Scientific research and emerging technologies raise a plethora of philosophical and societal issues. Besides practical, bioethical and policy issues, they have broader, cultural implications as well, affecting and reflecting our zeitgeist and world-view, challenging our understanding of life, nature and ourselves as human beings, and reframing the human condition on a planetary scale. This course explores how to address these issues from a continental philosophical perspective, thereby offering a complementary approach to mainstream (analytical) philosophy of science or sociological approaches like STS. The focus is on methodology, on how to address philosophical and normative challenges in contemporary science and technology from a continental philosophical perspective. This course helps participants to bridge the gap between continental philosophy as it is often practiced in academic settings (focused on author studies) and what is required to actively contribute to the philosophical assessment of  current developments in science and technology. How to practice a form of continental philosophy that moves beyond the author studies approach and actively contributes to on-going philosophical and scientific debates, on podiums such as international journals and academic conferences? We opt for a bottom-up perspective, starting from actual research projects and practices as philosophical laboratories. We focus on themes like: (a) the technicity of scientific research; (b) planet Earth during the Anthropocene, and (c) human responsibility in view of the increased plasticity or reproducibility of life.

Teaching methods: readings, lectures, deliberations, group activities, informal activities

Teachers: Vincent Blok, Luca Consoli, Martin Drenthen, Laurens Landeweerd, Pieter Lemmens, Hub Zwart, Jochem Zwier

Schedule: Wednesday 12 – Wednesday 19 September 2018

Location: Nijmegen

Information and application: Jochem Zwier (jochem.zwier@ru.nl).