I have been greatly influenced by Jaakko Hintikka’s method of separating step by step reasoning based on rules from strategic reasoning. The relationship between these two can be illustrated through games: someone can master the rules of chess perfectly but still be a lousy player.

The most memorable moments of my student days were the philosophical debates at research seminars with Georg Henrik von Wright, Jaakko Hintikka, Erik Stenius and many other talented individuals. I discovered that a philosophical understanding of matters can be reached by analysing a challenging problem or by questioning the conventional wisdom on basic concepts.

I was the Director of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Helsinki between 2001 and 2003, when the department moved from the Metsätalo building to Siltavuorenpenger. The move required an expansion of my philosophical expertise, as I needed to plan the location and décor of the new offices with architects and the technical crew. It was a real logistical achievement for a logician to arrange 55 individuals working in philosophy in a manner acceptable to all.

Working in the heart of Paris at a top research institute (International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Group) was a great experience, one which was not diminished even by the fact that there were three of us researchers in a research cubicle measuring a mere six square metres. The team spirit was incredible!