Acting with Artefacts
Project description
This PhD research addresses the question of how the involvement of an artefact influences the very nature of an action, and how we can understand such an action from the nature of the artefact. To this end, we will create a typology of both (technical) artefacts and actions, based on salient features and a phenomenological analysis.
One of the most interesting aspects of artefacts is that they can shift responsibility for an action away from the user as well as give him added responsibilities. When and how this shift occurs will be investigated as well.
Although the project is mostly situated in action theory and the philosophy of technology, it will contain a meta-ethical part as well. This part will deal with questions of responsibility for actions undertaken with artefacts (like when a manufacturer can be held responsible when my action fails due to a defect in the artefact).
Key publications
Pols, A.J.K. Forthcoming. "Characterising affordances: The descriptions-of-affordances-model" Design Studies. doi:10.1016/j.destud.2011.07.007
Pols, Auke J.K., and Wybo Houkes. 2011. "What is morally salient about enhancement technologies?" Journal of Medical Ethics 37(2): 84-87.available online
Pols, A.J.K. 2010. Transferring Responsibility Through Use Plans. In Philosophy and Engineering: An Emerging Agenda edited by I. van de Poel and D.E. Goldberg. Dordrecht: Springer.