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Dr. S. van der Burg

Background

Simone van der Burg is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Twente. She received a PhD at the Free University in Amsterdam for her dissertation In kritisch gezelschap (in critical company), on the role of criticism in ethics based on practices (2007). She studied philosophy also at the Free University and the University of Notre Dame (USA), and did the postdoctoral school of journalism in Rotterdam (diploma: 1996). Between 2001 and 2006 she worked as an assistant professor of ethics and technology at the technical university of Eindhoven (2001-2006) and Delft. Since 2005 she is editorial coordinator of Wijsgerig Perspectief, a philosophical journal about actual political and societal issues in the Netherlands. Between 1996 and 2002 she worked as a script-writer for an international educational television course on philosophy Denken Doorzien by Teleac/NOT, and as a free lance journalist for various newspapers and magazines Simone is married to Arjen Slagboom and has two sons: Job (2004) and Mendel (2009).

Research

Simone van der Burg is currently involved in embedded ethical research in the context of scientific engineering researchat the Institute for Biomedical Technology in Twente. As an ethicist she follows the research of biophysicists which is conducive to the development of two medical devices: a photoacoustic mammography for the non-invasive detection of breast cancer and an acousto-optic device for the non-invasive monitoring of chemical substances in the blood, such as oxygen and glucose. Her research has two aims: (1) to make an inventory of the morally relevant characteristics of the technologies that are researched, and think about the ways in which ethicists could deal with them, and (2) to advise STW (part of NWO and responsible for the public funding of engineering science in the Netherlands) about how to control the ethical value of technology research.

Themes of interest are the relation between empirical and ethical research, the role of the ethicist in technology research, moral imagination of the future of technology, social (collective) responsibility, the relation between tradition, conservatism and innovation.

Selection of publications

Books:

2007 Burg, Simone van der, In kritisch gezelschap, dissertation, Free University, Amsterdam

2006 Burg, Simone van der (editor), Walhalla: is er nog plek voor idealen?, Uitgeverij International Theatre & Film Books, Het Zuidelijk Toneel, Amsterdam/Eindhoven

1999 Burg, Simone van der, Denken doorzien I, Teleac/NOT, Hilversum

Articles in international (refereed) journals:

2009 Boenink, Marianne and Simone van der Burg, Informed decision making about predictive DNA tests; arguments for more public visibility of personal deliberations about the good life, (forthcoming: accepted in Medicine, health care and philosophy)

2009 Burg, Simone van der, Looking at the soft impacts of technology (forthcoming: accepted in Social Epistemology)

2008 Burg, Simone van der, Imagining the Future of Photoacoustic Mammography.  Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol 15, issue 1, p. 97-111.

2005 Burg, Simone van der and Gorp, A. van. ‘Understanding moral responsibility in the design of trailers’. Science and Engineering Ethics, 11-2, 235-256

2005 Burg, Simone van der and Poel, I.R. van der. ‘Teaching ethics and technology with Agora, an electronic tool. Science and Engineering Ethics’, 11-2, 277-298

National (refereed) journals:

2008 Bookreview about Mark Coeckelbergh, Imagination and principles: an essay on the role of imagination in moral reasoning, Algemeen Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Wijsbegeerte, jrg. 100, nr. 3, p. 251-253

2003 ‘Naar een functionele notie van het morele oordeel’. Algemeen Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Wijsbegeerte, 95-2, 100-110

2000 ‘Internalisme in de gesitueerde ethiek’, Algemeen Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Wijsbegeerte, jg.92, nr.3, p.209-217

2000 Burg, Simone van der, Bookreview about Tonja van den Ende, In levende lijven, Tijdschrift voor Humanistiek, Nr. 2, p. 89/90

1999, Burg, Simone van der, Bookreview about Th. Schuyt and M. Steketee (eds.), Zorgethiek: ruimte binnen regels, Praktische Humanistiek, Nr. 2, p. 156/158

1997 Burg, Simone van der, Bookreview about Marian Verkerk (ed.), Denken over zorg, Praktische Humanistiek, nr 2, p. 60/61

Contributions to books:

2010 Burg, Simone van der, Ethical imagination: broadening laboratory deliberations, In: Roeser, Sabine (ed.), Emotions about Risky Technologies, Series ‘International Library of Ethics, Law and Technology’, Springer (forthcoming)

