Mieke Boon

Foto: Arjan Reef

Foto: Rinus Baayens

Prof. dr. ir. Mieke Boon

Department of Philosophy

University of Twente

Postbox 217

7500 AE Enschede

telephone: +31-53-4892659

m.boon@utwente.nl

News

Boon Oratie gesproken tekst 10 Mei 2012

Boon Oratieboekje

Photo May 10 2012

Background

Mieke Boon (1961) is a full professor Philosophy of Science in Practice in the Philosophy Department at the University of Twente. This department focusses on the Philosophy of Technology. Boon has a firm background in scientific research in the engineering sciences. In 1987, she received a MSc degree (cum laude) in Chemical Engineering at Twente University of Technology. In 1996, she received a PhD degree (cum laude) in Biotechnology at Technical University Delft. Between 1988 and 1995, she studied philosophy at Leiden University with special interest in history of philosophy, ethics, and philosophy of science. Between 1996 and 2000 she coordinated a multi-disciplinary research project on technologies in bacterial sulphur removal at TUDelft. From 1997 until 2003 she was the chairman of the Animal Use and Care Committee of the Free University of Amsterdam (VU-DEC). At the Philosophy Department of the University of Twente, she teaches “Ethics and Technology”, “Professional Ethics”, “Philosophy of Science”, “Philosophy of Technology”. Between 2003-2008, she has been working with a research grant from the Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO-VIDI beurs in het kader van de Vernieuwingsimpuls van NWO, 2003-2008) on developing a philosophy of engineering sciences. In 2004, she initiated the Female Faculty Network Twente (FFNT), which she chaired until 2006. She is co-chair of the MESA+ research potential SEPA-NST (Societal, Ethical and Philosophical Aspects of NanoScience and Technology) In 2006, she initiated the Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP), of which she is a board member.

Research

My research project entitled “Using science in technology: towards a philosophy of the engineering sciences” aims at a philosophy of engineering sciences that provides a more adequate understanding of the role of science in technology. Its purpose is to contribute to the development of a not yet elaborated field within the philosophy of science and technology.

The focus concerns scientific research of complex systems in which interrelated physical, chemical and biological processes occur, such as biochemical and biomedical technologies. The proper technological design of these advanced technologies calls for scientifically informed approaches. This requires a better understanding of how scientific knowledge is produced that is applicable to these systems. In philosophy of technology, this type of knowledge production has been neglected, probably because up till now focus has been on the design of artefacts and not on industrial processes. A central focus of this work is how scientists in the ‘laboratory sciences’ develop scientific theories, laws and models, instruments and experiments, in particular, on how their reasoning in these practices can be better understood. Several of the themes are: empiricism, phenomena, scientific laws, models, scientific instruments, scientific explanations and understanding, and the construction of models.

Philosophy of Science Workshops for Scientists

Einstein, Bohr and Mach were not only great physicists; they also raised philosophical issues relevant to science. These were about proper scientific methodology, the physical interpretation of theories, and how we have access to the world behind the phenomena. Today, these questions are still important, and also new questions need to be asked. How can we assess the quality of scientific research? Can we specify methodological approaches in the engineering sciences? How are scientific research and technological innovation related? Why is it so difficult to work multi- or inter-disciplinary. How are societal values to be embedded in scientific research? My scientific research has taken a new philosophical approach towards these questions (the approach of philosophy of science in practice), with emphasis on how science is actually done. Of particular interest are methods for constructing models, for the use of instruments, and for merging causal-mechanistic and mathematical approaches in scientific research. Philosophy of science workshops that aim to address these questions, have been organized for PhD students and their supervisors within the Twente Research Institute for Nanotechnology, MESA+. In these three-weekly workshops, we discuss philosophical themes relevant for scientific research, and scientific work of these PhD students.

Refereed publications in philosophy (since 2004)

(abstracts of all refereed articles)

Access to PDF’s of articles through the link Publications at the bottom of this website.

Boon, M. (2012). Understanding Scientific Practices: The Role of Robustness Notions. In: Characterizing the Robustness of Science after the Practical Turn of the Philosophy of Science. L. Soler, E Trizio, Th. Nickles, W. Wimsatt (eds). Springer: Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science. 289-315. http://www.springer.com/philosophy/epistemology+and+philosophy+of+science/book/978-94-007-2758-8?changeHeader

·	Boon, M. (2011). Two Styles of Reasoning in Scientific Practices: Experimental and Mathematical Traditions. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science. 25(3) 255-278.

