Postdoc Epistemology of Moral Technology | TU

Technologies increasingly shape the moral landscape of our societies. In response, approaches such as Design for Values (DfV) and Value Sensitive Design seek to embed moral values like privacy, justice, and sustainability directly into the design process. But while DfV has many methods for eliciting what people currently value, it offers virtually no guidance regarding which values are the right ones to design for, which means designers risk baking harmful or mistaken values into the technologies we all live with.

This project, Techno-Moral Experience and the Foundations of Design for Values (TechnoMoralXP), tackles that gap head-on by building a moral epistemology for DfV. Its guiding idea is that our emotional and perceptual encounters with morally significant situations—moral experiences—are central to justified moral judgement, and can be harnessed in design.

As the WP1 postdoc, you develop lead the project's philosophical foundations. Working closely with Dr James Hutton and Prof. Ibo van de Poel, you will:

• develop a new conceptualisation of techno-moral experiences and distinguish them from neighbouring notions;
• analyse the epistemic roles such experiences can play in justifying design decisions and investigate their limitations;
• integrate your work with that of WP2, where a second postdoc builds a practical design toolkit based on your findings.

You will publish in leading ethics and technology-ethics journals; help shape a new research frontier between moral epistemology, technology ethics and design; and join a supportive, international team in one of the world's strongest groups in the ethics of technology.

Job requirements

• A PhD (completed, or very close to completion) in philosophy, with strength in meta ethics, moral epistemology, ethics, or philosophy of emotion — or a closely related area.
• A track record, appropriate to career stage, of high-quality research and writing in relevant areas of philosophy.
• Genuine interest in the ethics of technology and/or in Design for Values; prior work in these areas is welcome but not required.
• Competence to work in an interdisciplinary team spanning philosophy and design, and to connect abstract epistemology to applied design questions.
• Excellent command of English and excellent academic writing skills.
• Enthusiasm for contributing to the group's wider intellectual life and, on occasion, its educational activities. (Up to 10% of the postdoc's time will be spent on educational activities.)

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

Faculty Technology, Policy & Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social…