Fleur Jongepier is a philosopher who dares to step outside the walls of academia—literally and figuratively. Formerly a lecturer in ethics at Radboud University Nijmegen, she built her career studying questions of autonomy in an age shaped by technology and digital platforms. But in 2022 she made a radical decision: she resigned from her university post. The departure was motivated not only by disillusionment with institutional culture but also by a deeper personal longing—to seek silence, space, and a different kind of attention.

‍

A Philosopher in the Mountains

That search led her into the mountains. In Berghonger (“Mountain Hunger”), Jongepier reflects on what happens when the analytical mind meets the physical reality of long climbs, thin air, and solitude. The book is neither detached academic philosophy nor a simple travelogue. Instead, it is a hybrid: part love letter to the Alps and the Apennines, part philosophical exploration, and part self-examination. She describes the joy of surrendering to exhaustion, the quiet that comes when one’s body is fully occupied, and the paradox of feeling both free and lonely in the wilderness.

Jongepier is acutely aware of the tension between presence and mediation. Even in remote mountain huts she catches herself wanting to capture and share the view on her phone. She also acknowledges her privilege: the ability to withdraw into a house in Piemonte and spend weeks hiking is, as she calls it, a form of “unjust luck.” Yet she refuses to romanticize retreat as escape. For her, stepping back is not abandonment of the world but a way of re-entering it more deliberately.

With Berghonger, Jongepier shows that philosophy need not always wear the mask of scholarly neutrality. Her writing is personal, vulnerable, and deeply human. She draws inspiration from fellow writers and thinkers such as Nan Shepherd, Rebecca Solnit, Eva Meijer, and Gerbrand Bakker, weaving their voices into her own reflections.

Today, Fleur Jongepier lives a life of balance. Working part-time allows her time for painting, climbing, writing, and being present for others. She no longer seeks to analyze everything, but to live more fully—accepting that some experiences, like the silence of the mountains, speak most clearly when left uninterpreted.

‍

Interviews:‍
https://www.vprogids.nl/boeken/lees/...‍
https://www.filosofie.nl/...

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

More info:
‍https://fleurjongepier.nl/

‍

‍