·	Boon, M. (2011). In Defense of Engineering Sciences. On the Epistemological Relations between Science and Technology. Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology. 15(1): 49-71.

·	Knuuttila T.T. and M. Boon (2011). How do models give us knowledge? The case of Carnot’s ideal heat engine. European Journal Philosophy of Science. 1(3): 309-334.

·	Ankeny, R., H. Chang, M. Boumans and M., Boon. (2011). Introduction: philosophy of science in practice. European Journal Philosophy of Science. 1(3): 303-307.

Boon, M. and T.T. Knuuttila (2011). Breaking up with the Epochal break: The Case of Engineering Sciences. Chapter 6 in: Science Transformed? Debating Claims of an Epochal Break. A. Nordmann, H. Radder and G. Schiemann (eds.). Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh University Press. http://www.upress.pitt.edu/BookDetails.aspx?bookId=36252

·	Boon, M. (2011). Tales of Experimentation. Book Review of Rom Harré’s Pavlov's Dogs and Schrödinger's Cat: Scenes from the living laboratory. Metascience. 20: 159-163.

·	Chang, H., M. Boumans, M. Boon, and R. Ankeny (2010). Report Second Biennial Conference of the Society for the Philosophy of Science in Practice (University of Minnesota, 18-20 June 2009). Journal for General Philosophy of Science. 41(1), 233-235.

·	Boon, M. (2009). Understanding in the engineering sciences: Interpretative structures. In: Scientific Understanding: Philosophical Perspectives. Henk W. de Regt, Sabina Leonelli, and Kai Eigner (eds.) Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh University Press. 249-270

·	Boon, M. and T.T. Knuuttila (2009). Models as Epistemic Tools. In: Engineering Sciences: A Pragmatic Approach. in: Handbook of the Philosophy of Science. Volume 9: Philosophy of Technology and Engineering, Anthonie Meijers (ed.), Amsterdam, Elsevier Science: 687-720.

·	Boon, M. 2009, Instruments in Science and Technology. In: A Companion to Philosophy of Technology, Jan-Kyrre Berg Olsen, Stig Andur Pedersen, Vincent F. Hendricks (eds.), Blackwell Companions to Philosophy Series, Blackwell Publishers. 78-84.

·	Boon, M. (2008). Diagrammatic models in the engineering sciences. Foundations of Science. 13: 127-142.

·	Boon, M. 2006. How Science is applied in Technology. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science. 20(1): 27-47.

·	Bod, R.; Boon, M., Boumans, M. 2006. Introduction to the Symposium ‘Applying Science’, International Studies in the Philosophy of Science. 20(1): 1-4.

·	Boon, M. 2004. Comments on Thompson: Research Ethics for animal biotechnology. In: Ethics for life scientists, M. Korthals & R.J. Bogers (eds.) Springer. 121-125.

·	Boon, M. 2004. Technological instruments in scientific experimentation. International studies in the philosophy of science. 18(2&3): 221-230.

Recent or upcoming international papers in Philosophy of Science

·	June 20-22^nd, 2011. Conference paper: ‘Same Conditions—Same Effects’ as a regulative principle in experimental practices. Paper presented at Third biennial conference SPSP 2011, Exeter, UK.

·	July 19-26^nd, 2011. Conference paper: Why do we need phenomena? What we can learn from the engineering sciences. Paper presented at 14th Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, CLMPS 2011, Nancy, France.

·	August 19-21st, 2011. Conference paper: CaEiT2011: Scientist meets philosophy: We need explanation, but not all explanation is causal. Paper presented at CaEit2011: Causality and Explanation in the Sciences, Gent, Belgium.

·	October 5-8th, 2011. Conference paper: Creating and optimizing technological functions in the engineering sciences: do we need use-plans? In the Symposium: Technical Functions and Artefacts in Philosophy. At EPSA2011, Athens, Greece.

·	February 16-20th, 2012. Conference paper: Learning Research - History and Philosophy of Science for the Engineering Sciences. Contribution to the workshop Making Better Scientists: Philosophy of Science in Practice at the 2012 AAAS Annual Meeting, 16-20 February, Vancouver, Canada.

