Health, science and society

What ethical norms should guide medical practices, health priorities, emerging health technologies, and research in the life sciences?

What does it mean to be healthy? What factors are involved in the development and categorisation of mental disorders? How should we confront and understand aging and mortality? What steps should we take to control infectious disease outbreaks? What role do values play in science, scientific advice and science-based policy? These are just some of the questions we are concerned with at the nexus of health, science and society. We're interested how to understand health, what is involved in science, and the interactions between both and society.

Theme coordinator: Lucie White.

Some key publications within this theme

Below is a list of some key publications by our researchers within this theme. Full publication lists can be found through individual researchers' staff pages.

Work with external organisations within this theme

We are currently working with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) on establishing an "Ethics Hub" – providing consultation, training and opportunities for ethical deliberation, and undertaking joint research. We also provide training and consultation for a variety of other external organisations. Many of our members serve as ethical advisors to external projects and organisations (each researcher's personal staff page lists any external advisory roles).

Societal engagement within this theme

We regularly take part in activities aimed at a broader audience, such as podcasts, op-eds or talks at festivals such as Brainwash and Betweter. We host a regular Philosophy Café (usually in Dutch). Each year, together with Studium Generale, we organise the Utrecht Day of Philosophy.