Mieke Boon

Mieke Boon (1961) is Full Professor in Philosophy of Science and Technology at the University of Twente. She received a MA degree (cum laude) in Chemical Engineering at Twente University of Technology in 1987, and a PhD degree (cum laude) in Biotechnology at Technical University Delft in 1996. She studied philosophy at Leiden University with special interest in ethics and philosophy of science. Between 1996 and 2000 she coordinated a multi-disciplinary research project on technologies in bacterial sulphur removal.

Her 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. She will argue that such an understanding will contribute to the development of a not yet elaborated field within the philosophy of science and technology. The focus concerns scientific research on complex systems in which interrelated physical, chemical and biological processes occur, such as biochemical and biomedical technologies. The proper 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. Philosophical focus is on the development and use of scientific theories, laws and models in the engineering sciences.