Dipl.-Pol. Christopher Coenen
- Head of research group
- Research group “Life, Innovation, Health, and Technology”
- Room: 310
- Phone: +49 721 608-24559
- christopher coenen ∂does-not-exist.kit edu
Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS)
Postfach 3640
76021 Karlsruhe
Current positions
- Head of Research group “Life, Innovation, Health, and Technology”
- Coordinator of the transnational EU ERA-NET project FUTUREBODY
- ITAS project leader for the project INOPRO
- Editor-in-chief of the journal NanoEthics: Studies of New and Emerging Technologies
- KIT expert on the topic “human enhancement”
- Contact person concerning the ITAS SynBio group
Fields of work
Social, ethical, other philosophical, historical, cultural and political aspects of (in particular new and emerging) technosciences in areas of overlap between biology and technology
Main topics:
- Human-machine interaction
- Converging technologies and nanotechnology
- Internet and society
- Neurotechnologies
- Prosthetics
- Synthetic biology
- Human enhancement
- History of transhumanism and other technofuturist thought
Current projects
- Project “iRECS – improving Research Ethics Expertise and Competences to Ensure Reliability and Trust in Science”
Project description - Project “QuTec: Quantum Technology Innovations for Society”
Project description - Project “Staying young with robots (JuBot) – Versatile assistance robotics for coping with everyday life”
Project description - Project “Cooperative and Communicating AI methods for medical image-guided diagnostics (CoCoAI)”
Project description - Project “AI Space for Intelligent Health Systems (KI-SIGS)”
Project description - Project “Socio-technical futures as socio-epistemic practices. An analytical matrix for technology assessment”
Project description - Project “FUTUREBODY – The Future of the Body in the Light of Neurotechnology”
Project description
Completed projects
- Project “INOPRO – Intelligent Orthotics and Prosthetics”
Project description - Project “Visions as socio-epistemic practices”
Project description - Project “Piloting RRI in Industry: A Roadmap for Transformative Technologies (PRISMA)”
Project description - Project “VI-DAS – Vision Inspired Driver Assistance Systems”
Project description - Project “Additive Bio-Manufacturing: 3D Printing for Medical Recovery and Human Enhancement”
Project description - Project “SYNENERGENE”
Project description - Project “TechnoCitizenScience – Citizen innovation in science and technology”
Project description - Project “Human-machine interaction. Between artificial intelligence and human enhancement”
Project description (German) - Project “SynGovernance”
Project description - Project “Engineering Life”
Project description - Project “Ethics in Public Policy-Making: The Case of Human Enhancement (EPOCH)”
Project description - Project “ITA monitoring”
Project description - Project “Ethical and regulatory issues raised by synthetic biology (SYNTH-ETHICS)”
Project description - Project “Animal Enhancement”
Project description - Project “Risikowahrnehmung zum Thema Nanotechnologie: Analyse von Internetforen”
Project description - Project “Öffentliche elektronische Petitionen und bürgerschaftliche Teilhabe”
Project description - Project “Human Enhancement”
Project description - Project “Converging Technologies (CONTECS)”
Project description - Project “Analyse netzbasierter Kommunikation unter kulturellen Aspekten - Internet und Demokratie”
Project description - Project “Internetkommunikation in und mit Entwicklungsländern”
Project description - Project “Making Perfect Life”
Project description - Project “Nanotechnologie”
Project description - Project “E-Commerce”
Project description - Project “Neue Medien und Kultur”
Project description - Project “Military use of space and possibilities for arms control in space”
Project description - Project “Converging Technologies”
Project description
Professional background
| 2002 - 2009 | Member of scientific staff at ITAS, working for TAB |
| since 2009 | Member of scientific staff at ITAS |
Selected publications
Coenen, C.
Die Mensch-Maschine als Utopie
2019. Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion : Handbuch zu Geschichte - Kultur - Ethik. Hrsg.: K. Liggieri, 71–80, J.B. Metzler, Stuttgart. doi:10.1007/978-3-476-05604-7_10
Coenen, C.; Ferrari, A.; Grunwald, A.
Wider die Begrenzung der Enhancement-Debatte auf angewandte Ethik
2018. Die Leistungssteigerung des menschlichen Gehirns. Ed.: N. Erny, 57–85, Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-03683-6_4
Grunwald, A.; Coenen, C.
