Round two 

The last Sunday of the Dutch Design Week 2021. We were incredibly happy to have seen so many visitors, heard a lot of inspiring questions and to have artists from all over the world at BioArt Village. To conclude this week we hosted another fire pit debate together with philosopher Dr. Laurens Landeweerd (Radboud Universiteit).

Laurens introduced the audience to the three topics of the afternoon. These three topics arose from the three idea’s Aristoteles used to explain the gathering of knowledge. These are defined as epistèmè: the scientific knowledge. This type of knowledge does not aim for practical use, or pleasure. It soly aims for the purpose of knowing in itself. Technè, the second type of knowledge describes skill. The understanding of creating. For example: how to make bread. The third and final one is called phronèsis. This type of knowledge is considered to be practical moral knowledge. Better explained as the ability to steer one’s own actions and those of others in the right direction.

Since the development of biotechnology the border between scientific knowledge and technical knowledge has been fading. Even though science is about ‘discovery’ and technology focuses on ‘inventing’, these two seem to meet in the biotechnolocal. The impact of this mixture and the fading of this border was quite big. To give an example: molecular life sciences have gotten an economic revenue model for biotechnology through patentability.

Here we come to our debate. Dr. Landeweerd formulated some statements, in which the participants of the debate tried to discover the difference between discovering and creating. The participants also discussed the authority of the creators especially within the arts and design fields. Touching upon the problematics of regulations and policies regarding revenue models but also safety and control. Because of that, the debate also stumbled upon our difficulty we experience with understanding the concept of ‘nature’.

The participants, a mixture of artists and visitors from different ages and backgrounds participated in this debat by picking sides. Physically moving from left to right. From yes, to no. From agree to disagree. They were given the space to formulate and express their reasoning behind their choice.

After a fruitful and interesting debate, Dr. Laurens Landeweerd concluded the afternoon with a philosophical outline for the need for creativity and innovation.

To be continued!