Theorizing Technological Mediation 10 & 16-17-18 November

Conference ‘Theorizing Technological Mediation’

10 & 16-17-18 November

Department of Philosophy: University of Twente

We are happy to invite you to a 4-day event around the topic of technological mediation at the University of Twente. As has been emphasized by several authors (e.g. Ihde, Latour, Verbeek), it is not possible to strictly distinguish between humans and technologies. As human beings, we are always interwoven with technologies in our daily practices. At this conference it is our aim to explore the philosophical consequences of this idea in the domains of epistemology, ethics, and transcendence. If our knowledge claims, moral practices, and the limits of man are mediated by the contingent presence of technologies, how must we philosophically conceive of this? On top of having 3 expert workshops on these topics, we invite scholars to send in papers about the idea of technological mediation for a more general workshop on November 17th.

General Program (More specific info below):

November 10th: Technology and Morality

November 16th: Technology and Scientific Knowledge

November 17th: Philosophy of Technology and Technological Mediation

November 18th: Technology and Transcendence

Confirmed Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Batya Friedman (University of Washington)

Prof. Dr. Tsjalling Swierstra (University of Maastricht)

Dr. Tamar Sharon (University of Maastricht)

Prof. Dr. Ir. Ibo van de Poel (Delft University of Technology)

PhD Cand. Olya Kudina (University of Twente)

Dr. Jan Kyrre Berg Friis (Copenhagen University)

Prof. dr. Aud Sissel Hoel (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

Em.prof. dr. Hans Radder (Free University of Amsterdam)

Dr. Federica Russo (University of Amsterdam) 

PhD Cand. Bas de Boer (University of Twente)

Dr. Amanda Lagerkvist, (Stockholm University)

Prof. dr. Stefan Lorenz Sorgner (John Cabot University Rome)

Prof. dr. Jos de Mul (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Dr. Inigo Bocken (Radboud University Nijmegen)

PhD Cand. Jonne Hoek (University of Twente)

This symposium is part of the NWO funded VICI-program: Theorizing Technological Mediation, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Peter Paul Verbeek.

 

Symposium ‘Technology and Morality’

10-11-2016

Department of Philosophy: University of Twente

Technology and Morality

Technologies increasingly co-constitute the canvas for human experiences, practices and decisions in the world. Self-driving cars are said to increase road safety; health tracking devices can help to monitor your health; there are even technologies allowing one to select the sex of a future child. However, the perceived benefits of these technologies also foster new concerns, often challenging the dominant normative ideas and standards. How should we conceive of such an interrelation of technology and morality? And what does such an entangled relationship mean for the matters of design and use of technologies? The speakers will shed light on these questions and open up a space for a broader discussion in the area of technology and morality.

Confirmed Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Batya Friedman (University of Washington)

Prof. Dr. Tsjalling Swierstra (University of Maastricht)

Dr. Tamar Sharon (University of Maastricht)

Prof. Dr. Ir. Ibo van de Poel (Delft University of Technology)

PhD Cand. Olya Kudina (University of Twente)

Program: TBA

Date and time: November 10, 10:00 – 17:00

Location: DesignLab, Campus University of Twente

E-mail: [email protected]

Everyone interested in this topic is cordially invited to attend!

Registration fees: None (no lunch included)

Please, register by sending an email to [email protected] 

This symposium is part of the NWO funded VICI-program: Theorizing Technological Mediation, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Peter Paul Verbeek.

 

Symposium ‘Technology & Scientific Knowledge’ 16-11-2016

Department of Philosophy: University of Twente

Technology and Scientific Knowledge

Contemporary scientific practices are crucially dependent on technologies. Technologies allow for the discovery of new planets, the detection of diseases on a cellular level, and make us redefine the nature of human cognition. However, technologies are often also conceptualized as the practical applications of scientific knowledge – as opposed to theory and belonging to the messy domain of practical action. How must we think of this duality that technology is both the outcome of- and constitutive for scientific knowledge? In this symposium, the prominence of technologies in scientific practice and its consequences will be discussed. Must we think of technologies as mere enhancers of our human observational capabilities, or do they also introduce new modes of thinking within scientific practices? You are all cordially invited to discuss these – and many other questions concerning the relationship between science and technology.