Past and present futures of nanotechnology
2018. Nanotechnology Environmental Health and Safety : Risks, Regulation, and Management. Ed.: Matthew S. Hull, 453–466, Elsevier, Amsterdam
Coenen, C.; Grunwald, A.
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) in quantum technology
2017. Ethics and information technology, 19 (4), 277–294. doi:10.1007/s10676-017-9432-6
Coenen, C.
Whose Future is it Anyway?
2017. Nanoethics, 11 (2), 123–126. doi:10.1007/s11569-017-0304-7
Recent publications
2023
Journal Articles
Seskir, Z. C.; Umbrello, S.; Coenen, C.; Vermaas, P. E.
Democratization of Quantum Technologies
2023. Quantum Science and Technology, 8 (2), Art.-Nr.: 024005. doi:10.1088/2058-9565/acb6ae
Democratization of Quantum Technologies
2023. Quantum Science and Technology, 8 (2), Art.-Nr.: 024005. doi:10.1088/2058-9565/acb6ae
2022
Book Chapters
Coenen, C.; Grunwald, A.
Von der Erlösung zur Lösungsorientierung und zurück? Quasi-religiöse Zukunftsvisionen als Herausforderung und Chance für die Technikfolgenabschätzung
2022. Immanente Religion – Transzendente Technologie: Technologiediskurse und gesellschaftliche Grenzüberschreitungen. Hrsg.: Sabine Maasen, David Atwood, 159–190, Verlag Barbara Budrich
Von der Erlösung zur Lösungsorientierung und zurück? Quasi-religiöse Zukunftsvisionen als Herausforderung und Chance für die Technikfolgenabschätzung
2022. Immanente Religion – Transzendente Technologie: Technologiediskurse und gesellschaftliche Grenzüberschreitungen. Hrsg.: Sabine Maasen, David Atwood, 159–190, Verlag Barbara Budrich
Journal Articles
Coenen, C.
Against bureaucrapitalism: a response to Shanley and colleagues
2022. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 9 (1), 143–146. doi:10.1080/23299460.2022.2055993
Against bureaucrapitalism: a response to Shanley and colleagues
2022. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 9 (1), 143–146. doi:10.1080/23299460.2022.2055993
Coenen, C.; Grinbaum, A.; Grunwald, A.; Milburn, C.; Vermaas, P.
Quantum Technologies and Society: Towards a Different Spin
2022. NanoEthics, 16 (1), 1–6. doi:10.1007/s11569-021-00409-4
Quantum Technologies and Society: Towards a Different Spin
2022. NanoEthics, 16 (1), 1–6. doi:10.1007/s11569-021-00409-4
Ruggiu, D.; Blok, V.; Coenen, C.; Kalloniatis, C.; Kitsiou, A.; Mavroeidi, A.-G.; Milani, S.; Sitzia, A.
Responsible innovation at work: gamification, public engagement, and privacy by design
2022. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 9 (3), 315–343. doi:10.1080/23299460.2022.2076985
Responsible innovation at work: gamification, public engagement, and privacy by design
2022. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 9 (3), 315–343. doi:10.1080/23299460.2022.2076985
Conference Papers
Kazakova, A.; Coenen, C.
Creativity in Engineering - Classics of Modern Dialectical Philosophy Revisited
2022. Technology, Innovation and Creativity in Digital Society: XXI Professional Culture of the Specialist of the Future. Ed.: D. Bylieva, 3–10, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-89708-6_1
Creativity in Engineering - Classics of Modern Dialectical Philosophy Revisited
2022. Technology, Innovation and Creativity in Digital Society: XXI Professional Culture of the Specialist of the Future. Ed.: D. Bylieva, 3–10, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-89708-6_1
Reports/Preprints
Seskir, Z. C.; Umbrello, S.; Coenen, C.; Vermaas, P. E.
Democratization of Quantum Technologies
2022. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2208.03368
Democratization of Quantum Technologies
2022. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2208.03368
Posters
Seskir, Z. C.; Coenen, C.
How will quantum technologies (QT) change the digital world?
2022. 5th European Technology Assessment Conference "Digital Future(s). TA in and for a Changing World" (ETAC 2022), Karlsruhe, Germany, July 25–27, 2022
How will quantum technologies (QT) change the digital world?
