Daniel Andler – Philosopher and Mathematician

Andler was educated both in mathematics and philosophy, earning his PhD at UC Berkeley – with a Harkness fellowship – as well as his doctorate d’Etat from Paris 7. After teaching math for several years prior to moving onto philosophy positions at various Ecole normale superieure campuses and founding and leading the Department of Cognitive Studies there before moving to founding and leading Sciences, Norms and Decisions research team under his headship at Compas.

Early Life and Education

Trained in mathematics and philosophy, he holds doctorates (PhD) in mathematiques from both UC Berkeley – where he held a Harkness fellowship – and Paris 7 (theses d’Etat 1975). For much of his career he taught mathematics before transitioning to positions in philosophy.

He founded and led the Department of Cognitive Studies at Ecole normale superieure from 2001-2005, serving as director from 2001. Additionally, he is a founding member of Societe de Philosophie des Sciences and served as editor-in-chief for Lato Sensu magazine until 2016.

As a philosopher, his work primarily addresses the role of context and reasoning in scientific knowledge production and application. As an advocate of moderate naturalism combining with an interest in phenomenology to explore changes brought on by cognitive science and ICT to education systems.

Professional Career

Daniel Andler began his professional life as a mathematician and mathematical logic expert before turning his focus to philosophy of science. A senior member of Institut universitaire de France, his current interests lie in cognitive science’s foundations as they relate to education, decision making and public policy issues.

He has founded and directed various institutions, such as the Department of Cognitive Studies at Ecole Normale Superieure and its research team Sciences, Noms et Democrties [Sciences, Noms et Democraties]. Since 2006, he has also served as Director of Compas – an educational think tank focused on connecting education, cognition and emerging technologies.

Achievement and Honors

Daniel Andler has written numerous influential books and papers. He has supervised over thirty doctoral students, such as Eric Martin (University of New South Wales), Stephane Boucheron (Ecole normale superieure), Jean-Yves Beziau (Universite de Paris VII) and Mikal Cozic (Berman Institute, Universite Johns Hopkins). Daniel Andler founded and directed both cognitive studies programs at Ecole normale superieure as well as “Sciences, normes, democracie” research team “Sciences,normes et Democratie”. Additionally he became a member of both institutions before being elected into both institutes by their respective universities before being invited by Academies Sciences Morales et Politiques Academy membership.

Andler was trained both in mathematics and philosophy, holding both a PhD from UC Berkeley under Harkness Fellowship (1973) and thesis d’Etat from Paris 7 in mathematical logic (PhD 1975). For much of his career he taught mathematics before transitioning into philosophy where his work focused on foundations of cognitive science as well as epistemology and the philosophy of science.

Personal Life

Daniel Andler was both a mathematician and philosopher, holding doctorates from both UC Berkeley (PhD 1973) and Paris 7 (theses d’Etat 1975). After teaching mathematics for much of his early career before switching gears into philosophy – from 1999 until becoming emeritus in 2015, he held the chair for philosophy of science and epistemology at Universite Paris-Sorbonne IV until he retired as chairperson emeritus in 2015.

He is one of the founding members and editors of Societe de Philosophie des Sciences and Lato Sensu journal. Additionally, he founded and directed Ecole Normale Superieure’s Department of Cognitive Studies; created a research team called “Sciences, Norme Democratie”, as well as established their Cogmaster master’s program in Cognitive Sciences.

He is the founding Director of Compas, an think tank within the Department that studies how cognitive science and information technologies have altered education over time.

Net Worth

Daniel Handler has an estimated net worth of $3 Million as of 2022, most of his income coming from his work as a writer, journalist, musician and musician. Handler is widely known for the series of books written under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket including All the Wrong Questions, Adverbs, Why We Broke Up and All the Dirty Parts that has helped earn him considerable wealth.

Handler has not only written, but has also participated in acting roles. He made appearances in movies and TV shows such as Grown Ups and its sequel as well as providing voiceover for Zookeeper (2011). Handler founded Happy Madison Productions to produce many of his films to date.