About the conference topic

What do philosophy and ethics of technology mean in turbulent times?

The impact of new technological developments in domains such as artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and quantum technologies is enormous and interconnected with global challenges such as climate change, authoritarianism, and geopolitical tensions. Such times demand targeted philosophical and ethical inquiry, which is the aim of the ESDiT & 4TU Ethics biannual conference Technology Ethics in Turbulent Times.

Whether your work concerns conceptual analysis, philosophical methods for studying and evaluating technology, case-studies in the ethics of (disruptive) technologies, sustainable technology, praxis-oriented approaches geared towards design and social implications, or another related topic:

We welcome you to submit an abstract or participate!

What & when can you submit?

We welcome proposals for individual papers, panels and session that are about or relate to the philosophy and ethics of technology. Previous conferences included among others the following topics:

• Philosophy and Ethics of AI
• Bodies, Minds, and Subjects
• Technology and Disruption
• Geo-Technology & Bio-Technology
• Methodological Issues, Questions, and Practices
• Design and Values
• Politics & Technology
• Intercultural Ethics of Technology
• Art & Aesthetics

The call for paper and panel proposals will open on 20 March 2026 and close at 23:59 CET on 1 June 2026. Notes of acceptance will be sent before 1 July 2026.

Submission types

A single paper proposal must consist of:

• A title
• The name/s and email address/es of author/s
• An abstract of max. 300 words.

A panel proposal with papers must consist of:

• A title
• The name/s and email address/es of author/s
• A description of the set-up of the panel of max. 100 words
• 3-6 abstracts of the individual contributions of max. 300 words each.

A session proposal must consist of:

• A title
• The name/s and email address/es of the organizers of the session
• A short description of the topic + set-up of the session of max. 100 words
• A characterization of the session in 1-4 words (e.g. workshop, debate, etc.)
• A more extensive description of the setup of the session in max. 300 words.

Please note the following:

• You can be first author of only one paper submitted, irrespective of whether it concerns a single paper or a paper that is part of a panel.
• On the submission form you will have the option to indicate that a proposal would suit one of the listed tracks. However, being part of a track is not a condition for being accepted, it is merely aiding us to put together the programme.