2022. 5th European Technology Assessment Conference "Digital Future(s). TA in and for a Changing World" (ETAC 2022), Karlsruhe, Germany, July 25–27, 2022
2021
Book Chapters
Coenen, C.
Die wissenschaftlich-technisch ermöglichte Gottwerdung der Menschheit
2021. Wer bist du, Mensch? Transformationen menschlicher Selbstverständnisse im wissenschaftlich-technischen Fortschritt. Hrsg.: Grunwald, Armin, 324–346, Herder
Die wissenschaftlich-technisch ermöglichte Gottwerdung der Menschheit
2021. Wer bist du, Mensch? Transformationen menschlicher Selbstverständnisse im wissenschaftlich-technischen Fortschritt. Hrsg.: Grunwald, Armin, 324–346, Herder
Coenen, C.
Breaking the Spell of TINA – An Integrative Notion of Technical Progress
2021. Konfigurationen der Zeitlichkeit. Ed.: A. Friedrich, 318–323, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. doi:10.5771/9783748910961-318
Breaking the Spell of TINA – An Integrative Notion of Technical Progress
2021. Konfigurationen der Zeitlichkeit. Ed.: A. Friedrich, 318–323, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. doi:10.5771/9783748910961-318
Coenen, C.
Transcending Natural Limitations: The Military–Industrial Complex and the Transhumanist Temptation
2021. Transhumanism: The Proper Guide to a Posthuman Condition or a Dangerous Idea?. Ed.: W. Hofkirchner, 97–110, Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-56546-6_6
Transcending Natural Limitations: The Military–Industrial Complex and the Transhumanist Temptation
2021. Transhumanism: The Proper Guide to a Posthuman Condition or a Dangerous Idea?. Ed.: W. Hofkirchner, 97–110, Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-56546-6_6
Kinderlerer, J.; Coenen, C.
South Africa in the times of Mandela’s political rise: A correspondence [in press]
2021. Bester, Coetzee; Britz, Johannes; Capurro, Rafael; Fischer, Rachel (Hg.): Nelson Mandela. A Reader on Information Ethics, 214–224, International Centre for Information Ethics (ICIE)
South Africa in the times of Mandela’s political rise: A correspondence [in press]
2021. Bester, Coetzee; Britz, Johannes; Capurro, Rafael; Fischer, Rachel (Hg.): Nelson Mandela. A Reader on Information Ethics, 214–224, International Centre for Information Ethics (ICIE)
Journal Articles
Coenen, C.
Understanding Technology, Changing the World
2021. NanoEthics, 15 (3), 203–209. doi:10.1007/s11569-021-00410-x
Understanding Technology, Changing the World
2021. NanoEthics, 15 (3), 203–209. doi:10.1007/s11569-021-00410-x
Coenen, C.; Kazakova, A.
Utopian Grammars of Human-Machine Interaction
2021. Technology and Language, 2 (1), 67–80. doi:10.48417/technolang.2021.01.06
Utopian Grammars of Human-Machine Interaction
2021. Technology and Language, 2 (1), 67–80. doi:10.48417/technolang.2021.01.06
König, H.; Baumann, M. F.; Coenen, C.
Emerging Technologies and Innovation — Hopes for and Obstacles to Inclusive Societal Co-Construction
2021. Sustainability, 13 (23), Art.Nr.: 13197. doi:10.3390/su132313197
Emerging Technologies and Innovation — Hopes for and Obstacles to Inclusive Societal Co-Construction
2021. Sustainability, 13 (23), Art.Nr.: 13197. doi:10.3390/su132313197
Conference Papers
Coenen, C.; Stieglitz, T.
Neurotech-Ethics: Suggestions for the Way Forward
2021. 2021 10th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering (NER), 639–642, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/NER49283.2021.9441374
Neurotech-Ethics: Suggestions for the Way Forward
2021. 2021 10th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering (NER), 639–642, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/NER49283.2021.9441374
Posters
Maia, M. J.; Nierling, L.; Coenen, C.; Fleischer, T.; Heil, R.; Jahnel, J.; König, H.; Orwat, C.
Research on AI at ITAS
2021. Helmholtz Artificial Intelligence Conference (Helmholtz AI 2021), Online, April 14–15, 2021
Research on AI at ITAS
2021. Helmholtz Artificial Intelligence Conference (Helmholtz AI 2021), Online, April 14–15, 2021