Philosophy business 2025

I have just composed the annual financial report of my one-man company "Spør filosofen" for 2025. Altogether I earned 9.309 NOK while I had 1.856 NOK in expenses, resulting in a surplus of 7.453 NOK and a margin of 80,06%. Over the last 5 years, however, the accumulated 5-year surplus is -2.764,41 NOK and the margin negative at -18,09%.

Philosophy business 2024

Today I have summarized the financial report of my one person company (enkeltpersonforetak) "Spør Filosofen Tønnessen" for 2024. I had 7 NOK in income and 4.351 NOK in expenses, resulting in a negative result of 4.344 NOK. Over a 5-year period, the company has a margin of (in terms of positive result as a share of income) of 32%.

"Spør filosofen" results for 2022

Last year, in 2022, my one-man philosophy company "Spør filosofen" had 5.914,67 NOK in revenues, 2.858,80 NOK in costs, and 3.055,87 NOK in profits (profit margin 51,67 %). Revenue was mainly from a book honorarium. 

Spør filosofen 2021

Today I have finished the financial report for my one-man company "Spør filosofen". The only income in 2021 was from music royalties. Most related expenses were also music-related. The year ended with a loss.

Philosophy business - annual reporting for 2020

In 2020, my one-person company, Spør Filosofen, had 24.069 Norwegian crones in income and 4.123 Norwegian crones in expenses, resulting in profits of 19.846 crones (margin 82,9%). Income was mainly related to book royalties and fee for a couple of public lectures.

Vacant position as Associate professor of philosophy at Department of social studies, UIS

A 4 and a half year position as Associate professor in philosophy, stepping in for me while I am Head of department, is now vacant. Deadline January 27th.

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Philosophy business - 2019

2019 was a modest year for my philosophy business: 890 NOK in income and 1.391 NOK in expenses - though I also had 10.000 NOK in accounts receivable (money owed to me after 2 public lectures held in 2019 at a zookeeper conference). Profit margin for the year was thus -56%.

Philosophy business thriving in 2018

I have just reported business earnings for 2018, as part of the Norwegian tax settlements. My one-person firm (enkeltmannsforetak) "Spør filosofen" had 93,705 NOK in income, a record (with the possible exception of the year I wrote my grandfather´s biography). The company had 4.008 NOK in expenses, and an operating profit (before tax) amounting to 89.697 NOK (operating profit margin was 95,7%).

The income was mainly drawn from giving a whole course in philosophy of science and health care ethics at UiS (sponsored by Norsk Luftambulanse), and a series of three open lectures, plus composing leaflet text, in connection with the video art exhibition "Vitner" at Sølvberget gallery.

Philosophy business

On the last day of May I compiled annual financial report for my philosophy business "Spør Filosofen". I ended with 26.227,91 NOK in income and 4.480,92 NOK in expenses, and thus gross profits of 21.746,99 NOK. Most of the income was writing-related.

Third lecture, song at gallery

Yesterday I gave the third and final lecture at Sølvberget galleri in connection with Eli Glader´s video art exhibition "Vitner". The lecture was titled "Vi er alle migranter - Flukt som menneskets situasjon", and attended by 18 people. Ahead of the lecture, "Herfra til ingensteder" by my musical alias The Schopenhauer Experience was played.

Eli Glader´s video art exhibition "Vitner" opened

This Saturday, namely yesterday, Eli Glader´s video art exhibition "Vitner" [Witnesses] opened on Sølvberget Galleri, Stavanger, featuring a brochure with a text written by me ("Vitner"), and three lectures by me being held in February, March and April. I was present during the opening yesterday along with my family.

Text for video art exhibition "Vitner" composed

At the beginning of this week I finished my text for the brochure of Eli Glader´s video art exhibition "Vitner" [Witnesses], which is to be on display from February to May in Sølvberget galleri, Stavanger.

To sign contracts with Sølvberget galleri on "Vitner" contributions

I am in the process of signing contracts with Sølvberget Galleri in relation to Eli Glader´s forthcoming video art exhibition "Vitner" (to open February 10th). I will give three philosophically themed lectures, and write the text for an exhibition brochure.

The work year 2017 summarized

In 2017 I worked for some 2.863 hours, resulting in a weekly average of 54,9 hours. This is about 1.213 hours more than a normal work year, or 1,735 times as much. 

Last year I worked relatively less with what I characterize as academic work, and slightly more with both book projects and "other work" (including a lot of time spent doing voluntary work for the Norwegian Green Party). 

This had a negative impact on my work hours spent on research, with the lowest percentage post-2011 - but "research" nevertheless narrowly ended up as the biggest single work category, yet again. While Green Party work and time spent on book projects had record highs, the categories for my Philosophy business Spør filosofen, music, administration and "writer" (besides research and book projects) had record lows. 

Meeting in Council for Animal Ethics attended

On Monday 20th of November, I took part, for the first time, in a meeting of Norway´s Council for Animal Ethics, at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute in Oslo, as the representative for animal protection NGOs. The meeting lasted all day, and included topics such as research ethics guidelines for animal experimentation, large carnivore management (raised by me), and welfare issues in industrial aquaculture.

Meeting with deans and fellow philosophers

I have just been to a meeting with two fellow UiS philosophers and the deans of Faculty of social sciences and Faculty of education and humanities, as a follow-up to our document sent this Spring on the organization of the philosophers and (mainly) our teaching offer.

Paper work for reimbursement

Just before starting on my holiday, I did a full day of paper work at University of Stavanger to get reimbursement for various academic and other trips the last two-three couple of months.

Philosophy business not profitable in 2016

Yesterday I compiled the financial report for my business company "Spør filosofen" (Ask the philosopher). Partly due to technicalities, 2016 did not end up with any profits, since a couple of tasks carried out were paid as ordinary salary rather than to my company. Revenues remain low.

No grading of Ex.Phil. papers for Department of health studies

I have gotten to know that I will not get to examine any papers in Ex.Phil. for nursing students at Department of health studies this year, since I would be 50% more expensive than alternatives. I have been involved in grading exam papers for them since 2009 (2009-2016).

Reimbursement work

I have spent some of the last two work days doing paper work related to getting reimbursed for two conference trips (covered by Department of social studies) and the last COST action meeting (GroupHouseNet) in Belgrade. Altogether I have some 34.000 NOK to be reimbursed.