Work in Progress in Philosophy of Science

Boon, M. (forthcoming). Scientific concepts in the engineering sciences: Epistemic Tools for Creating and Intervening with Phenomena. In: Scientific Concepts and Investigative Practice U. Feest and F. Steinle (eds.). Berlin, New York: Walter De Gruyter GMBH & CO. KG, Series: Berlin Studies in Knowledge Research.

·	Boon, M. (forthcoming). Beyond Contingency and Inevitability – ‘Same Conditions, Same Effects’ as Rock-Bottom for What Scientific Practices Can Do. In: Contingency - Science as it could have been. Léna Soler, et.al. (eds.)

·	Boon, M. (forthcoming). Why do we need phenomena? What we can learn from the engineering sciences. Paper presented at 14th Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, CLMPS 2011, Nancy, France.

·	Boon, M. (forthcoming). Empirical knowledge: ‘Same conditions – same effects’ as a regulative principle in experimental practices. Paper presented at the Third biennial conference SPSP 2011, Exeter, UK.

Refereed publications in Biochemical Technology (1992-2001)

·	Boon M., Meeder T.A., Heijnen J.J., Luyben K.Ch.A.M. 1992. Influence of oxygen adsorption on the dynamic k_La measurement in three-phase slurry reactors. Biotechnol.Bioeng. 40 (9) p. 1097-1106.

·	Hooijmans C.M., Stoop M.L., Boon M. , Luyben K.C.A.M. 1992. Comparison of two experimental methods for the determination of Michaelis Menten kinetics of an immobilized enzyme. Biotechnol.Bioeng. 40 (1) p. 16-24.

Boon M., Heijnen J.J. 1993. Mechanisms and rate limiting steps in bioleaching of sphalerite, chalcopyrite and pyrite with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Biohydrometallurgical Technologies Vol I, A.E.Torma, J.E.Wey and V.L.Lakshmanan (Eds.). The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, Warrendale , PA (1993). Proc. Int. Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Jackson, Wyoming, USA , (August 1993), p. 217-236.

Boon M., Heijnen J.J., Hansford G.S. 1994. Recent developments in modelling bio-oxidation kinetics, Part I: Measurement methods. Minerals Bioprocessing II, Proceedings of Engineering Foundation Conference, Salt Lake City (July 1994), D.S.Holmes and R.W.Smith (Eds.) The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 1995. p. 41-63

Boon M, Hansford G.S., Heijnen J.J. 1994. Recent developments in modelling bio-oxidation kinetics, Part II: Kinetic modelling of the bio-oxidation of sulphide minerals in terms of the critical sub-processes involved. Minerals Bioprocessing II, Proceedings of Engineering Foundation Conference, Salt Lake City (July 1994), D.S.Holmes and R.W.Smith (Eds.) The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 1995. p. 63-82

Boon M., Hansford G.S., Heijnen J.J. 1995. The role of bacterial ferrous iron oxidation in the bio-oxidation of pyrite. In: Biohydrometallurgical Processing, Vol I, Proceedings of International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Vina del Mar , Chile (November 1995). T. Vargas , C.A. Jerez , J.V. Wiertz and H. Toledo (Eds.), University of Chile , Santiago , 153-163.

·	Boon M. 1996. Theoretical and experimental methods in the modelling of bio-oxidation kinetics of sulphide minerals. PhD thesis October 1996 TUDelft, The Netherlands ISBN 90-9009825-9, 453 p.

·	Boon M., Heijnen J.J., Hansford G.S. 1998. The mechanism and kinetics of bioleaching sulphide minerals. Min. Pro. Ext. Met. Rev. 19 p. 107-115.

·	Boon M., Luyben K.Ch.A.M., Heijnen J.J. 1998. The use of on-line off-gas analyses and stoichiometry in the bio-oxidation kinetics of sulphide minerals. Hydrometallurgy 48 (2) p. 1-26.

·	Boon M., Heijnen J.J. 1998. Chemical oxidation kinetics of pyrite in bioleaching processes, Hydrometallurgy 48 (1) p. 27-41.

·	Boon M., Snijder M., Hansford G.S., Heijnen J.J. 1998. The oxidation kinetics of zinc sulphide with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Hydrometallurgy 48 (2) p. 171-186.

·	Boon M., J.J. Heijnen 1998. Gas-liquid mass transfer phenomena in bio-oxidation experiments of sulphide minerals: A critical review of literature data. Hydrometallurgy 48 (2) p. 187-204.