2010 Burg, Simone van der, Shaping the societal impacts of engineering sciences; a reflection on the role of public funding agencies. Proceedings of The future of social sciences and humanities conference, 22-23 oct 2009, Brussels, Belgium

2006 Burg, Simone van der, ‘Een ethiek van kleine idealen’. In: Walhalla: is er nog plek voor idealen? Uitgeverij International Theatre & Film Books, Het Zuidelijk Toneel, Amsterdam/Eindhoven, pp.209-225

2005 Burg, Simone van der, Emoties en kwetsbaarheid; een inleiding in de emotietheorie van Martha Nussbaum. In M.van Reijen , Emoties - van stoïcijnse apatheia tot heftige liefde, Klement/Pelckmans, pp. 205-219

2005 Burg, Simone van der, Martha Nussbaum. In H. Achterhuis, J. Sperna Weiland, S. Teppema, J. de Visscher , Denkers van nu, Diemen: Veen Magazines B.V. pp. 409-423

2000 Burg, Simone van der, ‘Schrijfdilemma’s. In: O. Crapels, E. Karssing (red.), Filosoof in praktijk, Assen, Van Gorcum

Work in progress:

Burg, Simone van der What problem? Whose responsibility? Reflections on the detection of ethical problems in contexts of scientific engineering

Other publications (selection)

2007 Burg, Simone van der (ed.), Ethiek en kunst, Wijsgerig perspectief

2007 Burg, Simone van der, Zijn er waarden in de wereld?, Wijsgerig perspectief, pp. 2-9

2007 Burg, Simone van der, Meesterschap over het lot; inspiratie uit Martha Nussbaums werk voor ethiek van de technologie, Filosofie, 17:5, pp. 18-27

2007 Burg, Simone van der, De moed om censuur aan de orde te stellen, De redactie (essay bij de prijs voor de moedigste journalist)

2007 Burg, Simone van der, Leren kijken naar het lijden, Filosofie Magazine 5, p. 56-58

2007 Burg, Simone van der, Wees niet bang voor bevoogding, Filosofie Magazine 4, p.44-492005 Burg, Simone van der, Van baan naar baan maakt onverschillig. Trouw, 9 november

2005 Burg, Simone van der, Emotieloze politiek is onaanvaardbaar, Bres, april, p.14-17

2003 Burg, Simone van der and Christian Illies, VS geven zelf argumenten tegen oorlog. Trouw, 14 februari 2003 Burg, Simone van der, Identiteit is niet belangrijk, NRC Handelsblad,15 oktober

2001 Burg, Simone van der, De geest is de plaats voor een worsteltoernooi. Essay about the philosophy of Iris Murdoch, Filosofie Magazine, nr.5

2001 Burg, Simone van der, Hoe word ik vandaag een vrouw?, Filosofie Magazine,nr.3

2000 Burg, Simone van der, De jurk van Marilyn; lichaam als bron van identiteit en stigmatisering. Essay, Filosofie Magazine, nr.1

2000 Burg, Simone van der, Het doet er niet toe of die interventie legitiem is’. Interview met Michael Walzer over de wortels van een internationale moraal, Filosofie Magazine, nr. 71999, Burg, Simone van der, Over de grens van het eigenbelang. Essay over de kleine ethiek van Paul Ricoeur, Filosofie Magazine, nr 6

1999, Burg, Simone van der, Emoties zijn gevoelige gedachten. Interview met Martha Nussbaum over menselijke eigenschappen, Filosofie Magazine, nr. 3

Lectures (selection):2009 Invited lecture to be given at the STIR-workshop (Socio-technical integration research) organized by Erik Fisher, Arizona State University, USA

2008 Invited lecture given in the Interdisciplinary Lecture Series at the University of North Texas (November 2008)

2008 Sound-light technologies and skin-colour, lecture in the Bioethics and Film session, Conference on film and history, Chicago October 2008

2008 Ethical timing, lecture at EASST, Acting with Science, Technology and Medicine, Rotterdam August 2008

2008 Practices and scenarios, lecture at the workshop on Future scenarios, Twente August 2008

2008 Posterpresentation at the symposium Highlights in biomedical technology BMTI, Twente, November 2008

2008 Scientific research as a practice’, lecture at symposium Technology and Religion, organized by the Workgroup of Modern Theologians, Amersfoort, November 2008

