'WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HUMAN?'

Think of times in history when certain groups of people weren’t considered completely human. Now think of what the consequences were. Slavery and concentration camps, to name just two. Robert Zwijnenberg uses these examples to argue: How we define being human matters –a lot.

In a gripping and fascinating talk, Robert Zwijnenberg takes you on a quest to find an answer to the question on what it means to be human. Expect the unexpected, as he leads you through the realms of philosophy, law, arts, biology and more.

BIOGRAPHY

Robert Zwijnenberg is Professor Art and Science Interactions at Leiden University. Trained in civil engineering and philosophy, he received a PhD in philosophy from the University of Amsterdam.

His research and teaching focus are on the role of contemporary art in the academic and public debates on the implications of the life sciences. More specifically, he wonders whether contemporary art can help us shape the juridical and ethical aspects of human dignity in relation to human enhancement.

Robert is director of The Arts and Genomics Centre, a platform for stimulating, initiating and supervising collaboration and exchange among international artists, genomics researchers and life sciences professionals.

Robert Zwijnenberg is trustee for the Waag Society (Amsterdam); member of the advisory board of The Initiative for Advanced Research in Technology and the Arts, University of North Texas; board member of the council for the humanities of The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF ROBERT ZWIJNENBERG?

Read Robert’s articles Dignity and the Importance of Art and article A Two-Headed Zebrafish (and why it is necessary for artists and scholars to engage with the sciences and participate in art-science collaboration). Find an overview of Rob’s research and publications here.

LinkedIn: Robert Zwijnenberg