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>NWO SUPPORTS LARGE RESEARCH PROGRAM IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF TECHNOLOGY
>
>Dear Colleaques,
>
>It is a pleasure to announce that from April 1, 2000, the Department
of >Philosophy of Delft University of Technology is starting a four
and a half >"".
>This program, which is financially supported by NWO, is supervised
by >Prof.dr.ir Peter Kroes and Prof.dr.ir Anthonie Meijers, and
involves two >post-doc researchers (Drs Wybo Houkes, Dr Pieter
Vermaas), two Ph.D. >students and two senior researchers (Prof Randall
Dipert (Buffalo), Dr >Maarten Franssen (Delft)). The leading idea of
the program is that technical >artifacts (artifacts designed by
engineers) have a dual nature. They cannot >exhaustively be described
within a physical conceptualization, since this >has no place for
their functional features, nor can they be exhaustively >described
within an intentional conceptualization, since their
functionality >must be realized in a physical structure that is
adequate to it. Both the >intentional and the physical/material
conceptualisations are indispensable >for understanding and explaining
the nature of technical artifacts. >
>The challenge and general aim of the NWO research program is to
develop a >coherent conceptualization of technical artifacts that
takes into account >their dual nature as (i) designed physical
structures, which realize (ii) >intentionality-bearing functions.
> >For more information see:
www.wtm.tudelft.nl/filosofie/onderzoek/dualnature >
>Anthonie Meijers [[log in to unmask]] >Pieter Vermaas
[[log in to unmask]] >Department of Philosophy
>Delft University of Technology >De Vries van Heystplantsoen 2
> Delft >The Netherlands
>web: www.wtm.tudelft.nl/filsofie >
> >
> >TWO VACANCIES FOR PHD STUDENTS IN DELFT / NWO PROGRAM ON THE DUAL
NATURE OF >TECHNICAL ARTIFACTS
> >The NWO program has currently two vacant positions for PhD
students. One >concerns the project 'Designing Technical Artifacts:
Bridging the Gap >between Function and Structure', the other the
project 'The Social >Constraints of Technical Artifacts'. For
information please see the text >given below, or consult:
>www.wtm.tudelft.nl/filosofie/onderzoek/dualnature >
>If you are interested in these positions, or know somebody who might
be >interested, please let us know.
> >Anthonie Meijers [[log in to unmask]]
>Pieter Vermaas [[log in to unmask]] >
>Delft University of Technology >Faculty of Technology, Policy and
Management >Department of Philosophy
> >
>Vacancy 1: Ph.D. project >'Designing Technical Artifacts: Bridging
the Gap between Function and >Structure':
> >Research for this project will focus on the design process of
technical >artifacts. This process is considered to be one in which
engineers by means >of design methods systematically translate a
functional description of an >artifact (the desired function) into a
physical-structural description of >the artifact (the actual design)
and a set of instructions for its use (the >manual). The project has
two components. In the first, design methods and a >number of case
studies of actual designs will be analysed. The aim of this >is to
develop a rational reconstruction of design methods and the way
in >which functional descriptions are translated into structural
descriptions >via these methods. The second component will focus on the
way in which >engineers justify their designs and explain the
operation of these >designs.Also this component puts much emphasis on
case studies. >
>Vacancy 2: Ph.D. project >'The Social Constraints of Technical
Artifacts': >
>The functioning of a technical artifact puts demands not only on
its >physical structure, but also on its (social) context of action and
thus on >its users. There is, for instance, the problem of the
recognizability of the >function as the designer originally intended
it. Also users can autonomously >assign a function to an artifact.
>The project concerns the social constraints that enable the
functioning of >technical artifacts. The main aim of this project
comprises two parts. In >the first, the social constraints on the
realization/disclosure of a >function will be conceptualized by means
of the communication model proposed >by Randall Dipert, i.e. the
intentions of the designer must be conveyed >successfully to the user,
if this user is to recognize and use the object as >an artifact with a
specific function. This model will be elaborated with the >help of
Grice's theory of communication. It will then be tested and,
if >possible, refined by means of a number of detailed case studies.
The >existence of social constraints raises the question to what
extent technical >artifacts are different from social artifacts (such
as a university or a >court of law), and to what extent technical
functions differ from social >functions. In the second part of the
project, it will be examined to what >extent the ontological status of
artifacts can be understood by means of >recent theories about the
metaphysics of social objects. This will involve > number of case
studies. >
>& 2: applicant profile: >You will have received a degree that fits
the PhD project of your choice. In >the case of project 1 you will,
for instance, have received an engineering >education of which design
and design methods formed a substantial part, and >you have a proven
affinity with philosophy; or, you will have graduated in >philosophy of
science and have a proven affinity with technology. In the >case of
project 2 you will, for instance, have studied philosophy with
a >specialization in the philosophy of mind or of the social sciences,
and you >have a proven affinity with technology. Excellent analytic
skills are >required for both projects. You will have the desire to
employ these >analytic skills for conceptually innovative research,
the team spirit >necessary to work in a partly international group of
researchers, and good >communicative skills. You have also fully
mastered the English language, >both orally and in writing.
> >The Delft University of Technology offers:
>The employment is set for a period of four years. The purpose of
the >employment is to complete a dissertation. Within a year from the
date of >employment your performance will be reviewed, on which review
continuation >of your employment will be considered. Your gross salary
is set at fl. >3.911,- in the first year, mounting up to fl. 4.514,-
in the last year. >Employment and fee are according to the CAO
(collective agreement) for Dutch
>Universities. >
>Applications: >&
>Organisatie, Faculteit der Techniek, Bestuur en Management, Kanaalweg
2b, >2628 EB Delft, the Netherlands, stating application number
TBM00.09. All >applications must be received before 26 April 2000.
>For more information about the NWO research programme,
visit >www.wtm.tudelft.nl/filosofie/onderzoek/dualnature. For
additional >information about the vacancies, contact Prof. Peter Kroes,
tel.: (+31) >015-2784715. For general information about the Department
of Philosophy, >visit the departmental website
(www.wtm.tudelft.nl/filosofie). >
>
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