Summer school - Bioethics in Context XII: Nature and Normativity

General Information

The next in the series of international and interdisciplinary summer schools on Integrative Bioethics will take place from 30 June to 4 July at the Catholic Private University in Linz, Austria. The event is set up as a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) within the framework of the ERASMUS project. This year's topic is ‘Nature and Normativity’. The event is organised by the Institute for Practical Philosophy/Ethics of the Catholic Private University Linz jointly with the Department of Practical Philosophy – Ethics, Law, Economy of the Department of Philosophy of the FernUniversität in Hagen, the Katholische Stiftungshochschule München-University of Applied Sciences, the University of Zagreb, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Crete (UoC) and the University of Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridsky”.

The aim of integrative bioethics is to address bioethical questions and problems from a broader, overarching perspective. One such aspect is certainly the relationship between nature and normativity. A normative statement expresses the relationship between human beings and the world, as well as that between human beings themselves. The current public debates on the ecological crisis are marked by distinctive normative references. Furthermore, recent discussions on environmental ethics have been characterised by opposing justifications of normative claims (e.g. pathocentrism vs. anthropocentrism, etc.). All these references and debates presuppose a kind of ‘self-normativity’ of nature that human action ought to respect. But the question arises as to what extent can such a self-normativity of nature even be justified? Seen from the perspective of a scientific and technical approach to nature, the idea of something natural inherently possessing a kind of selfhood is excluded from the outset. Here, natural existence is reduced to mere material for arbitrary purposes and manipulations. So, what justifies normative claims about human action in relation to nature if they go beyond the horizon of utility calculations? 

The summer school will, on the one hand, address fundamental questions such as these by drawing on key insights and forms of argumentation from philosophy. On the other hand, it will also provide an opportunity to take up this topic with reference to concrete phenomena and questions from the horizons of the natural and social sciences. To what extent are normative determinations to be found in the individual scientific and technical references to nature, e.g. in recourse to ‘normality’ or to ‘norm values’ and in the distinction between health and illness? Finally, is there a message of Integrative Bioethics that can take account of these far-reaching connections when bioethical decisions are made?

Application and Admission Requirements

The summer school will be hosted by the Catholic Private University Linz and will also include a cultural programme. The summer school will start on 30 June in the morning and end on 4 July after lunch. Students of philosophy at master’s level and, in the case of a bioethical project, doctoral students of philosophy or students of other disciplines can apply for admission in the period from 1 February to 30 March 2025. Participants will receive an ERASMUS grant to cover part of their travel and accommodation costs.

Applicants should submit an informative letter of motivation including a CV and evidence of good academic performance in their studies so far. At the summer school, students will be required to deliver a presentation of approximately 20 minutes or present a bioethical project. In addition, the summer school provides an opportunity to develop and discuss ideas for final theses. The conference language is English.

Further information on the schedule as well as travel and accommodation recommendations will be available soon. Please send your application to: m.gottschlich[at]ku-linz.at. Please address any queries to m.gottschlich[at]ku-linz.at.