Confirmed Speakers:

Dr. Jan Kyrre Berg Friis (Copenhagen University)

Prof. dr. Aud Sissel Hoel (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

Em.prof. dr. Hans Radder (Free University of Amsterdam)

Dr. Federica Russo (University of Amsterdam) 

PhD Cand. Bas de Boer (University of Twente)

Program: TBA

Date and time: November 16, 10:00 – 17:00

Location: DesignLab, Campus University of Twente

E-mail: [email protected]

Everyone interested in this topic is cordially invited!

Registration fees: None, but registration is strongly encouraged (no lunch included)

Please register by sending an email to [email protected]

This symposium is part of the NWO funded VICI-program: Theorizing Technological Mediation, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Peter Paul Verbeek.

 

CFP for: Symposium ‘Philosophy of Technology and Technological Mediation’

17-11-2016

Department of Philosophy: University of Twente

CFP:     Philosophy of Technology and Technological Mediation

After the ‘empirical turn’ in Philosophy of Technology, it has repeatedly been stressed that rather than thinking about Technology in general, our focus should be on the workings of concrete, individual technologies. One of the movements at the forefront of this empirical turn is postphenomenology. The core idea of this theory is that technologies mediate our relation with the world in several ways, and the introduction of new technologies thus allows for the discovery of new realities. But how adequate is this idea? How does it relate to other approaches in philosophy of technology? And how does this philosophical idea relate to more practical approaches working, for instance, on sustainability and responsible innovation? We invite established- and beginning academics to reflect on how this idea of technological mediation relates to other theoretical- and practical approaches in the philosophy of technology.

General Information:

We invite scholars from all fields with an interest in philosophy of technology to send in abstracts for a 30-45 minute talk including 15 minutes for discussion.

The abstracts should be max. 200 words and should contain max. 5 keywords.

Abstracts should be sent in before October 17th and the decision will be communicated around October 24th.          

Abstracts can be sent to [email protected]

Program: TBA 

Date and time: November 17, 10:00 – 17:00

Location: DesignLab, Campus University of Twente

E-mail: [email protected]

Everyone interested in this topic is cordially invited!

Registration fees: None, but registration is strongly encouraged (no lunch included)

Please register by sending an email to [email protected]

This symposium is part of the NWO funded VICI-program: Theorizing Technological Mediation, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Peter Paul Verbeek.

  

Symposium ‘Technology and Transcendence’ 18-11-2016

Department of Philosophy: University of Twente

Technology and Transcendence

Often, technology is conceptually reduced to rational practices by which we structure and control the world. Transcendence, by contrast, is presumed to break with the confines of this rationality and, consequently, technology and transcendence all too easily appear as each other’s contraries or blind spots.The aim of this symposium is to critically question and re-conceptualize this entrenched opposition. By understanding technology primarily as a mediator or medium of for instance religious-, transhumanist-, existential- or (post-)metaphysical thought, our relation with technologies can be shown to provoke new ideas and questions that touch upon transcendence.

Confirmed Speakers:

Dr. Amanda Lagerkvist, (Stockholm University)

Prof. dr. Stefan Lorenz Sorgner (John Cabot University Rome)

Prof. dr. Jos de Mul (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Dr. Inigo Bocken (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Phd cand. Jonne Hoek (University of Twente)

All interested are cordially invited!

Registration fees: none (lunch not included)

Please register at: [email protected]

Date and time: November 18, 10.00 - 17.30

Location: DesignLab, Campus University of Twente

E-mail: [email protected]

The head of the Twente’s Philosophy Department will chair this day: Prof. Dr. Ciano Aydin

This symposium is part of the NWO funded VICI-program: Theorizing Technological Mediation, led by Prof. dr. Ir. Peter Paul Verbeek.

More information will be made available the upcoming month