty of Science and TechnologyVanemuise 46 - 208 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Computer ScienceNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of GenomicsRiia 23b/2 51010 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTEstonian Marine Institute0Institute of PhysicsInstitute of ChemistryRavila 14a 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Mathematics and StatisticsNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyRiia 23, 23b - 134 51010 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTTartu ObservatoryObservatooriumi 1 61602 Tõravere alevik, Nõo vald, Tartumaa EST0Institute of TechnologyNooruse 1 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Ecology and Earth SciencesJ. Liivi tn 2 50409 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTProfessors emeriti, Faculty of Science and Technology0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Science and Technology0Institute of BioengineeringArea of Academic SecretaryHuman Resources OfficeUppsala 6, Lossi 36 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Area of Head of FinanceFinance Office0Area of Director of AdministrationInformation Technology Office0Administrative OfficeÜlikooli 17 (III korrus) 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Estates Office0Marketing and Communication OfficeÜlikooli 18, ruumid 102, 104, 209, 210 50090 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Area of RectorRector's Strategy OfficeInternal Audit OfficeArea of Vice Rector for Academic AffairsOffice of Academic AffairsUniversity of Tartu Youth AcademyUppsala 10 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Student Union OfficeÜlikooli 18b 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Centre for Learning and TeachingArea of Vice Rector for ResearchUniversity of Tartu LibraryW. Struve 1 50091 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Grant OfficeArea of Vice Rector for DevelopmentCentre for Entrepreneurship and InnovationNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical GardenVanemuise 46 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0International Cooperation and Protocol Office0University of Tartu MuseumLossi 25 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0
In memoriam professor Rein Vihalemm
In memoriam
Rein Vihalemm 9.12.1938 – 18.07.2015
The University of Tartu and the Estonian philosophical community have suffered a huge loss with the passing of our dear colleague, the eminent philosopher of science Rein Vihalemm.
Rein Vihalemm was born in Pärnu on December 9th 1938. In 1963 he graduated from Tartu State University with cum laude, specializing in physical chemistry, and attained a PhD degree in 1969 in Moscow from the Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Rein Vihalemm taught philosophy of science at the University of Tartu for an impressive 49 years. Starting in 1966 as a lecturer, he was elected Professor of Philosophy in 1992. He initiated the establishment of the Chair of Philosophy of Science, which he directed until 2004. From 2005 onwards Rein Vihalemm worked as a professor extraordinarius. Vihalemm supervised many Masters and Doctoral dissertations; his students came from a number of different areas of science.
Vihalemm’s philosophical works have acquired international recognition. On the occasion of his recent jubilee, the journal ’Problemos’ characterized Rein Vihalemm as the most influential philosopher of science in the Baltics. In 2011 he was appointed a member of the Collegium for Advanced Studies at the University of Helsinki. From 1979 he was a member of the Estonian Union of History and Philosophy of Science and from 2004 a member of its executive committee. He was one of the founding members of the International Society for the Philosophy of Chemistry (1997).
Rein Vihalemm authored numerous academic articles and books which have served as a valuable guide for many philosophers and scientists. He was the editor of Estonian Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science which appeared in print in 2001 at Kluwer Academic Publishers, bringing the works of Estonian philosophers of science to the international arena.
Vihalemm’s main areas of research were philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophy and history of chemistry, and the history of philosophy (of science) in Estonia. According to him, in order to understand human cognition, one must study the developmental history of science in its contemporary context. Vihalemm did the latter with chemistry as his main area of interest. However, he also dealt with more general philosophical issues, such as the nature of science. Vihalemm’s model of ɸ-science helps us to understand why physics has become an epitome of the sciences.
As an original and profound thinker, Vihalemm encouraged scientists of all fields to reflect on the methodological questions of their areas of study and helped to promote mutual understanding between different disciplines. Vihalemm’s own wisdom, tolerance and ethical principles set a good example for the people around him.
With deepest condolences to the family, we warmly remember a great thinker, good colleague and teacher Rein Vihalemm.
University of Tartu
Faculty of Philosophy of University of Tartu
Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics of University of Tartu
Estonian Union of History and Philosophy of Science