Paula Alexandra Carvalho

PhD in Philosophy – Aesthetics in 2019 from Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA FCSH); full member of Nova Institute of Philosophy (IFILNOVA) .

Paula Alexandra Carvalho’s PhD thesis, Wittgenstein and Performance. Crossovers and Influences, focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophy and its main motif consists in showing that a musical practice impacted the development of Wittgenstein’s thought, whilst concurrently seeking fertile elucidations to think about musical performance. Simultaneously, it argues for and adopts the viewpoint that questions about understanding, meaning and sense, take on distinct, fundamental aspects in the interpretative practice.

Licentiate Degree in Philosophy at NOVA FCSH (2002), and MA (2009) in Philosophy – Aesthetics (NOVA FCSH), her interests focus on aesthetic questions – language, meaning, sense, expression, musical performance – and the relationship between philosophy and music. Chief authors: Nietzsche,Wittgenstein, Walter Benjamin, and Gilles Deleuze. Bachelor in Music / Piano, she is a Piano teacher at N. Sra. do Cabo Music School [EMNSC], Linda-a-Velha, Lisboa.

In February 2014, following and invitation from Antonia Soulez, she participated in the Conférences 2013-2014 – Séminaire de recherches du Pr. Antonia Soulez sur “Langage et vie – Vie des Formes et Formes de Vie” (3), Université de Paris 8-St Denis / MSH Paris Nord (en coordination avec Arild Utaker (Pr. Bergen University, Norvège / MSH PN). Her presentation was about musical interpretation and the relation inner-outer in Wittgenstein:  «L'interprétation Musicale et la dicibilité de l'intime: La relation intérieure – extérieure à partir des Recherches Philosophiques et des Derniers Écrits de la Philosophie de la Psychologie». 

As a researcher at the Nova Institute of Philosophy (IFILNOVA / NOVA FCSH), she has presented and discussed her work in numerous occasions, and she has co-organised two conferences / graduate workshops dedicated to Wittgenstein, aesthetics, culture and values.  She is a member of the CultureLab’s Research Group “Art, Critique, and Aesthetic Experience".

E-mail: paula.carvalho.piano@gmail.com