A few weeks ago, Josepine Fernow wrote an urgent blog post about science and language. She linked to a research debate about conceptual challenges for neuroscience, challenges that arise when ordinary words get specialized uses in science as technically defined terms. In the case under debate, the word “sentience” had been imported into the scientific […]
Continue readingI believe that many of us feel that the climate of human conversation is getting colder, that it is becoming harder for us to talk and get along with each other. Humanity feels colder than in a long time. At the same time, the global challenges are escalating. The meteorological signs speak for a warmer […]
Continue readingResponsible research and innovation, or RRI as it is often called in EU-project language, is both scholarship and practice. Over the last decade, the Human Brain Project Building has used structured and strategic approaches to embed responsible research and innovation practices across the project. The efforts to curate the legacy of this work includes the […]
Continue readingI have to admit that I had a little trouble cracking the code in the article which I will now try to summarize briefly. I hope that the title I have chosen is not already a misunderstanding. Moral philosophy is not easy, but the subject of the article is urgent so I still want to […]
Continue readingEver since I was a doctoral student in philosophy, I have experienced the seminar, usually held once a week, as the heart of the academic environment. Why is the seminar so important? If we are to stick to the etymology of the word, we should use a different image than that of the heart. The […]
Continue readingCancer is a common cause of death among children, but improved treatments have significantly increased survival, especially in high-income countries. A prerequisite for this development is research. When we think of a hospital, we think mainly of the care given to patients there. But care and research are largely developed together in the hospitals. Treatments […]
Continue readingAll communications require a shared language and fruitful discussions rely on conceptual clarity and common terms. Different definitions and divergent nomenclatures is a challenge for science: across different disciplines, between professions and when engaging with different publics. The audience for science communications is diverse. Research questions and results need to be shared within the field, […]
Continue readingSomewhat simplified, we usually understand biomarkers as substances in the body that can be detected, for example, through blood or urine tests, and that indicate a biological state, such as cancers or diabetes. Biomarkers can be used to make a diagnosis, predict disease risks and to monitor an ongoing treatment. Nowadays, people also talk about […]
Continue readingPhilosophers have an ambiguous position in the knowledge society which could support democratic conversations where truth and openness are united. On the one hand, philosophers are driven by a strong desire for the truth. They ask questions more often than they give answers, and they do not give answers until they have thoroughly explored the […]
Continue readingThe neuroethics group at CRB has just started its work as part of a new European research project about artificial awareness. The project is called “Counterfactual Assessment and Valuation for Awareness Architecture” (CAVAA), and is funded for a duration of four years. The consortium is composed of 10 institutions, coordinated by the Radboud University in […]
Continue reading
Recent Comments