Pauline Sabrier

Assistant Professor of Ancient Philosophy

Biography

Professor Sabrier joined the American University of Paris in 2025. Born in France and a graduate of the Sorbonne, she has lectured and conducted research in a range of international settings. Her academic journey began with a PhD from Trinity College Dublin, followed by appointments in China, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland, as well as a research stay at Yale University. This international experience has shaped her interdisciplinary approach to philosophy and pedagogy.
Her current research focuses on two main projects. The first investigates the Platonic roots of the contemporary notion of “kind” (genos), tracing its philosophical lineage to shed light on how we understand kinds both in metaphysical discourse and in contemporary reflections on identity and classification. The second examines the concept of care (epimeleia) for the soul in Plato and Platonic ethics, with particular attention to its relevance in modern philosophical discourse.

Ancient Philosophy, especially Plato and the History of Platonism
Metaphysics
Philosophy of Mind and Epistemology
History of Philosophy

Education/Degrees

  • Ph.D (2017) in Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin
  • M.A. (2011) in Philosophy, Paris IV-Sorbonne University
  • B.A. (2009) in Philosophy, Paris IV-Sorbonne University

Publications

ARTICLES AND BOOK CHAPTERS (2024). Are the Five Great Kinds (megista genê) of the Sophist Plato’s Categories? Why This Question Is Worth Asking, And What It Takes to Answer It. Revue de philosophie ancienne, XLII(2), 209-230. https://doi.org/10.3917/e.rpha.422.0209. (2024). The Way We Divide Forms ’in Our Soul’: Conceived Parthood at Plato’s Sophist 250b8. Méthexis, 36(1), 54-72. https://doi.org/10.1163/24680974-36010005 (2022). Plato’s Method of Enquiry in the Sophist, in K. Larsen, V. Haraldsen, J. Vlasist (eds.), New Perspectives on Platonic Dialectic, Routledge: 233-248. DOI: 10.4324/9781003111429-12 (2021). Plato’s Master Argument for a Two-Kind Ontology in the Sophist. Apeiron, 54 (3): 347-366. https://doi.org/10.1515/apeiron-2020-0010 (2019). Parts, Forms and Participation in the Parmenides and Sophist: A Comparison. Les Études Platoniciennes, Vol.15. https://doi.org/10.4000/etudesplatoniciennes.1601