·	Scherpenzeel D.A. van, Boon M. , Ras C., Hansford G.S., Heijnen J.J. 1998. Kinetics of ferrous iron oxidation by Leptospirillum Bacteria in continuous cultures, Biotechnol. Prog. 14 p. 425-433.

·	Boon M., Meeder T.A., Thöne C., Ras C., Heijnen J.J. 1999. The ferrous iron oxidation kinetics of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in continuous cultures. Appl. Microb. Biotechnol. 51 (6) p. 820-826.

·	Boon M., Ras C., Heijnen J.J. 1999. The ferrous iron oxidation kinetics of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in batch cultures. Appl. Microb. Biotechnol. 51 (6) p. 813-819.

·	Boon M., Brasser H.J., Hansford G.S., Heijnen J.J. 1999. Comparison of the oxidation kinetics of different pyrites in the presence of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans or Leptospirillum ferrooxidans. Hydrometallurgy 53 (1) p. 57-72

·	Boon M. 2000. Bioleaching of sulfide minerals. Chapter 5 in: Environmental technologies to treat sulfur pollution, principles and Engineering P. Lens, Hulshoff Pol L. (eds.), IAWQ Publ., London

·	Boon M. 2001. The mechanism of ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ bacterial oxidation of sulphide minerals. Hydrometallurgy 62 (1) p 67-70.

·	Boon M., Heijnen J.J., 2001. Solid liquid mass transfer limitation of ferrous iron in the chemical oxidation of FeS₂ at high redox potentials. Hydrometallurgy 62 (1) p. 57-66.

Publications in The Netherlands (since 2003)

Book

Mieke Boon en Peter Henk Steenhuis (2009)

Filosofie van het Kijken – Kunst in ander Perspectief

Rotterdam, Lemniscaat (256 pages) ISBN 9789-0477-0028-9.

·	Philosophy of Looking – Philosophical Background

·	Filosofie van het Kijken – Inleiding

·	Filosofie van het Kijken in Media

·	Boekbespreking Filosofie van het Kijken

Op basis van een serie van 27 artikelen in “Het dagblad Trouw” (2004-2009). Mieke Boon en Peter Henk Steenhuis.

Articles

·	Boon, M. (2011). Meer dan kennis: begrijpen in de wetenschap (Introductie bij thema-nummer Wetenschappelijk begrijpen). Wijsgerig Perspectief. 51(2): 4-5

·	Boon, M (2011). Wetenschappelijk begrijpen: Structureren en conceptualiseren. Wijsgerig Perspectief. 51(2): 32-39.

·	Boon, M. 2009.Een utopie voor het onderwijs. in: Hier en nu in ver verschiet. Utopische reflecties – Honoursprogramma Universiteit Twente, University of Twente Honours Programme University Press. Henk Procee (ed.). ISBN 978-90-365-2883-2. pp. 258-268.

·	Boon M. en Henk Procee 2009. Spinoza en Stevin: over fundamentele en toegepaste wetenschap. In: Kunst en Wetenschap, jrg 18, nr 4, p.11 en 12, ISSN 0927-3506, 2009

·	Boon, M. 2009.Grote Vraagstukken – Wetenschap in Praktijk. in: Wetenschap en Werkelijkheid – Honoursprogramma Universiteit Twente, University of Twente Honours Programme University Press. Henk Procee (ed.). ISBN978-90-813906 1-3, pp. 124-136.

·	Boon, M. 2008. Lezing: Wat zijn natuurwetten eigenlijk voor dingen? Bestaan ze? Zijn ze waar? Geven ze verklaringen? Arago Symposium, Mind, Matter and Meaning, Universiteit Twente. 26 November 2008

·	Boon, M. 2007. Boekbespreking: Snippers in ons hoofd. Bespreking van: Kwa, Chunglin, De ontdekking van het weten: een andere geschiedenis van wetenschap. Filosofie en Praktijk, jrg. 28, 2: 54-58.

·	Boon, M. 2006. Innovation as Iconoclasm/Innovatie als Beeldenstorm. in: Ineke Baas and Henk Procee (eds), 202020; University Twente in Twenty Forecasts. Published by Faculty Club Foundation Press University of Twente. ISBN 90-365-2426-1. pp. 42-56.

