Students will acquire the ability to: - articulate and reflect on the tacit metaphysics embedded in scientific research, i.e. the views of nature and human existence produced by scientific research as part of the scientific world view
- to critically assess this implicit worldview in terms of fascination and concern
- to analyse and assess key publications written by prominent contemporary scientists (such as Venter and Church) in terms of the implicit metaphysics at work in these documents
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Contemporary science entails (implicitly or explicitly) a world view, a basic understanding of nature, life, matter and human existence. In other words, scientific research challenges the way we see our world as well as ourselves on a very fundamental level. The outcomes of scientific research have implications for our world-view, our basic understanding of nature, that cannot be ignored.
This notably applies to current large-scale research programmes concerning the basic structure, dynamics and constituents of life and matter. The objective of the course is the articulate, assess and challenge these basic meta-scientific / meta-physical views that are inherent in contemporary research practices. Topics:
- The worldviews and visions of nature inherent in contemporary science
- The implications of contemporary science for how we see ourselves as human beings
- Notably: the implications of science for our understanding of the relationship between humans and animals, between human existence and life in general
- The impact of science and technology on the history of life and the future of our world
Special attention will be given to scientists who played an active role in the dialogue between science and metaphysics, from Erwin Schrödinger up to contemporary scientists such as Craig Venter and George Church who not only display an intense interest in the dialogue between science, philosophy and society, but who also convey quite outspoken and controversial views about the vision of nature and life propagated by contemporary research.
This year, we will especially focus on synthetic biology as a converging, emerging and enabling field.Specific items (what is life?, synthetic cells, industrial microbes, transporting life to other planets / terraforming Mars, post-evolution)
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