2007 A virtuous perception of risk, conference about Moral emotions and risky technology, TU Delft

2007 Technologie en onzekerheid, Bilthovense kring voor wijsbegeerte en psychologie

2005/2006 Cours: Emotietheorie van Martha Nussbaum, Internationale school voor wijsbegeerte

2005 Responsibility and the design of trailers, TU Delft

2005 Een praktijkbenadering van ethiek van de techniek, Technische Hogeschool, Utrecht

2001 Taking criticism seriously, conference on Moral agency and moral action, University of Leeds

2001 Vulnerability and practice, conference on philosophy in practice, University of Olso

2001 Non-lineair argumentation in practical ethics, conference Basic Beliefs, Free University, Amsterdam

Popular presentations

2008 Melancholia, interviews with John Heyman and Cherry Duyns, Felix en Sofie, philosophical café Amsterdam

2006 On Hannah Arendt, Felix en Sofie, philosophical café Amsterdam

2004 Alasdair MacIntyre and practices, philosophical café VE90, Amsterdam

2002 Debater in a debate on multiculturalism, University of Humanistics

From 1998 to 2001 Simone van der Burg was involved in the organization of the philosophical café Hofman’s vertellingen in Utrecht. Here she organized many debates, for example on conservatism, informed consent in medical care contexts, transhumanism etc… And she did interviews with (amongst others) Martha Nussbaum, Judith Butler, Heddy Honigmann, Esther Gerritsen, Desanne van Brederode etc…

Other academic activities

2009 Co-organization of workshop ‘Research funding and the good life’ with Prof. dr. Robert Frodeman (University of North Texas, USA), March 17/18 2009 at the University of Twente. Included guests: Steve Fuller (University of Warwick, UK), Brian Wynne (CSEC, Lancaster, UK), Carl Mitcham (Colorado School of Mines, USA), René von Schomberg (European Commission, Belgium), John Weckert (CAPPE, Australia), Britt Holbrook (University of North Texas)

2009 Organization of a Ceptes colloquium with Klaus Hoeyer (University of Copenhagen) at the University of Twente

2008 Invited two-day ethics course for European PhD-students in technology taught at IDEA League Summer School, 2008 Development of two modules for courses on ethics of technology for PhD students in technology (on future scenarios, and on research groups and networks). (2008) These modules are funded by STW, and are part of a reservoir of course-material coordinated by Ibo van de Poel.

2008 Involvement as a tutor in a research project of students in Technical Medicine, (2008), University of Twente

2008 Teaching of a class on future scenarios, University of Twente

2008 Invited course given at the International School of Philosophy (ISVW), about imagination and ethics of technology

2007 and 2006 Invited course given at the International School of Philosophy (ISVW), about Martha Nussbaum’s theory of emotion

2006 (starting in 2002) Participation in the set-up and development of Agora; an electronic tool for ethics of technology classes, Eindhoven University of Technology

2006 (Starting in 2002) Development and teaching of yearly ethics 2 course-series in ethics of technology for advanced students, Eindhoven University of Technology

2006 (Starting in 2004) Development and teaching of yearly ethics course-series for students in technical management, Eindhoven University of Technology

2006 (Starting in 2002) Development and teaching of yearly ethics 1 course-series in ethics of technology for starting students, Eindhoven University of Technology

2006 (Starting in 2002)Development and teaching of yearly course-series on the writing of normative essays for students in technology

2003 Participation in the set-up of the honours-track for good scoring students, Delft University of Technology

2003 Teaching of ethics of technology class for students in theoretical physics, Delft University of Technology

2003 Teaching of ethics of technology class for chemical engineers, Delft University of Technology

2002 (Starting in 1999) Development and teaching of a yearly introductory course-series on ethics, University of Humanistics

2002 (Starting in 2000) Development and teaching of a yearly course-series on Ethics of care

2002 (Starting in 2000) Development and teaching of yearly course-sries on Heidegger’s Sein und Zeit, University of Humanistics

2002 (Starting in 1999) Development and teaching of a yearly course-series on academic writing, University of Humanistics

Making of films as course material

1999 Involvement as a script-writer in the making of Denken Doorzien, a series of 12 courses about philosophy, broadcasted on television by Teleac/NOT (also released in Sweden and in the USA)

1995 Work as a scriptwriter for a documentary on friendship as a virtue, Free University

1994 Work as a scriptwriter of a documentary on praying, Salto