·	Boon, M. 2004. Morele grenzen aan DEC’s. in: DEC’s in discussie. De beoordeling van dierproeven in Nederland. J. Swart, J. Wolters & H. Zwart (eds.), Damon, the Netherlands. 79-89.

·	Boon Mieke 2003. Filosofie van ingenieurswetenschappen. ANTW, 95(3): 190-198.

·	Boon, M., 2003. Onderzoeksproject Filosofie van de Ingenieurswetenschappen. Filosofie, 13(2): 41.

Academic Boards

·	Board member of the NFWT: Dutch Flemish Network Philosophy of Science and Technology. Since 2003

·	Board member Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP). Since 2005.

·	Member of MESA+ Adviesraad, UTwente. See annual report 2006 of MESA+ p 43-44 on. Since 2006

Professional Boards

·	Chairman of the working group Ethiek en Techniek afdeling Filosofie KIvI: a two-weekly study group on ethics and technology. 1989-1993

·	Chairman of the Animal Use and Care Committee at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU-DEC). 1997-2003

·	Board member of the Redactie commissie (editorial board) Studium Generale TUDelft . 1998- 2000

·	Board member of the national committee alternatives for animal experiments (Programma commissie alternatieven voor dierproeven, ZON/MW), which advices about animal experiments and assesses research proposals concerning alternatives for animal experiments submitted at ZON/MW. December 2001-2006

·	Chairman of Female Faculty Network Twente (FFNT). UTwente. 2005 – 2006

·	Board member of the Ambassadors network “instroom en doorstroom van vrouwen aan de UT”, UTwente. Since 2006

·	Board member of Stichting Faculty Club Universiteit Twente. Since 2006

Research Awards and Prizes

·	Dutch National Science Foundation. NWO Vernieuwingsimpuls. Vidi project 2003-2008 A philosophy for the engineering sciences”

·	1998: TUD Essayprijs Ethiek en Techniek.for Chapter 8 of PhD thesis: Philosophical images in applied scientific research.

·	2009: Science Communication Prize. Faculty of Behavioural Studies, University of Twente.

·	2011. NWO Aspasia award.

Fellowships and Scholarships

·	Visiting scholar. Department of the History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge University, United Kingdom. January-March 2006 (two month):

·	Research fellow. The Interdisciplinary project “Science in the Context of Application: Structuring the Research Process” (Professor Martin Carrier, Alfred Nordman, et al), University of Bielefeld, ZIF, Zentrum fur Interdisziplinare Forshung. Bielefeld (Germany). 2006-2007.

·	Visiting scholar. School for Policy Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia, USA. February-March 2009 (two month):

·	Visiting scholar. Humanities Department at California Institute of Technology, California, USA. September-October 2009 (two month).

·	Associate member of PratiScienS group. Laboratoire d'Histoire des Sciences et de Philosophie Archives Henri Poincaré, University of Nancy, France Since January 2008.

·	Guest professor. Department of Science Studies, Aarhus University Denmark. 2010 (4 month).

Teaching

v	Philosophy of Science (MSc) (161253)

v	Philosophy of Engineering: Science and Ethics (MSc) (161604)

v	Beroepsverantwoordelijkheid van de ingenieur (BA) (161606)

v	Honours Class (BA): Wetenschap in Praktijk (124902)

v	KNAW Excellence Class EWI (MSc): History and philosophy of Science

Supervised MSc Theses (PSTS)

·	Pauline Fransen 2002. Koude drukte. Een analyse van het klimaatdebat aan de hand van The Skeptical Environmentalist van Bjørn Lomborg. WWTS, Faculteit Gedragswetenschappen, Universiteit Twente.

·	Manon Kok, June 2007. Causale verklaringen in Kwantummechanische Experimenten. WWTS, Faculteit Gedragswetenschappen, Universiteit Twente.

·	Edgar Schwandt, December 2007. Strategy of Experimentation in Application-driven Research. WWTS, Faculteit Gedragswetenschappen, Universiteit Twente.

·	Moes Wagenaar, Augustus 2008. Simulatie in de Filosofie. WWTS, Faculteit Gedragswetenschappen, Universiteit Twente.

·	Lizanne van Ommeren, Mei 2011. Phenomena in Engineering Science. PSTS, Faculteit Gedragswetenschappen, Universiteit Twente.

▪ Publication list

▪ Structureren en interpreteren Kennis maken met filosofie