Zandvoort, dr. H. (Henk)
Associate professor
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of TPM
Delft University of Technology
Jaffalaan 5
Room b4.290
2628 BX Delft
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)15 27 81925
E-mail: h.zandvoort@tbm.tudelft.nl
Henk Zandvoort (1951) is an associate professor for Ethics and Technology at Delft University of Technology. He did his first degree in chemistry and a later degree in philosophy. His dissertation Models of scientific development and the case of NMR appeared in 1986 (Reidel, Dordrecht). Between 1986 and 1997 his main assignment was at the Dutch Ministry of Education and Sciences, where he had various functions as a civil servant in the area of higher education and university research. He has been associated with Delft University of Technology since 1991. He is chairman of the SEFI Working Group on Ethics in Engineering Education (http://www.eiee.tudelft.nl/).
The teaching and research activities of Henk Zandvoort are in the field of Ethics and Engineering. The following themes have his special interest both in teaching and in research.
- The theory of argumentation (“collective reasoning”). (What are the rules that people should respect who want to settle their disagreements regarding the development and application of technology by means of collective reasoning? What are the possibilities and limitations of reaching (consistent) agreement about those issues?)
- The ethical foundations of law, and the actual and possible role of law in safeguarding the socially beneficial development of technology.
- The theory and practice of collective decision making (“Public Choice”) regarding technology.
- The responsibility of the organisations that produce and control technology, and the division of responsibility inside these organisations.
- The responsibility of engineers for technology and its social implications.
A special focus in his research concerns the ethical and decision theoretical foundations of risk legislation, including legal liability, and risk management. For publications see Selected publications below. He also publishes on issues in teaching ethical and social aspects of engineering and technology. An issue that has his particular interest is what should be taught in the (science and) engineering curricula in order to prepare students for ethical and social responsibility.
His teaching activities include a course on ethics and engineering for MSc programmes in Applied Sciences (the course is described in “A joint venture model for teaching ‘ethics and engineering’ for engineering students” in the list below), a course “Ethical aspects of the design and management of technology” for the MSc programme Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management, and a course “Introduction to philosophy” for the minor programme “Philosophy and Technology” which is open for all BSc students of Delft UT.
Selected Publications
“Preparing engineers for social responsibility”, European Journal of Engineering Education, 33:2, 133 — 140, 2008.
“A joint venture model for teaching required courses in 'ethics and engineering' to engineering students”, European Journal of Engineering Education, 33:2, 187 — 195, 2008. Available online
“Risk zoning and risk decision making”, Int. J. Risk Assessment and Management, 8:1/2, 3–18, 2008.
“What scientists and engineers should know about the history of legal liability and why they should know it”, Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education 2008. July 27-31, Pecs, Hungary. INEER, 2008. Available online
“Preparing engineers for social responsibility. Report of the TREE Special Interest Group D6 Ethical Issues in Engineering Education.” In: Re-engineering Engineering Education in Europe, Claudio Borri and Francesco Maffioli (eds.) Firenze : Firenze University Press, 2007. ISBN 978-88-8453-675-4. Available online
“Globalisation, environmental harm, and progress. The role of consensus and liability”. Water Science and Technology 52(6), 43-50, 2005.
“Knowledge, risk, and liability. Analysis of a discussion continuing within science and technology.” pp. 469-498 in R. Festa, A. Aliseda and J. Peijnenburg (eds.), Cognitive Structures in Scientific Inquiry,
Rodopi, 2005.
“Good engineers need good laws”, European Journal of Engineering Education, 30:1, 21–36, 2004.
“Conditions for ethical business”, pp 41-51 in Korthals, Michiel; Bogers, Robert J. (Eds.), Ethics for Life Scientists, Springer Verlag, 2004.
"Ethics and engineering courses at Delft University of Technology: Contents, Educational Setup and Experiences." Science and Engineering Ethics, 7:2, 267-282, 2001.
“Ethics in the engineering curricula: topics, trends and challenges for the future", European Journal of Engineering Education, 25:4, 291-302, 2000.
“Codes of conduct, the law, and technological design and development”, pp 193-205 in Peter Kroes, Anthonie Meijers (Eds.), The Empirical Turn in the Philosophy of Technology, Elsevier Science Inc., 2000.
“Self determination, strict liability, and ethical problems in engineering”, pp 219-243 in Peter Kroes, Anthonie Meijers (Eds.), The Empirical Turn in the Philosophy of Technology, Elsevier Science Inc., 2000.
