Author: Peter-Paul Verbeek

Peter-Paul Verbeek (1970) is full professor of Philosophy of Technology and co-director of the DesignLab of the University of Twente, The Netherlands. He is also honorary professor of Techno-Anthropology at Aalborg University, Denmark. Verbeek's research focuses on the philosophy of human-technology relations, and aims to contribute to philosophical theory, ethical reflection, and practices of design and innovation. His publications include Moralizing Technology: Understanding and Designing the Morality of Things (University of Chicago Press, 2011) and What Things Do: Philosophical Reflections on Technology, Agency, and Design (Penn State University Press, 2005).

New article: Transcendence in Technology

~ Peter-Paul Verbeek

According to Max Weber, the “fate of our times” is characterized by a “disenchantment of the world.” The scientific ambition of rationalization and intellectualization, as well as the attempt to master nature through technology, will greatly limit experiences of and openness for the transcendent, i.e. that which is beyond our control. Insofar as transcendence is … Continue reading New article: Transcendence in Technology

New article: Beyond Checklists – Toward an Ethical-Constructive Technology Assessment

~ Peter-Paul Verbeek

in: Journal of Responsible Innovation by: Asle H. Kiran, Nelly Oudshoorn & Peter-Paul Verbeek While many technology assessments (TAs) formally conducted by TA organizations in Europe and the USA have examined the implications of new technologies for ‘quantifiable risks’ regarding safety, health or the environment, they have largely ignored the ethical implications of those technologies. Recently, … Continue reading New article: Beyond Checklists – Toward an Ethical-Constructive Technology Assessment

Connecting the Dots: conference of the Dutch Council for the Environment and Infrastructure

~ Peter-Paul Verbeek

Friday Jan 30, 2015: Connecting the dots - an online interactive conference on technology, environment and infrastructure. Drones, 4D printing, DNA-sequencing, lab-on-a-chip, synthetic biology and artificial intelligence are just a few examples of disruptive innovations in food, mobility and buildings. They will inevitably interact, creating new dynamics and challenging society and governments. But what exactly … Continue reading Connecting the Dots: conference of the Dutch Council for the Environment and Infrastructure