Stephen Rainey

I’m from Ireland, and have worked in Ireland, Belgium, London, Leicester, Oxford, and the Netherlands. My interests include philosophy of mind and language, science, and theories of governance. All of this is based in a basic affinity for philosophy of language, from Austin, Grice, Strawson, through Quine, Davidson, and into Brandom and Habermas. These background interests help to shape a widely applicable analytic approach for examination of how artifacts and practices operate as systems of meaning, or significance, in small scale use cases or larger contexts of philosophical-anthropological relevance. More generally, in practice, this approach helps facilitate an openness to inter- and multi- disciplinary engagement that has been fruitful in my research and in teaching.

My research

I’m a philosopher working primarily on neurotechnology, neurodata, and mind. I use the analysis of technology concepts and uses, mostly in the neurotechnology sphere, to develop critical accounts of technology and what it means for human beings. I’ve worked in a variety of European research projects since 2011, mainly covering ethical governance of new and emerging technologies, understanding evolving concepts of the human brain, and the development of neurotechnologies in rehabilitation and enhancement.

I have written a book called Philosophical Perspectives on Brain Data. This book philosophically examines basic neuroscientific research, right up to consumer applications in neurotechnology, and covers the intersections between neuroscience, data science, artificial intelligence, rationality, and applications of technology in sensitive human contexts like psychiatry.