Øystein Linnebo - Biography#

Linnebo studied mathematics and philosophy, first at the University of Bergen (1991-1993; B.A. in Mathematics), then at the University of Oslo (1993-1995; M.A. in Mathematics with an M.A. Thesis entitled The Number of Genus 2 Degree 5 Curves on Some Calabi-Yau Threefolds, which was marked outstanding (1.1 on a scale from 1.0 to 6.0)).

Instead of pursuing a career in mathematics, Linnebo was strongly motivated to go into philosophy, in particular the philosophy of mathematics. So he went to Harvard to do a PhD in Philosophy, where he wrote a dissertation under the supervision of Charles Parsons, entitled Science with Numbers: A Naturalistic Defense of Mathematical Platonism, which was awarded Harvard's Baker Dissertation Prize.

After his Ph.D. Linnebo has had a number of fellowships and positions. After two years as a Postdoc in Oslo he served as a Lecturer and Reader at the University of Bristol and as a Lecturer and Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London, from 2006 to 2012, when he was appointed to his present position as Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo. Since 2013 he has also been a Professorial Fellow at the Northern Institute of Philosophy, University of Aberdeen.

Linnebo has held visiting posts at a number of major universities and has given more than two hundred invited lectures during the past few years, in addition to writing two books and publishing a large number of articles in top journals. He has been an advisor for several Ph.D. students. In 2013 - 2015 he is Head of Subject within his Department at the University of Oslo.