Jan Peter Bergen

Jan Peter Bergen is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Twente, specializing in the ethical dimensions of technology, education, and moral subjectivity. He concurrently held a Lectureship in Ethics and Technology at Delft University of Technology until 2022. His research explores how technology influences human moral development and responsibility, particularly in domains like nuclear energy, sex technology, and end-of-life practices.

• Education:
  • PhD in Ethics of Technology (Delft University of Technology, 2017)
  • MSc in Industrial Ecology (Leiden University, 2012)
  • Bachelor’s/Master’s in Integrated Product Development (Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen, 2004–2009)

Research Interests: Bergen’s work bridges philosophy, ethics, and technology, focusing on:

• Technological mediation of human virtues and moral agency
• Ethical frameworks for risky technologies (e.g., nuclear energy)
• Ethics education in engineering and technology
• Implications of emerging technologies (e.g., sexbots, smart glasses) for human identity

His postdoctoral research under Prof. Peter-Paul Verbeek’s VICI project furthered exploration of responsible design and technologically mediated self-development.

Collaborations & Grants: Active in interdisciplinary projects, including contributions to the Dutch government’s Nuclear Energy Reversibility Framework and the Values for a Post-Pandemic Future initiative. Supervised activities include organizing the International Summer Course on Technology & Society (2019).

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the University of Twente’s Philosophy of Technology research group and contributes to the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies gravitation program.