Conferences & Lectures

PRESENTATIONS
  • ‘Is E. J. Lowe a Serious Essentialist?’, EXRE Colloquium, Fribourg (CH), 21 May 2025.
  • ‘Contingent Future in Plato's Theaetetus (178a-179b)’, together with Thomas Seissl, XIV Symposium Platonicum, Madrid, May 5-9 2025.
  • ‘Singular “Being” in Plato's Sophist’, lecture series ‘Being Singular. Theoretical and Historical Perspectives’, online, 28 March 2025.
  • ‘The Care for the Soul in Plato's Laches. A Traditional Pattern?’, The Care for the Soul in Plato and Platonic Ethics. A Contemporary Dialogue, Fribourg (CH), 15-17 Jan. 2025.
  • ‘Le Mouvement et le Repos dans le Sophiste. Deux lectures du dialogue et leurs enjeux’, Séminaire Platonicien et Néoplatonicien, ENS Ulm, Paris, 2 Dec. 2024.
  • ‘Prosdokia dans le Lachès: le pari du futur’, Workshop, Nanterre, 11-12 Sept. 2024.
  • ‘Plotinus’ Interpretation of Plato’s Sophist’, panel organiser, 21st Annual Conference of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, Dublin, 19-22 June 2024.
  • ‘L’avenir du courage. Réflexion à partir du Lachès de Platon’, Société Romande de Philosophie, Neuchâtel, 14 March 2024.
  • ‘Clearing the Apple of Discord? A Tentative Compromise Over the Dunamis Proposal’, Heidelberg, 24-25 Nov. 2023.
  • ‘A Tale of Two Dialogues: Two Readings of Change and Rest in Plato’s Sophist and Their Ontological Consequences’, Conference Plato on Change, Lugano, 15-17 Sept. 2023.
  • ‘The stoicheia tôn pantôn at Pol. 278d1: Plato’s Definition of an Internal Principle?’, West Coast Plato Workshop, Flagstaff, 23-26 June 2023.
  • ‘Clearing the Apple of Discord Once and for All? Soph. 247d8-e4’, Symposium Platonicum XIII, Athens (Georgia), 18-22 July 2022.
  • ‘Unveiling the Basic Structure of Being: Plotinus, Plato and Aristotle on the genê tou ontos’, Categories in Ancient Philosophy Conference, Munich, 8-10 July 2022.
  • ‘Platon a-t-il oui ou non défini l’être par la puissance ?’, Nanterre, 10 June 2022.
  • ‘Plotin. Die Philosophie des Einen’, Ringvorlesung, FAU Erlangen, 10 May, 2022.
  • ‘Are the megista genê of the Sophist Plato's Categories?, SAGP, online event, 12 Nov., 2021.
  • ‘Platons Argumente für die Annahme von Ideen’, Ringvorlesung, FAU Erlangen, 2 Nov., 2021.
  • ‘Plato's Argument(s) for Forms’, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 21 Oct., 2021.
  • ‘Two Accounts of Parthood in Plato?’, Part and Whole in Antiquity, Leuven, 23-24 Sept., 2021.
  • ‘Our Self and Our Friend: Self-Knowledge, Friendship and Erôs in Plato's Alcibiades’, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 16 Sept., 2021.
  • ‘Why Don't Change and Rest Combine With One Another?’, Koinonia In Plato's Philosophy, Lima, 19-23 July, 2021.
  • ‘Plotinus on the Ultimate Constituents of Reality’, ISNS, Athens, 10-12 June, 2021.
  • ‘Are the Five Great Kinds of the Sophist Plato’s Categories? (if so, why so, and if not, why not, and what do we mean by categories)’, Platonic Categories, Leuven, 17-18 June, 2021.
  • ‘Change, Rest and Greatest Kinds in the Sophist: Reconsidering the megista genê’, West Coast Plato Workshop, Arizona, 14-16 May, 2021.
  • ‘Plotin, die größten Gattungen des Sophistes und die Grundbestandteile des Seins’, GANPh Kolloquium, 9 Jan., 2021.
  • ‘Do Ontological Categories Exist? Plato versus E.J. Lowe’, Oberseminar, FAU Erlangen, 12 May, 2020.
  • ‘Réponse à R. Chiaradonna, “Life in Enn. VI 2 (and beyond)”’, Workshop on Plotinus, ENS Ulm, Paris, 10 Jan., 2020.
  • ‘Is the Sophist a Sequel to the Parmenides? The Question of the Unity of the World in the two Dialogues’, Symposium Platonicum XII, Paris, 15–19 Jul., 2019.
  • ‘Division and Definition in the Central Sections of the Sophist’, Philosophy and Mathematic, Paris ENS ULM, 12–13 Jul., 2019.
  • ‘Plato’s Argument for a Two-Kind Ontology in the Sophist’, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 10 May, 2019. Also presented at Chinese University of Political Science and Law, 19 Apr, 2019.
  • ‘Plotinus’ Enn. VI 2 [43]: The Search for the Ultimate Constituents of Reality’, 42nd Annual Workshop Ancient, Trinity University, San Antonio (TX), 7-8 Mar., 2019.
  • ‘Being Itself and the Being in Oneself: Enquiring Into the Nature of Reality in Plotinus’ Enn. VI 2 [43]’, Ancient Greek Philosophy Workshop, Beijing, 1-2 Dec., 2018.
  • ‘Response to G. Klosko’s “Fair Play: A Defense”’, Global Justice Lectures, Philosophy Department, Zhuhai, 27 Sept., 2018.
  • ‘Plato on the Erotic Nature of Human Beings’, World Philosophy Congress, IPS Panel, Beijing, 15 Aug., 2018.
  • ‘The role of the ti esti question in Plato’s Sophist’, Platonic Dialectic, University of Bergen, 31st May-2nd Jun., 2018.
  • ‘What Sort of Metaphysical Entities are the Five Great Kinds of Being in Plato's Sophist?’, Visiting Speaker Colloquium, TCD Dublin, 26 Mar., 2018.
  • ‘Can Forms Have Parts and Nevertheless Remain One? A Comparison Between the Sophist and the Parmenides’, Workshop ‘Plato’s Parmenides in Relation to Other Platonic Dialogues’, TCD Dublin/Plato Centre/Société Études Platoniciennes, 24–25 Mar., 2018.
  • ‘Forms and Great Kinds (megista genê) in Plato’s Sophist’, Forms. New Perspective on Ancient Metaphysics and Epistemology’, Milan, 13-14 Oct., 2017.
  • ‘Plato’s Defense of a Two-Kind Ontology in the Sophist’, Trinity Plato Centre Workshop, 26–30 May, 2017.
  • Reply to Viktor Ilievski (University of Bucharest) ‘Is the Platonic Soul indeed kinēseōs hapses aitia and therefore tōn pantōn aitia as well?’, First Dublin Graduate Conference in Ancient Philosophy, UCD/TCD, 31st Mar.–1st Apr., 2017.
  • ‘The Non-Coreferentiality of Change and Rest in Plato’s Sophist’, Northern Association for Ancient Philosophy, University of St Andrews, 4-5 Apr., 2016.
  • ‘The Non-Coreferentiality of Kinêsis and Stasis (Soph. 245e–251a)’, Workshop on Plato’s Sophist (Keynote: Fiona Leigh, UCL), Trinity Plato Centre, 7-8 Nov., 2015.
  • ‘Que disent les megista genê du Sophiste sur la théorie des Formes dans le dialogue? La distinction entre l’Être et l’Autre en 255c–d.’, International Plato Workshop, Nanterre, 11-12 Jun, 2014.

Affiliations

I am a member of the International Plato Society and currently serve as its European representative. If you are interested in collaborative initiatives or have inquiries related to the Society’s work in Europe, I warmly encourage you to get in touch.

Awards, Fellowships & Grants

2021-2023: Post-doctoral Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020 GA 801505).
2021-2023: Humboldt Research Fellowship for postdoctoral researchers (24 months), declined.
2023-2026: Research Fellowship from the German Research Foundation (DFG) (36 months), declined.
2021: Emerging Talent Initiative, Friedrich-Alexander University.
2018: Travel bursary for Early Career Researchers, Univeristy of Durham.
2014-2015: DAAD Research Grant for Doctoral Candidates (10 months).
2013-2016: Mobi’doc Travel Grant for International Mobility, Ile-de-France Regional Council.
2012-2016: Postgraduate Research Studentship, Trinity College Dublin.
2012-2013: Newman Fellowship, Trinity Plato Centre.