CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Nagoya Forum on
the Philosophy of Engineering 2027
Engineering, Science, and the Forms of Knowledge:
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
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Co-organised by the Society for Engineering Ethics at Nagoya Institute of Technology
We invite abstracts for the inaugural Nagoya Forum on the Philosophy of Engineering, to be held at Nagoya Institute of Technology on 20–21 February 2027. The forum is open to philosophers, historians of science and technology, engineers, and engineering educators, and will be conducted in a hybrid format so that participants may take part either in Nagoya or online
Theme
Theme
Engineering is often understood as the application of scientific knowledge. Yet designing, building, testing, and maintaining artefacts and systems involve complex relationships between theoretical understanding, practical skills, and judgements about purposes, constraints, and acceptable outcomes. How should we understand the forms of knowledge involved in engineering, and their relationships with scientific inquiry and ethical responsibility?
This forum brings the philosophy of engineering into dialogue with the history of philosophy and science. It asks how philosophical accounts of knowledge, practice, nature, and artifice can illuminate engineering, and how attention to engineering can, in turn, reshape our understanding of these accounts. Historical inquiry thus provides an opportunity both to reconsider familiar distinctions between science and engineering and to recover questions and approaches that can enrich contemporary debates.
A further concern is the relationship between knowledge and value in engineering practice. Decisions about what to design, how to evaluate its performance, and which risks to accept raise questions that connect epistemology and methodology with ethics and social responsibility. The forum therefore welcomes historical studies alongside contemporary philosophical analyses and reflections on engineering practice, including work on design, maintenance, engineering education, and the ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding emerging technologies.
Conceived as an initial gathering, the Nagoya Forum aims to open an international dialogue on the philosophy of engineering and its historical dimensions. Through a keynote lecture, research presentations, and discussion, it seeks to identify shared questions, establish connections among researchers working in different traditions, and explore possibilities for future exchange.
Topics
Topics
We welcome contributions on themes including, but not limited to:
• Engineering knowledge and the history of philosophy
• Engineering knowledge and scientific knowledge
• Engineering ethics and design responsibility
• Risk, safety, maintenance, and infrastructure
• Kantian, neo-Kantian, and post-Kantian approaches to science and engineering
• Engineering education and philosophical reflection
• East Asian and global perspectives on engineering
Keynote Speaker
Keynote Speaker
Yusuke Nagato (University of Osaka)
Submission of Abstracts
Submission of Abstracts
Please send an abstract of 300–500 words in English, as a Word or PDF document, to philoethica@gmail.com with the subject line “NFPE 2027 — Abstract Submission”.
Please include in the body of your email your name, affiliation, email address, and an indication of whether you intend to present in person or online.
The deadline for submission is 15 December 2026. Authors will be notified of the outcome by 23 December 2026.
Presentation Format
Presentation Format
Each presentation will last a maximum of 35 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of discussion. The number of slots is limited, and submissions will be selected by the Organiser. Presenters may participate either in person in Nagoya or online.
Language
Language
The working language of the forum is English. All presentations and discussion will be conducted in English.
Venue, Format, and Registration
Venue, Format, and Registration
The forum will be held at Nagoya Institute of Technology (Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya) and simultaneously online. Attendance is free of charge for both in-person and online participants. Registration details for online attendance will be announced on the conference website in January 2027.
Travel and accommodation costs are the responsibility of participants. The organisers are unfortunately not able to provide travel bursaries.
Provisional Programme
Provisional Programme
The following outline is provisional and will be finalised once the programme is settled. Times are given in Japan Standard Time (UTC+9), Central European Time (UTC+1, in force on these dates), and Coordinated Universal Time.ST
CET (rlin)C
Session
Day 1 — Saturday 20 February 2027
Day 1 — Saturday 20 February 2027
[JST] [CET (Berlin)] [UTC]
16:00 08:00 07:00
Opening remarks
16:15 08:15 07:15
Presentation 1 (35 min + 15 min discussion)
17:15 09:15 08:15
Presentation 2 (35 min + 15 min discussion)
18:15 10:15 09:15
Keynote lecture (60 min + 30 min discussion)
19:45 11:45 10:45
End of Day 1
Day 2 — Sunday 21 February 2027
Day 2 — Sunday 21 February 2027
[JST] [CET (Berlin)] [UTC]
16:00 08:00 07:00
Presentation 3 (35 min + 15 min discussion)
17:00 09:00 08:00
Presentation 4 (35 min + 15 min discussion)
18:00 10:00 09:00
Presentation 5 (35 min + 15 min discussion)
19:00 11:00 10:00
General discussion and future perspectives
19:30 11:30 10:30
Closing remarks
Key Dates
Deadline for abstracts: 15 December 2026
Notification of acceptance: 23 December 2026
Registration for online attendance opens: January 2027
Conference: 20–21 February 2027
Organiser
Organiser
Tadahiro OOTA (Nagoya Institute of Technology)
The forum is co-organised by the Society for Engineering Ethics at Nagoya Institute of Technology.
Funding
Funding
This conference is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 23K12011.
Contact
Contact
Email: philoethica@gmail.com
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