Book launch Philosophy and Engineering

Wanneer:

1 april 2010,14:30 uur

- 18:00 uur

Type activiteit:Bijeenkomst

Organisator:KIVI

Omschrijving

What has philosophy to do with engineering? Engineering is about numbers, hard science and tangible constructions with no room for vague philosophical discussions, or isn’t it? Engineering is also about creativity, innovation, values and improving the world. On the occasion of the appearance of the book Philosophy and Engineering: An Emerging Agenda, two renowned engineers will be speaking about why they think that philosophy matters for engineers. David E. Goldberg is Jerry S. Dobrovolny Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurial Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and a world leader in genetic algorithms. He is also co-founder and co-director of the Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education (iFoundry). Recently his attention has turned to the intersection of philosophy and engineering and he is co-editor of the book that will be launched. Sybrand van der Zwaag is professor of novel aerospace materials at TU Delft. He is involved in teaching engineering ethics and contributed to the book. Patricia Osseweijer (professor science communication TU Delft and KIVI NIRIA) and Jeroen van den Hoven (professor moral philosophy TU Delft and scientific director 3TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology) will comment on their presentations. President Jan Dekker of The Royal Institute of Engineers in the Netherlands KIVI NIRIA will receive a copy of the book.

About the book:
Ibo van de Poel, and David E. Goldberg (eds.) 2010. Philosophy and Engineering: An Emerging Agenda. Dordrecht: Springer.
Whereas science, technology, and medicine have all called forth dedicated philosophical investigations, a fourth major contributor to the technoscientific world in which we all live - that is, engineering - has been accorded almost none of the philosophical attention it deserves. This volume thus offers a first characterization of this important new field, by some of the primary philosophers and ethicists interested in engineering and leading engineers interested in philosophical reflections. The volume deals with such questions as: What is engineering? In what respect does engineering differ from science? What ethical problems does engineering raise? By what ethical principles are engineers guided? How do engineers themselves conceive of their profession? What do they see as the main philosophical challenges confronting them in the 21st century? The authors respond to these and other questions from philosophical and engineering view points and so illustrate how together they can meet the challenges and realize the opportunities present in the necessary encounters between philosophy and engineering - encounters that are ever more important in an increasingly engineered world and its problematic futures.
This is the first volume in the new Springer book series Philosophy of Engineering and Technology. For more information, see http://www.springer.com/series/8657

14.30 Coffee/tea
15.00 Jan Dekker; welcome
15.10 David E. Goldberg; 3 Reasons Why Philosophy Should Matter to Engineers
15.35 Reply by Jeroen van den Hoven
15.50 Discussion
16.00 Break
16.10 Sybrand van der Zwaag
16.30 Reply by Patricia Osseweijer
16.45 Discussion
17.00 Ibo van de Poel
17.15 Drinks

Spreker(s)

- Jan Dekker (President The Royal Institute of Engineers in the Netherlands KIVI NIRIA)
- David E. Goldberg (Jerry S. Dobrovolny Distinguished Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
- Jeroen van den Hoven (professor moral philosophy TU Delft and scientific director 3TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology)
- Sybrand van der Zwaag (professor novel aerospace Materials TU Delft)
- Patricia Osseweijer (professor science communication TU Delft and KIVI-NIRIA)
- Ibo van de Poel (associate professor ethics and technology TU Delft and Fellow at the Netherlands Institute of Advanced Studies)